Latest reviews from Willimantic
| 78 /100 967 MAIN ST “Very pretty building - feels like you're walking into a courthouse. For me, around 15 of their own beers and 15 others. I also ate, and the food was bar fare done well. Their beers are perfectly fine but I wouldn't go far out of your way for them unless you're an obsessive collector of highly rated Ratebeer places. Nothing really stood out one way or the other, but everything was executed competently.“ |
| 78 /100 967 MAIN ST “Stopped for a lunch during a road trip. A large and high ceilinged classical-looking building with two chambers, decorated in a pseudo-Irish pub style with wood-covered walls, etc. They had 12 of their beers on tap with around 30 guest beers. The food menu was very good. They have 20 oz crowlers to go for any beer you would like to take home. It was a nice experience, and the beers I took home were good as well.“ |
| 88 /100 967 MAIN ST “Old building in the center of Willimantic, the interior is darkened with a number of booths and tables. Plenty of opportunities to watch a game there or participate in trivia, as well as a very nice, very long, bar. Tons of beer selections, great nachos, they have like 40 beers that you can try in their flight offerings. Great place.“ |
| 80 /100 967 MAIN ST “About a half hour east of Hartford but we’ll worth the trip. The brewery is a converted USPS and has retained the feeling inside. Lots of house beers and guests beers on tap, with reasonably priced flights available. They have a full kitchen but they’re not vegetarian- (let alone vegan-) friendly. Well worth a visit.“ |
| 86 /100 967 MAIN ST “Stopped in for lunch, tried all their beers and some nice regional guest taps. Food was pretty decent. Service was friendly and good.“ |
| 78 /100 967 MAIN ST “Located in a cool old post office building. Extensive draft list of own and guest taps -- leaning toward CT brews. Service was good, food was fair.“ |
| 86 /100 967 MAIN ST “Visited on a Friday night for dinner. There was an oktoberfest happening in the street in front of the building, so that might have influenced my visit. Parking was difficult, but we found a lot a few blocks away with an open spot. Inside, on the bar side, we had no trouble finding a table for 2. The rest of the place was pretty busy and got more so as the evening went on. Despite how busy they were, our server was great. He kept beer in front of us, our food came out quickly, and he was super friendly. The only knock is that we had to ask several times to get water every time we needed a refill. That should just be automatic. The beer selection was great. They had 8 of their own beers on tap, about 8 other CT beers, and a few others from outside of the state. Flights are allowed, as well as half pours. The food we had was very good, the beers were good to great, and the atmosphere was welcoming. Outside of the water thing, I couldn’t have asked for a better visit. I highly recommend visiting if you are in the state.“ |
| 90 /100 967 MAIN ST “Incredible building. Beautiful interior and great outdoor area. Some games for the kids. Wonderful 20-30 person bar with a couple dozen taps. Good selection of their own and guest taps. Food as great. Service was good and guests were friendly.“ |
| 56 /100 967 MAIN ST “Type. . . . . . . . . . ..Outdated Old-Style Brewpub/Applebee’s Level. . . . . . . . . . .Low Location. . . . . . . .Good, Main Drag Prices. . . . . . . . . .Higher Tap Selection. . . .Large, 50 taps with 20 local taps Bottle Selection. .Unknown Samplers. . . . . . ..Yes, Sampler Flights of 5 at a time Full Pours. . . . . . .Yes Beer Level. . . . . ..Poor Food. . . . . . . . . . .Yes Food Level. . . . ...Poor Staff. . . . . . . . . . ..Decent, Nice Enough Growlers. . . . . . ..No Noise Level. . . . ..Loud Décor. . . . . . . . . .Outdated Applebee’s, Awkward Huge Open Space, Trash stuck to walls Good for Kids. . ..Yes Parking. . . . . . . ...Private Lot WiFi. . . . . . . . . . ..Unknown Cash Only. . . . . ..No Recommended. ..No Comments: Yes it is a brewpub and yes it is the highest rated place in CT, but the food sucks and the beers suck. Plain and simple. Outdated menu has 200 food options with everything from French, American, Italian, hell probably there’s a Thai salad in there. Food portions were so big, that one pasta dish for $17 could feed four people. One pasta dish was very poorly seasoned. Could lower the prices of the dishes and lower the portions. House beers were papery, buttery, uncarbonated. Other tap pours from guest taps were similarly bad hinting at a tap system problem from incorrect tap cleaning. Servers were nice, but unaware of how bad the food and beer is that they are serving. “ |
| 94 /100 967 MAIN ST “Great brewpub in what used to be a post office - at least it looks like it used to be a post office. House beers are above average for the most part and some pretty nifty guest taps. A few beers I never heard of. Food was decent enough. Worth checking out if you are nearby.“ |
