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    Zen Bar

    3.6 (65 reviews)
    ModerateBars, Karaoke
    Closed 6:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)

    Zen Bar Photos

    ZEN BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Very loud
    Casual
    Live music
    Karaoke

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    Recommended Reviews - Zen Bar

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    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.
    Joseph S.

    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.

    a bottle of liquor and two shot glasses
    D W.

    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 : )

    apps
    Tyler M.

    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?

    Nice area in front of the bar we claimed for our party of 12 ladies, with room to play our party games.

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    19 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Nothing special. Just local hype. I wasn't impressed. Prices were ridiculous for what I could get elsewhere.

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    13 years ago

    Its all good if you need some time to kill before seeing a movie nearby.

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    13 years ago

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    14 years ago

    Great bar for karaoke. Good sound system. Fair prices and good food. Can't beat this place for fun at a decent price.

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    13 years ago

    Zen Bat is the best & John Carlo the owner rocks. Always good food, drinks and a nice crowd. My favorite bar EVER!!!

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    13 years ago

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Zen Bar

    Review Highlights - Zen Bar

    Giancarlo the owner is an incredibly kind natured person who truly understands his customers and welcomes them.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    J Timothy's Taverne - "Buffalo Chicken Wrap" (tomato tortilla, grilled chicken, buffalo sauce, gorgonzola crumbles, lettuce, tomato) with Sweet Potato Fries

    J Timothy's Taverne

    4.2(1.3k reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    Let's get into some great eating guys! I ain't ever been to J Timothy's, but I was recommended…read morethis place at work when I mentioned to some co-workers I would be going to the AMC in town where I got to see the first two episodes of "Lion". Honestly, after reading the reviews, I wasn't too confident I would even be able to eke on in for dinner, but my God was I able to get in, and thank the LORD I was able to find a parking spot with such a full lot of cars! What started as a solo trip to J Timothy's became a welcome table event when fellow Yelper Angie showed up with her husband and invited me over to their table. I'm SO glad we were able to have that happen! It became one of the best post-event dinners I've had yet. It did take a bit of time to decide between the three of us, but we eventually split our checks, with me taking care of my order and Angie taking care of the rest. We had Kate as a waitress, and might I say, she was not only nice and efficient, but she was very knowledgeable of the menu and very helpful and accommodating. I immediately requested a take-out box and she delivered just like that. She was even knowledgeable on what foods and such were made in-house and what wasn't, which is honestly very impressive! Also note, we all got to have a taste of everything that came in tonight, so we got lots of food to get to! We did have the wings for our appetizers. I did the 10-wing Dirt Style Honey BBQ Gold for mine, and they got I wanna say 20(?) Buffalo wings. They were cooked to perfection, and I was able to twist the bones off the flats. Both flavors were good, but even though it could possibly be my bias talking, I did prefer my flavor of wings. I will say the Buffalo had that signature spice level there, but it didn't overpower the wing, which is awesome! Oh, and there were also the potato skins which was rated perfectly, and that tasted really good as well. For the entrees, this is why I immediately requested the box. My order was the full rack of ribs. Angie got the chicken pot pie. Usually, I don't eat pot pies, but the one Angie ordered was honestly very good. Flaky, buttery crust top, and savory filling or chicken, potatoes, peas, etc. As for my ribs, whenever I tried to cut them, all the meat kept falling off the bone! That's how you know it was cooked properly! And dear God were these ribs were delicious, succulent, and delicious! Did I mention they were delicious? The BBQ sauce was a symphony of bliss that helped make each bite of rib taste like I went to Cloud Nine! The coleslaw it came with was good, but it's not something I would say can compete with the South. But good all the same. Drinks were great too. I got the Dragon Fruit Martini(?), and that was sweet and relaxing to have after a long summer and a long drive to Plainville. Oh, and we also got dessert! Again we picked different things: Angie ordered the "Not Fried Chicken" while I went with the Key Lime Pie. Wherever these guys get their key lime pie from, keep them coming and let me know so I can get some more myself! The raspberry sauce was a great choice for accompaniment and complimented the pie nicely. And the slice was divine! The Not Fried Chicken is a very innovative idea, and it tasted good as well. I can see now why this place gets so much love. It's insane how good this place is in just about every aspect! The sink did take a bit to learn, but that was about my only criticism, other than that this place easily gets 5 stars from me, and I am so glad to have had this dinner with Angie and meet her husband. #KeepYelping

