My friend and I added our names to the song list, as told to do by the DJ. She should have just said she was never going to call us--we would have left then. It was ridiculous. We waited for hours, and we watched her call the same people again and again and again. Some of them singing 4-5 times while we were waiting. Very unprofessional DJ. We will never go back there. She even went and sang with some of the regulars during their songs. read more

Amazing!!! highly recommend and will definitely be back! The food is phenomenal!! Service was amazing. I can't say enough good things thank you so much Zen bar! read more

Easy and friendly atmosphere. The owner is great and you can tell that he loves his business and patrons. The drinks are well prepared and fairly priced. The service is quick and friendly. This is a great neighborhood bar that you can kick back and relax in. read more

Went on a Monday for karaoke. The dj (Jade) was sweet. Bar server Peter was nice at first, but then didn't say "thank you" or even give a smile when I gave him a huge cash tip (over 50%) upon paying my tab....also acted acted like it was an imposition when I asked for a refill for my water glass. (I always drink lots of water in addition to my alcohol drinks.) Anyone can have a bad night, so I'll give the benefit of the doubt and will be back again. It's great that they have karaoke every night! read more

The Zen Bar is a cool place tucked in the heart of Plainville CT. They do Karaoke nights and its a big thing for them but on occasion they have bands play. The drinks reasonably priced and the bar staff is awesome. I talked with an awesome girl working the bar who had no problem being social with the patrons. They have a killer stage for bands when they have them and pool tables in the back near the bands so you listen and play. The night I was there they had a band who was very good and played a ton of different songs from all over the place. The parking for Zen Bar is ample and plentiful so don't be afraid that your going to be having ride up on grass to enjoy yourself. When bands play they have Karaoke off in a side section near the bar BUT I think they use the main stage for Karaoke on any other time. Highly recommend this place if you love the music scene and live or will be in the area. read more

Zen Bar - Picture I took of a band that rocked the house on March 30th at the Zen Bar. They have great live music when not doing Karaoke nights. - Bars Near Me - Plainville, Connecticut

Great service, very spacious bar. It's nice to have a lot of room inside and a outdoor patio. They had a karaoke setup and a few pool tables. read more

Zen bar will feel like home to you ! Relaxed environment. Friendly staff and people. We always have a good time and catch a conversation with locals enjoying themselves. The owner Gian will make sure you leave happier then when you entered : ) read more

Zen Bar - a bottle of liquor and two shot glasses - Bars Near Me - Plainville, Connecticut

See all

This place is my favorite local bar. The service is always great, the bartenders know your name and are super friendly! This is the type of bar where everybody knows your name, it is easy to talk to everybody and make friends. If you are into this sort of thing, they have couches if you want to get close to your s.o I have not tried much of the food here, only finger food like the sweet potato fires- very good =) They also offer many other bites, none of which I have had because I come here to drink lol Free pool most nights and karaoke every night, this is why I keep coming back. I will not lie, some nights it can be completely empty here but I come here still because of the speed of service, the cheap beer and the people I get to talk to. Highly recommended if you are into making friends and hanging out. TLDR: bartenders are nice, owner is awesome, pool is free, what else could you ask for? read more

Zen Bar - apps - Bars Near Me - Plainville, Connecticut

Make sure to only use cash I used my card and tipped 6 dollars for my 14 dollar tab come to find out they automatically tipped themselves another 6 dollars so they got a 12 dollar tip that I didn't sign for..I was told the owner does that with every card transaction...so I won't be going back there read more

Got attitude from the start from our server on a slow night. They overcharged our cards and wouldn't offer a refund, only a voucher for a free drink on my next visit. I won't be coming back. Worst experience ever. read more

Nice real owner Good food reasonable prices Very warm staff Very nice club Adequate seating read more

Zenbar is truly the place to be if you want a chill drink, a good time with friends and some much needed karaoke. I've been going here with my friends since we were in college 10 years ago. Giancarlo the owner is an incredibly kind natured person who truly understands his customers and welcomes them. I have NEVER had a bad experience there. Its honestly one of the safest places to just hang out and have a good time. I also really love their karaoke options and wings!! read more

Drinks are horrible. Basically undrinkable. Suggest bottled beer only. I used to come here all the time but there are other places that offer food and drinks you can actually enjoy. Main reason to come here would be Kareoke. read more

Nice owner Great staff Good food Fun kereoke Seating is adequate It's a good Time for any age group read more

I am very grateful to have a place like Zen Bar in Plainville. Giancarlo the owner is very supportive of the town of Plainville. He is always kind and treats his patrons like family. The wings are amazing and have great different flavors you can't get every where. They offer pool and karaoke which is so much fun. I highly recommend the Zen bar to everyone! read more