| 78 /100 967 MAIN ST “Stopped in after a trip back from Philadelphia on 25 January, 2014. I really wish I could have seen this building in the day light because it really is awesome. I love that the owner turned this historical Post Office into his brewery! The bartender we had was an older gentleman that was friendly and talkative. He enjoyed chatting beer with us on a slower Saturday night because of the snow storm we had just finished driving in. Our food was about average and normal for a pub. The house beers seem very average with only one scoring above a 3.4. They do however; have a great guest tap list of about 20 different taps with a variety of styles and local CT and New York breweries. I would consider returning here.“ |
| 72 /100 Zok’s Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies (Homebrew Shop) 24 NORTH ST “Went in to get a growler for Willibrew since they ran out. Great selection and decent prices. Not bad.“ |
| 82 /100 967 MAIN ST “I’m a regular here. I love the place. They have a great rotating tap list of their own (awesome) beers and guest brews. The food is excellent, the service is friendly and quick (but never make you feel rushed to get out). It’s not the cheapest place around, but it’s worth the price of admission. Go there, you’ll love it.“ |
| 84 /100 967 MAIN ST “Great find on the main street in a small town. Old US Post Office which still shows in places. Great service, very nice beer selection with a mix of own brews as well as drafts and bottles from friends. Local and area breweries. Everything on tap can be had in a 5 glass sampler. Total bill for lunch, glass of wine and total of 10 samplers which were 4 oz each was $40 before tip. You can’t beat that. Awesome place.“ |
| 82 /100 967 MAIN ST “Visited on 7.16.2013. Awesome pub and restaurant - great vibe, dozen house beers and 20 more guest beers, all can be flighted. Service rocks. Good food. Great spot!“ |
| 84 /100 967 MAIN ST “(Visited 06/2013): Willimantic Brewing is east of Hartford, located downtown on Main Street. Street parking is fairly abundant on the surrounding streets. The brewpub is housed in a former US Post Office building built in 1909. There is a patio on the front of the building. The inside opens immediately to a long bar along the rear wall, and features a large chalkboard listing the beers available, as well as offering a view of the taps. A separate room is devoted to restaurant seating. Willimantic has around 8 house beers on tap plus a cask. Five-beer samplers are available. On my visit this included a Golden Ale, Ambeerlicious, Summer Solstice IPA, Mariner’s Scotch and the cask Strawberry Basil Saison. The beers were pretty good for the most part. Guest breweries on draught include regional selections like Hooker, Back East, Wachusett and Blue Point. Service on a busy weekday evening at the bar was good. The bartenders were familiar with the beers and attentive throughout my visit. The menu at Willimantic is pretty robust. I ordered the parmesan-crusted tuna and despite me not being a fan of sea-food I enjoyed it (when in Rome...). Overall this is a great brewpub and I would definitely visit again if in the area.“ |
| 72 /100 967 MAIN ST “Well, I like the old Post Office building, but the interior seems cluttered, particularly around the bar. They seem to cater to the craft drinker and macro drinker alike, though the beers are average. There is plenty of cheap alcohol if craft beers are not your thing. Judging from the tap handle collection throughout the building, they do get some pretty good taps occasionally.“ |
| 72 /100 967 MAIN ST “I got in a mid-week dinner time visit here based on positive reviews here. It is an amazing building, but I think they’ve could’ve done better with it. I sampled 5 brews, all OK. The menu was fairly expansive, and my steak wrap was tasty enough. Service was spot on. Decent, but maybe a tad overrated here. (Brewery #596)“ |
| 80 /100 967 MAIN ST “I’ve been coming here for years, as it’s the closest brewpub to my in-laws. We’ve always found it to be a kid-friendly establishment with decent food and solid (sometimes great) beers. And you can’t beat the postal vibe.“ |
| 94 /100 967 MAIN ST “Craft brewery and restaurant in a 1918-build post office. The food and beer are both outstanding. This place keeps Willimantic on the map. It’s worth a drive up if you’re at Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun, about a half hour or a little more.“ |
| 88 /100 967 MAIN ST “Great variety with new beers coming out almost daily. I’m an IPA guy and am in heaven generally. If they don’t have a house brew that suits my taste there’s always a great guest brew on tap.“ |
| 66 /100 967 MAIN ST “I was there a while ago...maybe within a year, but I do not remember it being as good as everyone else is posting. The ambiance is their best attribute, and they have quality beer. I could see being a regular if I lived in the area, but I was not excessively impressed being an outsider.“ |