    A friend of mine took me here for lunch after church during a recent visit to CT. The interior was…read morerustic, comfortable, and spacious with 2 levels. We chose booth seating on the 2nd floor, which was cozy, and boasted a cool view of the downstairs area. For my beverage, I chose the Cherry mocktail, which was oh so fizzy, refreshing, and a nice mix of sweet and tart. We shared the Chili Dirt Wings and Fried Calamari. The Wings were fried twice and generously sauced. They were satisfyingly crispy and full of bold flavor with a bit of a kick. The Fried Calamari was light and crunchy. I had a tough time selecting my entree, but finally went with Taverne Grilled Meatloaf. This dish consisted of beef and pork meatloaf, loaded mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables. The Meatloaf was cooked perfectly on the char-broiler, giving it a slightly smoky taste and bit of caramelization, then smothered in a tomato glaze. Meatloaf was delightfully tender and well seasoned. Loaded Mashed Potatoes was mouthwatering, covered in melty cheese, bacon, and scallions. Veggies included carrots, zucchini, squash and had a great consistency, adding a fresh element to the dish. For dessert, I had to get one of my favorites: Sticky Toffee Pudding. Their version was a moist, dense sponge Bundt cake with caramel sauce. It was decent, but overly sticky sweet even for me. Service was solid. Our waitress was welcoming and knowledgeable about the menu. Everything came out in a timely manner. If I return, I would want to try the Shepherd's Pie, Boneless Braised Short Ribs, or Pierogies and Kielbasa.

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    J Timothy's Taverne - Inside the restaurant

    Inside the restaurant

    J Timothy's Taverne
    J Timothy's Taverne - Blueberry Smash

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    Blueberry Smash

    Relic Brewing Company - Beer Flight

    Relic Brewing Company

    4.4(79 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $

    I haven't been to Relic in a long time. Last time I was there it was still just one tiny room…read moreserving their beer and a selection of whiskies. They've since expanded the size of their tasting room into another huge, open space full of high tops and comfortable lounge seating along with a bar mixing up creative cocktails. The new space also has tons of pinball machines and other games. We stopped in after a movie on a Friday at about 6:30. There were a few groups hanging out but it wasn't too busy at all. It was pretty chill vibe, and I got the sense that a lot of locals frequent them, which is cool. We hung out for nearly two hours and by the time we left the only other folks there were at the bar in the front room. The beer is still good! I did want to try some of their cocktails though. They have some pretty creative cocktails made with interesting homemade syrups, shrubs, and the like. I tried the Honey Don't which was tart but well balanced. I wished it was a little spicier, but I am a spice fiend.Then I felt for something a little sweeter so I went with the Poolside gossip. All the different ingredients really combined into a unique and delicious flavor! I really enjoyed what they have going on. The space was comfortable and relaxed and there's something on their drinks menu for literally everyone, plus entertainment. They have small snacks available, but you're also welcome to bring your own food. So it's basically like a very relaxed bar. We'll definitely be stopping in more frequently!

    Relic Brewing is a craft brewery that opened in Plainville, Connecticut in February 2012. It was…read morefounded by brewer Mark Sigman. Although his professional background was in advertising, Sigman had been an avid homebrewer since 1994. Eventually he decided to open his own brewery. Sigman chose the name "Relic" to reference his world travels. Aiming to craft artisanal ales inspired by flavors from around the world, he thought of himself as more of a chef than a brewer. Sigman doesn't brew beer based on which styles are trendy, but rather beers that he personally enjoys with tastes that he views as complimentary or exciting. I have visited Relic Brewing multiple times since I first became serious about craft beer in 2013. At that time, Relic was one of maybe 10 breweries in the state (today there are over 100). Of those original 10, only half remain in business. The taproom was very small during my initial visit: about 10 square feet and they only served small free samples. I recently stopped there with my older son because it occurred to me that I hadn't been there in at least 10 years. A lot had changed! In 2016, a full bar was added and Relic began to serve full pint pours as well as craft cocktails. A large back room addition opened in 2019, which featured a fully furnished lounge and a pinball arcade slowly evolved. When I first arrived, I ordered a taster flight which featured "Oktoberfest", "Nebraska IPA", "The Whim" (New England IPA), and "Double Whim" (Double New England IPA). I grabbed my flight and headed to the back room with my son. He was so excited to play the pinball machines and other various arcade games. The two of us had a nice father-son bonding experience playing pinball as I also enjoyed my beer samples; the "Oktoberfest" was my favorite! If you like great beer paired up with pinball, then head down to Relic Brewing!

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    Relic Brewing Company - Lounge

    Lounge

    Relic Brewing Company - Darts

    Darts

    Relic Brewing Company - Lounge

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    Lounge

    Zen Bar - bars - Updated September 2026

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