30 Best American Restaurants in Hartford

“Had dinner at Gather 55 last night and it was the most pleasant dining experience and best food I’ve had in months! Crystal’s service was excellent! She is a master at her craft! Not only was the experience worth every penny, the mission and purpose of Gather 55 is wonderful! I wish we had one in TN!“

“Through the grapevine (social media pages I follow), we heard that Chef Van Hurd from Season 6 of Hell's Kitchen was now the executive chef here at Fire By Forge! So naturally, we pulled up to check it out! (Disclaimer: Chef told me that he was so new there that his featured items hadn't hit the menu at that time. ALSO, he's been long gone from there at the time of this review.) So anyway, here's how things went! Atmosphere/Appearance: Set right in Hartford, just a little on the outskirts is this gem. It's on Broad street a little out the way and there is a very small parking lot next to the restaurant, but street parking is also available. The outside looks very well put together and rustic. Once inside the restaurant is kinda split into 2 sections. You have the main section which is nice, open with high ceilings, bright red bricks, big windows, soft leather couches and all kinds of seating arrangements. If you walk past the bar you get into a smaller section, but it's kinda like a tunnel of tables. Lol. That tunnel of tables then opens up into what almost looks like a different restaurant, but feels like a space they expanded into. So there's plenty of places to sit, though I still encourage reservations! The atmosphere was lively and full of energy. This place also lets you know that it's a cooking school too! Amateur chefs can come here to learn knife skills and cooking skills as well! (This is just a small snippet of what they do, but I encourage you to visit the businesses website to learn more about what they offer.) Service: Here's my only gripe about this place. Right online it says "Happy Hour is from 4:30 PM to 6 PM daily and 8pm-9pm, except on holidays, events, or show nights." But like, when isn't there a show or some sort of event going at at The Bushnell or some nearby theater?! You have to literally call and check with the host to see if they're doing happy hour before you come because if you THINK you're in the clear, they can just say... oh there's a show tonight so there will be no happy hour. So that bothered me. Oh well. We still dined. Now for the good stuff! Let me tell you something about Suzie Johnson! She is the bartender here and she won BARTENDER OF THE YEAR in 2024 via the Connecticut Restaurant Association! She is a TREAT! She's full of personality, knows her stuff and is just a true pleasure. Food: First off was the Up In Smoke Old Fashioned. It had great, subtle sweetness up front, warm taste from the Up & Down branded bourbon, cold, smooth, not too harsh and of course, a bit smokey. As a courtesy to guests, they're served pickled carrots as palate cleansers instead of bread, crisps or anything like that. Clever. The first small plate I got to try were the Duck Mole Wings! These are described as "5 crispy duck wings with a tequila mole barbecue sauce, served with sesame seeds and pickled onions. These certainly looked the part! These were smooth, not necessarily crispy, extremely tender, hardy and just balanced. Mole is a very ingredient-heavy sauce and these were delicious. My 2nd drink was the Ghost Rider which is Up & Down bourbon, spiced Nightrider espresso, Licor 43 and an orange twist. This had a sharp cinnamon/hazelnut/nutmeg flavor/spice-y flavor. Very good and warming as well, even though it was a little sweet. Next up was the Knife Skills Soup! This is a soup compiled by the trainees and all the vegetables they've chopped in class! How cool is that?! It was a very thick vegetable soup, hearty, salty and warm. Next up were the Tostone Nachos! These were so fantastic. The pulled pork on top was so meaty, so tender and the queso fresco was lightly cheesy adding subtle notes to the hearty pork and carb-y tostone. This was my favorite thing of the night. My last drink of the night was the Sazerac. If absinthe is in the building, I must try that restaurant's version. This one was spectacular, but could've used more rye bourbon. The last thing we had to try was their Smash“

“I was a little taken back at first but the setup just adds to the atmosphere of this place. The people were fast, attentive and the meatball calzone was soooo good. Huge calzone! I ate half for lunch and the other half for dinner. It tastes like it was made fresh as well as the pizza sauce. Delicious!“

“I think that the concept and menu are good. The drawback from my point of view is that it smells a lot like food inside the establishment. They should solve that if it is not too much to ask and perhaps explain a little more specifically how to order and pay for the food in the establishment. restaurant, I think the young women do a good job.“

“Red Rock Tavern is the hidden gem of Hartford—warm energy, great people, and a vibe that always hits. If you’re stepping out on a Saturday, the 90s Karaoke Sip & Paint is the move. Nostalgia, creativity, and good music in one room… it’s the perfect way to elevate your weekend.“

“Best latkes that I’ve ever had!“

“The food Is pretty good. The service isn't bad. It's just a bit unorganized and quite slow. They only accept cash, but they do have a ATM area. You can differently have a conversation and talk.It's in a church cafeteria. I would encourage. Trying to at least once. The turkey wings are my favorite from this location.“