| 88 /100 967 MAIN ST “Located in an old school post office building, so the interior is huge and stately. This place is big. One side is bar/pub and one side is restaurant. I sat at the bar. They are a hybrid brewpub/beer bar so they have lots of guest taps and bottles of high quality. Their house beers were all good with a couple standouts. Samplers are 5 beers from either the house brews or guest taps, and I THINK are 5.95 for 4 ounce samples. The menu is expansive and affordable. I had some decent sliders and the nachos the guy next to me ordered were excellent. The bartenders managed to be attentive and very friendly despite being very busy. They were working hard. There is a large parking lot that is not sufficient but there is parking on the side street. Nice brewpub.“ |
| 82 /100 967 MAIN ST “Stopped in only to pick up a growler and left wishing I’d had more time to grab a few at the bar. Awesome use of the old bank building. Service was pretty quick, even on a packed Friday evening. A bunch of house beers on tap plus a pretty extensive guest lineup. I wanted to try so many but opted for the summer saison- for which my taste buds were handsomely rewarded. Will definitely budget more time for this place next time I come through the area.“ |
| 92 /100 967 MAIN ST “What a great building for a brewpub! The bar is massive, and the building is so large that the restaurant portion feels separate. They had more than ten of their own brews on, and then a dozen or so from other regionals. Food was good. Wow, I could live here and make this place my local very easily.“ |
| 80 /100 967 MAIN ST “Great use of space in this old post office. Extensive and diverse food menu, and the food was quite good. Can’t give it a 5 for ambiance because of the washroom. Not dirty, but old and kinda cheap looking. An afterthought. The selection of their beers was fairly limited, and the guest taps were not particularly inspiring. Lot of local stuff though, which is good. Nice selection of bottles. Nice patio. I’d go back any time.“ |
| 94 /100 967 MAIN ST “Thr brewer/owner here makes great beers and also has many excellent guest beers on draft and in bottles. This place is unique as it is an old post office turned into a brewery/restaurant/bar. High cielings, nice atmosphere and always a good time. Highly recommended and is one of the best (if not the best) bars in CT for those who love craft beers - especially the house made IPA chioces..“ |
| 82 /100 967 MAIN ST “Decent brewery especially for the area. It’s ipa are it’s stars but I really like their porters too. Plenty of guest brews on Tap. Average craft beer quality. Food is slightly under average but it’s fine. Beautiful building, the old post office in willimantic.“ |
| 76 /100 967 MAIN ST “Stopped in on the way home from Boston, coming down a different route so we could check out this place. Quite glad we did. The building itself is just beautiful, a big reclaimed post office turned into a brewpub. As much of the original interior that could be worked into the brewpub as been left intact. Service was quick and friendly, food was good as well. The beers were all well made (and the postal theme of many of their names is excellent) and my only let down was that there were a couple on the chalkboard that were no longer available. So it was really just the promise of more tasty beers from them that I couldn’t actually have. Wouldn’t have been a problem if they’d just been erased from the board and I didn’t know that a day earlier I could have had it. Alas, ignorance is bliss sometimes. Certainly will be stopping back in here again.“ |
| 82 /100 967 MAIN ST “Located in an old post office and yet feels surprisingly intimate. They have 10 different things on tap of their own stuff plus 12+ guest taps. The ubiquitous pizza was flavorful and properly cooked. The bar staff was professional and attentive. They had a lot of IPA’s on tap some great others not so much. Still well worth the trip.“ |
| 84 /100 967 MAIN ST “An old US Post Office building with excellent pub-type atmosphere and friendly people inside. The stuff brewed on the premises was excellent and our waitress was top notch. The calamari was fried extra crispy without excessive batter. They have at least twenty guest taps ranging from DFH to Rogue, but nothing foreign, I’m fine with that. I didn’t spend any time in the town itself, but I think this place is the only reason I would come back. It does deserve it’s "world class" rating.“ |
| 84 /100 967 MAIN ST “I love it here. A must visit. The beers are on a constant rotation including some of the harder to find guest stuff, and a never-ending selection of their own inventive stuff. The staff are great the food is delicious and in huge portions. Go there.“ |
| 80 /100 967 MAIN ST “Having recently visited for my first time for dinner and a few pints, I’m reluctant to give a full review, because I don’t feel like I have a grip for this place overall. The beers were good, reasonably priced, and well-poured. Our waitress was accomodaitng and friendly. The ambiance was unique and fun. We ate on the less formal bar side. I’d like to go back and visit the fancier side - I don’t know if it has a different menu. On the bar side, the food was hit or miss. A turkey reuben with steak fries came on toasted white bread and the fires were limp and soggy. A veggie burger was underwhelming, while veggie chili was solid. I look forward to returning for some more good brews and a second look at the food, but my first impression did not blow me away.“ |