Saturday night is karaoke night which I love. Very dive bar-esque if you're into that. The drinks are good, pleasant staff and pool tables. Great for a mellow Saturday night to have a few drinks and hang out. And I got a free shot for checking-in on Yelp :D read more

Dive bar located in Plainville that seems to get a large crowd. Bar is actually quite nice inside....wood paneling on the walls and up to the vaulted ceiling. Main bar runs between the two rooms...one has pool tables and other is large and open....where karaoke was taking place. Crowd was mixed, but seemed to be mostly people in their 20's and 30's. Side patio for smokers and for warmer weather. I did spot a bottle of Rumchata on the bar....BONUS points for that. That stuff is awesome and most bars don't carry it. Current yelp check-in offer will provide you a free Zen shot, which I think is one of those tube test mixed shots that a waitress had a tray of. My phone battery died before I could redeem the offer. Parking was tight, but lots of cars used the adjacent businesses across the street for overflow parking, as did I. Not a place I'd frequent but maybe if back in the area. read more

Zen Bar is the best! I live in Plainville, and have been here a bunch of times. The owner Giancarlo is a great guy, Ive known him a long time. Always tries to make customers happy. Love the karaoke when they have it, pool table, and good drinks. Def a good spot to visit read more

So you want a nice, romantic dining experience, with soft music in the background, dim lights, gourmet crafted culinary pleasures,fine wine, and plenty of personal space? HAHA then dont come to Zen Bar! On the other hand, if you're looking for a raucus bar with a road-house feel, inexpensive drinks, non-stop loud, and shoulder-to-shoulder aisleways, then come to Zen and you surely will not be disappointed. This was my second time here with extended family and friends. One may think this place caters to the 20-30s crowd, and you would be right...but if you're in your 40s, 50s or orlder, and not afriad of letting your hair down once in a while, sucking a few brews (Or their signature Zen Shots) and singing karaoke from thier immense song list, you are guaranteed to have a memorable night. They serve food. I know this because I saw several people munching away on wings, burgers and fries. Let's face it, though...coming here because of the food is like going to a baseball game for the weiners...you can do it, but that's not why you're there!. Just ask any of the hundreds of patrons who are either sitting inside, or puffing outdoors: This is a consummate meeting house with good vibes all around. They have developed a very loyal, and very large clientele over the years. You can't knock success, and Zen has worked hard to do it their way. Bravo. read more

The friday night DJ before karaoke is a damn stud! Everyone should go see him! Spinning the hottest hits of the 80s 90s and today! Everyone should hire him to dj their weddings! read more

Had a blast here for a bachelorette party! Great drinks, and tons of karaoke mic time with a big music selection. Nice little deck outside for fresh air.Wish it were closer - would definitely make this our go-to karaoke bar! read more

See all

This is my third time coming here and every time I come it gets even better, the bartender is amazing and very caring. The food is the usual bar food but definitely good when you have had a lot to drink. There's s karaoke every night which is good in itself. I will never stop coming ! read more

Came here with some friends and Had a terrible experience from the moment we walked in. The bartender had a nasty attitude with us and come to find out, he's the OWNER! We left after 15 minutes and when we said we wanted to close our tabs, he said "You know we're open for another hour, right?" Lol, Definitely shouldn't be running a business if you're going to be rude to new customers. Never coming back. read more

Had a nice time with my kids. I don't get to see them as often as I'd like since my wife passed of cancer. Everything was great until I got the bill. Someone added shots to my tab. I tried to reason with the bartender but she said that someone in my party must have added them. I expected $60 to $70 not $150. I expected some credit but my bank has it listed as the full amount. At this point I am so upset about it I don't even want the money. If whoever added it on has a heart, please donate it to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. read more

Visited on a whim, and won't be compelled to be back. Thought I was in a frat house instead of a tavern or lounge. The staff was friendly, but inattentive. It took a while to get service despite there being very few customers. While there, it was taken over by 3 loud, boisterous younger patrons, which seemed to be the norm. The staff began moving all the tables around us and made us feel like we were getting kicked out. Why? To step up for beer pong! Oh... The food.left much to be desired. They were out of a number of items, the hamburgs were like hockey pucks, and we received fries instead of the onion rings we ordered. Maybe this is the type of establishment they want to be. Either way, I won't be back. read more

Nothing Zen about this place. *sits down, legs crossed, eyes closed, arms up, meditating* Damn.....it's too noisy in here to do that! It's okay. Kind of a wanna be Murphy's and Scarletti's, which is next door. This place is your Farmington version of West Hartford Center and Downtown Hartford club spot. A lot of 20 somethings, rowdy and ready to break bottles over your head. Unless you're drunk like the crowd there, i'd say it's nothing worth going to. read more