“Wings were the BEST we ever had! Caesar salad w/chicken was outstanding! Stopped by randomly for lunch. So happy we did.“

“My family and I went here for my son’s 8th birthday and the food and service was incredible. The atmosphere gives cozy and welcoming. The customer service is worth every dollar I spent.“

“It was a culinary delight. I had the crispy duck leg. It was so tender on the inside. It was plated on passion fruit juice and seeds, and garnished with crispy rind of orange. It was such a joy to eat.“

“Since a lot of these reviews appear to be old, clarifying 2 things: there are two locations (norfolk & hartford) run by Good Works Entertainment. The Hartford location used to have a bistro but does not any longer - they have chips and candy. The highly regarded Bears smoke house is across the street as is the convention center and hotel (that ay have a special rate if you ask). hartford location has nearby street and paid parking unaffiliated with the venue. Both feature a range of arttists so check one or both out with friends and family.“

“This is "The Best Little Restaurant" in Hartford for Breakfast, Lunch or Specialty Orders to Bring Home for the Holidays. You do not have to be in the Gold Building to enjoy Take 5 Cookery, it is absolutely worth the walk in town or drive into Hartford.“

“Today I decided to actually patronize this establishment after seeing many posts about it and my sister raving about it. I had the macaroni and cheese with jerk chicken and my son had the steak and cheese panini with a side of fries. All I can say is yum, yum, yum! The portions were plentiful and I only ate a third of my meal. I would like to Thank you and your staff Chef Walt, and I will definitely be back ( This time I will call ahead…lol…..although the wait was not long at all).“

“Shout out to Kelly, great service, friendly, we will be back!!!“

“I have yet to write a review of something l haven’t seen, BUT I am the biggest fan of Drag Brunches and have only ever attended them in NYC - but l am ever so excited to go to Piggy’s for Sunday Brunch.STAY TUNED FOR MY FOLLOW UP REVIEW FROM YOIR FAVE FAG HAG!!! Love You All!!! ?️‍???“

“Thus far the best breakfast joint I have experienced in Hartford County. Great food, friendly service, huge portions, reasonable prices and zero pretentiousness. The Italian bread they serve you, as opposed to the lame little bread triangles most other places offer, hands down seals the deal. Just remember to bring cash.“

“The place is absolutely adorable! Friendly, welcoming staff! Love the menu options! If you’re in the area, stop in! You won’t be disappointed!“

“Eclectic menu. While not extensive, there is variety with daily specials. We started with the dumplings and chili with beans. Dumplings and sauce for dipping quite flavorful in the best way. The chili was not too hot, and a hot sauce offered we we wanted more heat. The pasta and red was plentiful and delicious.“

“Great food , vibes and atmosphere.“

“Amo venir a este lugar.me siento en familia.los dueños son excelentes personas“

“First time coming here after an epic fail at Babes , and they were 9/10. No major complaints, location great, parking was good. Set up, music, service very good. Tiny wait time for food but music was so good and the food was amazing it made up for it. Will definitely be going again!“

“1. Service was professional tacos were the best i've ever had in twenty years.Would I recommend this restaurant!!!! Absolutely. One hundred percent way better than the new haven trucks way better than any restaurant imitation mexican food!!! If you come here, not only are their prices reasonable, but try everything on the menu. It's phenomenal in the food taste very authentically quality.
5 stars, they deserve, bring your whole
family here. You will be very happy!!!!!!
2. If there was only one recommendation I would give for that extra star is to add more seasoning to your food. In any other case, your food is still the best that i've ever had mexican!!!!“

“best food so far in the area.“

“I hosted a college send-off event for my daughter this past Saturday and it was fabulous!

I decided on a drop-in style function where we reserved the seating area that is fully furnished and nicely decorated with a fully equipped bar specific to that location (which served non-alcoholic beverages at my request). This was a small plate function and the food, which is provided by the establishment, was presented extremely well and tasted even better!

The owners, chefs, waitstaff and bartenders were highly professional, handled our family and friends with care and were very accommodating from booking until the actual event.

Thank you, One Bar!“

“Great way to start your day. Great food, and Andrea is soooo awesome“

“I saw Andrea boccelli and I had a great time!“

“Just went to Bear’s and was amazing, food had a great taste. Staff were friendly and helpful on selections.“

“Friendly atmosphere and great food.“

“the chicken sandwich was pretty good. the vread was fresh it was seasoned well. but they must and I mean must leave making collard greens alone. it's cool, it's not for everyone. They had no seasoning and whoever made them cut none if tge "veins" stems out“

“This restaurant is a hidden gem. Every time I enter the restaurant the gentleman always greets and asked how can I help. The service and the food is excellent it’s fresh and you always get service with a smile. I highly recommend eating here if your looking for some island cuisine.“