| 94 /100 967 MAIN ST “I absolutely love going here! They are always friendly and willing to give suggestions.“ |
| 80 /100 Zok’s Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies (Homebrew Shop) 24 NORTH ST “This store is very helpful for finding anything you need to brew your own stuff. However, I went in to purchase some B Clear and he immediately asked me what it was being used for. Since I was buying it for someone else, I did not know. He kept probing to try to see if I was buying the right stuff (keep in mind I am a female). Then when I went to pay, I got lectured on how I should always carry cash on me. When he saw my card, he said "You cant use THAT. You havent bought enough of anything". The lecturing continued and luckilya friend spotted me the cash needed. I have worked in retail before and know that it is forbidden to establish a minimum on visa or mastercard uses. I left the store feeling like crap because I did not carry cash on me. I would go to this place again but only if I absolutely had to and will never go in there alone.“ |
| 74 /100 967 MAIN ST “I travelled and stayed far from home to see this brewpub, and did come away disapointed. No heavy abvs here in the summer, I was pleased to find three saisons on tap. Near a Best Western, a half hour from Hartford. A very decent and very generous guest tap selection.Roomy inside, with a small but nice patio outside. Good mix of people, ages, decorum. A few rooms filled with tables in this historical building. Parking lot. Near an unusual bridge with big frogs. Bartenderess was a little annoyed at the end of what looked like a hot fussy day,but did not bother me.“ |
| 78 /100 967 MAIN ST “Visited in April 2010. Rather out of the way location - Willimantic isn’t really a town you are likely to be just passing by and, for most people, it will take a special journey. But it’s worth it. Too many US brewpubs don’t quite hit the spot for me. Either the beers are sub-par. Or the building lacks character and distinction. Or it’s in a crappy mall location. This place ticks all the boxes. The beers are rock solid and often adventurous, if not all world beaters. The location is right in the centre of town. The building used to be the post office and a pretty grand one at that. The monumental scale and soaring ceilings mean it isn’t the most cosy or intimate place but that’s just a minor point. Quite opulent surroundings - put me in mind of one of those ornate Victorian gin palace pubs albeit the original use was very different. Food was pretty decent. Not only do they have their own beers but they also have quite a few guest taps, mainly supporting other local breweries. A nice touch, and rare for a brewpub to welcome the "opposition". Would have liked to stay longer here but, as there didn’t seem to be any other compelling reason to visit the town or stay overnight (not sure there are any facilities) we had to hit the road.“ |
| 84 /100 967 MAIN ST “This place certainly takes some driving to get to, but the stop is well worth it. Aside from the 5-10 in house beers on tap ranging from a non-descript lager to some really funky beers, they have about 30 guest beers on tap of all different styles. Their beers are good to excellent (I highly recommend the IPA and the IDA) and the food is pretty tasty too. The setting makes for a nice experience as it is inside an large, old post office. They have outdoor seating as well where you can sit next to the hop vines they have growing. The staff were very knowledgeable and more than happy to offer suggestions. Prices weren’t out of line and they have several specials Monday through Thursday. Definitely a must visit if you happen to be in the area.“ |
| 82 /100 967 MAIN ST “A really cool building. Great service, great food, and a pretty good value (Especially the beer sampler). However, the selection is lacking. They do have a lot of their beers, but not all of the ones listed on their menu. And there is a small selection of non-Willimantic beers too. It’s definitely worth checking out if you are in the area.“ |
| 82 /100 Elm Package Stores (Beer Store) 89 VALLEY ST “Awesome selection. They let you break up the 6-packs as you please. Totally reasonable too. I was picking up amazing beers for $1.50. The place to go if you’re in town.“ |
| 88 /100 967 MAIN ST “One of the best brewpubs i have ever been to.All the beers we tried where excellent.This guy knows how to make IPA,trust me.Food was as good as it gets for pub fare.BE WARNED OF 2 THINGS!:
There are no cabs in this town,we had to walk 45 minutes from the Hop River Motel and back.They are very quick on cutting you off if you look even just a bit tipsy.