The Zen bar is a little out of the way in Plainville and honestly isn't a place I would make a special trip out for if it weren't specifically to meet friends. That said, the things that turn me off about it might be very appealing to a younger/more party-oriented crowd than I usually find myself in. The decor is pretty barren with a few high tables and a small seating/couch area near the dance floor. The last time I was there there were several beer pong tables set up across the dance floor, and the overall volume of the sound system makes conversation with friends a little difficult most times. The bartenders are friendly and the drinks that I've tried are mixed well. They'll also open a tab for you for as little as a $10 minimum. There seems to be several drink specials depending on what time of day or day of the week you find yourself there (for example during Tuesday trivia beers are $3.00) However, if you enjoy karaoke it seems like they have a pretty active scene and the Tuesday video trivia is enjoyable, free and has some surprisingly good prizes. All in all if you don't mind a loud, crowded space you'd probably enjoy it more than I did. read more

Hey Hey Karaoke fans!!! I had the pleasure of going back to Zen Bar last night and I'll tell you I had a blast! The owner told me nothing had changed about the sound system, but it was certainly not as packed as the first time I went so there weren't conversations to battle with. It was really easy to hear everyone and the crowd that was there last night were true karaoke lovers. Again, can't beat the free pizza, which is really great, especially if you love the crust. My friend and I splurged on a "novelty" glass to enjoy their 2 dollar beers. I wish i hadn't broke mine, i would have saved 8bucks. But that's ok. They have karaoke mon,wed,fri. I heard from other people that Fridays are packed there, I personally enjoy a smaller crowd, makes for more turns. Again, the bartender gets 5 stars from me *****. I had only been in there once in January and he remember both me and my friend. Also, not in a gay way, but the Karaoke DJ is a very nice and attractive young man with good hair. So ladies, if you want some eye candy, Zen Bar is the place to get it. read more

AVOID THIS BAR AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!! So I came here with a few friends of mine on Friday night to have a few drinks and was sooooooo disappointed by the treatment we received. I opened up a tab and handed John-Carlo my credit card and bought me and my 3 friends one round of beers. So by my simple math that is only 4 beers on my tab. We were only there for about an hour and that one round of beers was the only drinks i put on my card. When i asked to cash out I received my credit card back and my bill which, instead of 4 beers, had 16, $8 mixed drinks on it, for a total of $128. When i questioned the so-called "owner" of this terrible establishment he then asked me "Are you sure you didn't have these drinks? I thought I saw another bartender pouring rounds all night for you and your friends". A) If another bartender was pouring drinks for me and my friends wouldn't it be that bartenders responsibility to add it to my tab & B) Where the hell does he get off on asking me if i was "sure" I only drank what i claimed to have. After about 10 more minutes of questioning other bartenders on what they served me and me arguing that I only bought 4 beers he then offered to "meet me halfway" and only charge me $64 for my 4 BEERS!!! I again refused and he charged me properly, i hope. From what i heard from other patrons and from other bartenders at this place he, THE OWNER, does this ALL THE TIME. With this being said my friends and I, WILL NEVER COME HERE AGAIN and hope to advise whoever reads this to please do the same. read more

The staff is really nice and you never really have to wait for drink. JUST CLEAN THE JOINT! There is so much potential but thats all it will be. read more

My absolute favorite bar. Great crowd, great staff and $2 drafts with a zen glass. Karaoke monday, wednesdays and fridays and a free house shot when you check in! read more

Great place to hang out for a drink, shoot some pool, and maybe sing some tunes. The place has lots of room to move around, with a couple of bar sized pool tables, and the infamous Karaoke stage, after a few shots in you I bet you will be singing a tune or two by the end of the night. The owner is very cool and sometimes keeps the bar open later than normal hours sometimes just to let people do some more dancing and singing, however by law (and I can understand this) has to close the bar. Lots of parking, but be careful leaving, and make sure you have a DD, cause cops love to wait near that area to catch any drunk drivers. read more

Everythin was good until i got asked to not smoke weed near the slider door entrance, the same area all the tobacco smoking people are at, so ur telling me my smell stinks an the tobacco doesnt? No the cook who made a big deal out of it wanted action, well dont worry ill have the health department and osha come check you guys out randomly an see if everythin is up to par also, tit for tat read more

Zen Bar has always been a great place to enjoy an evening out. All of the workers are always friendly and have been super supportive of the live music seen for years. read more

Fun place --karaoke Wednesday

Absolutely nice atmosphere. Very relaxing and people are so friendly. Just found out they took first place for the best wings. Most of the food is homemade with lots of love and care. Totally love the chili with homemade chips. The chef is also the owner. This is an absolutely a must try place. read more