Next time i go i willhave a few tasters then get a couple growlers of the best and put them in the car in case they kick us out early.Other than that this place deserves its place in the top 50 and it is a must visit.“ |
| 90 /100 967 MAIN ST “In the old post office, hence the beer names. nice dinning room, with separate bar (stays open later). great line-up of their own beers and guest taps. lots of stone and wood gives a nice character to the place, and there’s a definite sense of history in there. food and service are good and a bit upscale.“ |
| 82 /100 967 MAIN ST “Visited during Inbièrenationale IV, May 2007. Now that place rocked. This old post office building kept its charm, conserving the cachet of olden days. The Café is divided into 2 large dinning areas, and a little pub area. Food was quite good, typical pub fare. Beer selection is excellent, with around 10-12 WBC taps and 20 guest taps.“ |
| 86 /100 967 MAIN ST “Damnit, I love this place. The food is pretty good, but let’s be serious, the real reason to go there is for the beer. They always have a great selection of "guest brews", and usually about 10 house brews on tap at any given time. Plus they provide a schedule so you know when their new beers are coming out. The "certified gold" is supposedly their flagship beer, but what they really do well is big beers: IPA’s, stouts, and barleywines (namely their signature "Whilly Whammer" barleywine). If you come here, be prepared for a long session of delicious, high-ABV beers.“ |
| 92 /100 967 MAIN ST “Although I love only an hour away, this was my first isit to Willamantic Brewing Company. Great experience. The place was packed, although had a laid back atmosphere. I was impressed by the huge number of guest taps, in addition to the absued number of beers they brew themselves. The menu also lists upcoming house drafts. I had a sampler, and was impressed by all their beers, especially the Rail Mail Rye, which is as tasty a 5% beer I’ve ever had. I met the head brewer Dave, who came by to chat beer for 5 minutes even though the restaurant was absurdly busy, and gave a preview of Night of the Barrels. The burger was tasty, if a tiny bit overcooked. I walked out with a growler of the Rail Mail Rye. Great experience.“ |
| 78 /100 967 MAIN ST “My second time visiting here, but I don’t know why I hadn’t rated it before. Beautiful space in an old post office, a theme that makes itself known in many of the beers postal-inspired names. Food is okay, a fairly large menu with a lot of the typical brewpub standards. There is also a largish selection of sandwiches and wraps if you’re trying to avoid the fried stuff.
Beers were uniformly good with a broad selection of styles represented but none were really standouts on this occasion. It’s a bit annoying that they only serve full pours though, as I would have liked to try a few more, but couldn’t since I was driving. Also annoying that they charge through the nose for their growlers. 6.50 for the glass and another 12-14 for the beer itself makes every growler come close to 20 bucks for the ones I asked about.
This is a very good place and one I’d love to visit again with a designated driver so that I could more fully enjoy the beers without spending a fortune on growler fills.
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| 82 /100 967 MAIN ST “Great brewpub located in an old post office, the ambiance has been well documented so I won’t talk too much about that. There were at least 10 of their own beers on when I was there (07 Willi was on) the day after thanksgiving, as well as some great guest taps including Ommegang Rouge! Food was very solid for a brewpub, although it was pretty much typical pub fare. A couple of slight cons: growlers were very expensive- fall festivale ale and spuyten IPA were being sold for $30, probably 25 without glass. Also- although they do samplers, they won’t include any of their big beers. Full pours only, which was a drawback to me as I was driving. Be warned that they will not sell growlers of Willi Whammer. Since they always seem to put on vintages of that beer in half barrel kegs, I don’t blame them for that, but I was unaware until I was at the brewpub.
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| 86 /100 967 MAIN ST “I go there all the time, my favorite is the Kentucky Burban Barrel Stout. Be careful it’s not a light beer!“ |
| 80 /100 967 MAIN ST “Located in an old Post Office, this wonderful brewpub features great food and a solid selection of homebrewed beers. Heavy on the IPAs, Willimantic also features some nice brown ales and stouts (Postal Patron!). If you are within an hours drive, definitely worth checking out. Also, Willimantic has a fine menu, with some awesome burgers and generous appetizers. Plan to eat dinner there as well.“ |
| 94 /100 967 MAIN ST “Thanks goes out to IMMY for taking me here. The food was excellent, I didn’t have a beer that I didn’t like, and talk about some eye-candy. This is a must stop when in the area.“ |