Zen Bar - Bars Near Me - Plainville, Connecticut

Came here the first time and it was amazing. Sean Connor (our bartender) helped us out with our drinks, and whatever else we needed. Definitely coming back soon!! read more

When they tell you that their chicken wings are the hottest in the State, believe them. I ordered the hottest wings they had. My friends hated me after they tried them. I never saw such pure, unadulterated hatred aimed at me before. It was scary! They somehow got it on their eyelids and genitals. They could eat just two apiece. I managed to chow down 6. There were two left. The people at Zen really NEED to keep some milk on hand for those who eat those wings and who don't realize just how hot they are. Today, I went to use the bathroom and it felt like I was peeing fire. My whole penis was on fire!!! On the second visit, my butt was on fire!!! I stayed home the entire day. I took pain killers. I am just starting to return to normal. It's around 9 P.M. now. One of my friends called a few minutes ago. She no longer hates me. That's good. We can laugh at it now. The other guy won't talk to me still. I go through a big bottle of Tabasco sauce each month. The hot wings I ordered at The Zen Bar were, at the VERY least, 10 times hotter! It was insane! WARNING!! Do not order these wings as a joke to watch your friends suffer. I would not do this to my worst enemy. I have never experienced anything so hot in my life. P.S. The only reason I deducted a point was because The Zen Bar does not keep milk on hand to help counter the heat. Otherwise, we had a great time. The people who sing at this bar were absolutely astounding! I don't think they really know just how good they are. I actually thought the original singers were singing some of the songs. I was impressed. The Bartenders were friendly too. That makes a huge difference when going out. read more

I came across this place through word of mouth while I was dog sitting in CT last month. I was having trouble finding a bar I actually liked near Avon and this place was just what I was looking for. Laid back and friendly patrons, great atmosphere, and karaoke. The owner is an awesome guy. I went back multiple times while I was there and I will definitely be going back whenever I find myself in that area again. read more

Thank you to everyone who came to Beach Rock Weekend at the Zen Bar (www.zenbarct.com)in Farmington, CT last night to dance the night away and partake in some fine beverages with me. The crowd at the Zen Bar was huge, lots of new faces mixed in the the surf addicts that I know and love. It was really nice to see Unsteady Freddie (www.myspace.com/unsteadyfreddie) and his family come out and share in the fun with us. Bobby D, Julie from Witches in Bikinis, Bill Lovett from Plastic Box, the Aquatudes, Perilous Cheryl & her beloved Joey Zone, all contributed to the dancing and reverb soaked mayhem. 9th Wave, The Octomen, & The Clams kicked and shredded some serious surf tail last. Opening the show was 9th Wave, CT's premier hot rod surf combo. Oceana played no less that 4 instruments during their set: flute, farfisa, guitar, and saxophone. Her talents never cease to amaze me. The set was hard driven hot rod surf. You could almost smell the exhaust & burnin' rubber as Mike Staccato Rosado burned up the strings and beat up the reverb during Mule Train, Creepsters From The Deep and Squad car to close out the set. Nest up I had the pleasure of introducing The Octomen: Rattlesnake Ralph , Mike & Darrin. This is my second time catching this band from NY and they were even better the second time around. Just like the first time I saw The Octomen, this is the band that got the crowd on their feet and turned the audience in pack of gyrating twisting hodads & wahines. As they are one of the hardest working surf on the east coast today, I am sure they playing at a show near you soon. Go and catch them, you won't be disappointed. Last up, to headline and close the show, were The Clams. The played a full 80-90 minute set, never taking a break. Of course Dan-o did wear out his bass player and had to bring a replacement from the bench...none other than Jimbo Clam. Oh wow! Brain, Dan-o & Jimbo sounded great together. Oceana & Magic Wanda were sweet and sophisticated in their white go go boots with matching saxophone. Pretty and great musicians, what more could a band want? I love dancing with these two. (I hope someone got pics of all 3 of us shimmying one the surf board). The Clams played Bat-Clam w/ vocals by Perilous Cheryl, Miserlou, Sleep Walk, Crustacean, Secret Agent Clam, Spy Clam Chase, Clam Nebula, list goes on & on....I was one fried clam by the time they were through at 12:30 am. The owner and bartender, John Carlo, thought the night was such a success for the club, the bands and the crowd that he wants to have Beach Rock Weekends year-round, 6 times per year. NESMA (www.nesmasurf.org)has found another place to call home in CT and it's name is the Zen Bar. See everyone next Saturday Nite when I get to host Surf-A-Billy Part 2 at Jimmy's Seaside with Bobby D (www.myspace.com/surfnight) Aloha, Blue StingRaye read more