WILLIMANTIC BREWING CO

Does this place accept credit cards?

Yes

No

Unsure

Details

About

Beginning on June 17 reopening for indoor dining as well as our outdoor Biergarten. Our hours are subject to change. The Willimantic Brewing Company/Main Street Cafe is a living landmark restaurant and pub brewery located in Willimantic, in the heart of rural northeastern Connecticut. Our original Main Street Cafe was founded in 1991 and began operations as a small deli in the old Capitol Theatre building on Main Street in Willimantic, CT. Occupying both the lobby and concession area of the theatre, seating was limited to 50 people. After 3 years we were bursting at the seams and made the move to 877 Main Street, another historic building. There we expanded to a full service restaurant and featured American craft-brewed beers and an extensive menu. One more move was in the cards for us, and we made yet another trek down Main Street to our home in the current granite and limestone 1909 U.S. Post Office Building.

CUISINES

American, Brew Pub, Bar, Pub

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Free off-street parking, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Cash Only, Free Wifi, Accepts Discover, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music, Gift Cards Available

Contribute

Write a review Upload a photo Ask a question

4.0

363 reviews

Excellent

173

Very good

128

Average

43

Poor

15

Terrible

4

LKWendel

Westfield2289 contributions

Nice Ambiance

Jan 2020 • none

This is a bustling little restaurant in the heart of Willimantic. It was packed but we had a reservation and we were actually seated in advance of our prescribed time. Our waitress, Bailey, started off great but then got busy and we lost her for awhile. Our party ordered the Swordfish Kabob, house special, and really enjoyed it. I had the Reuben, which was tasty. My husband ordered the chicken pot pie, which he said was very good, but not what he expected. He was expecting creamed chicken INSIDE of a pastry shell, but that is not this chicken pot pie. We ordered the bread (which does not come standard anymore--you have to ask for it, and there is a charge) because we wanted to try the sage butter (which was outstanding). We ordered a bottle of red wine (Josh Cabernet) but we couldn't finish it, and were pleasantly surprised that they sealed it up and allowed us to take it with us. Very impressed by that. Loved the ambiance of the place especially the beer presses that lined the ceiling molding and the references to frogs/lily pads on the ceiling. We would definitely come back here the next time we are in town.

Written January 25, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

javery2015

Willimantic23 contributions

Great food, Service, and Atmosphere!

Mar 2020 • none

Great beer and food! I invite people here regularly. The people are friendly and welcoming, even when they are packed! If it's a Thursday or Saturday night, call first. Sometimes that are very busy. They have a neon "Open Tables" light in a window visible from the street. You can always wait for a table at the bar and pregame your dinner (or just order food there!) Ensure if there is any kind of discount (Thursday half-off cans, birthday free beer, etc) that you check your receipt. They are busy and usually forget to apply discounts. Simpy point it out and they'll take care of it for you with a smile.

Written March 6, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sandra M

2 contributions

Disappointing

Jan 2021 • couples

They’re offering curbside pickup during the pandemic. That’s a great idea. Unfortunately, the food we ordered ranged from okay to really awful. A Reuben with garlic fries was satisfactory. The corned beef was good, but there was little cheese or sauerkraut. A pulled pork sandwich was close to inedible. There was a large serving of pork, but it was dry, tough and flavorless with a nickel-size dab of bbq sauce on the roll. The potato salad that should have come with the sandwich was missing. We’ll probably try ordering there again because the food was fine in the past, the people who work there are pleasant, and most of all, we want to support local businesses, especially now. .

Written January 13, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ctbrit

Essex156 contributions

Wanted it to be better...

Feb 2021 • none

Beer is the highlight. Ordered teriyaki wings so salty we couldn’t eat then and I am a salt lover. I had the steak poutine . Tasted good but way too dry. Hubs had fish and chips. Decent. The biggest disappointment for us was the service. Our waitress seems to be inexperienced. When we said we couldn’t eat the wings she said she would talk to the manager and we kind of expected the manager to come out and say some thing to us. He didn’t come out she came back and offered to re-bake the wings to try and get some of the salt off which was kind of weird. We did see who we thought was the manager he only talked to two tables in the restaurant and he was obviously talking to people he knew. One of the most insulting things to me as a customer is to see the manager come out and only speak to clients he knows. Every client in that restaurant should have the same value for a manager, if he speaks to one table or two tables he should just walk around and ask all of the tables how they doing it literally takes five minutes.

Written February 6, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SteveWatson0522

Bozrah101 contributions

OK, but won't rush back.

Jan 2020 • none

We felt the food was very average. I had the Bigelow Beef wrap, which was tasty once you get to the sauce which was too thin to stay on the contents. It kind of sank to the end of the wrap. My wife's BLT was over toasted, the bacon was brick-well-done and was dry dead. We both got the cole slaw which was mostly cabbage chunks with lots of the white part - fresh, yes, no "aging", no time for the dressing to coat the chunks. Whatever brand of fountain drinks they serve, our diet colas tasted like sweet root beer.

Written January 7, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mary C

Norwich95 contributions

Disappointing

Nov 2022 • family

Reserved a table for 8 at 5:30 pm. The restaurant was not crowded when we arrived. Service was slow. After waiting 30 minutes for drinks, which were not all brought out at the same time, it was determined that my husband’s beer was given to someone else at the table. That person had already started drinking it and realized that it was wrong. So the server had him pass the glass to my husband, even joking that my husband should take a sip of the other patron’s drink to be even. When our meal arrived, again in stages, it was 15 minutes between the first group of plates and the second group of plates. It would have been better for all the plates to be served at the same time. We only had one order of drinks, because we were not offered the opportunity to order a second. No appetizers were ordered. So it was a main course and two people had dessert. We were there for 2 1/2 hours. Two of our diners were 3 and 6 years old, so 2 1/2 hours is excessive. I did write an email to the general manager regarding my issues and never received a response. I dine out frequently and have NEVER experienced a situation where I as expected to consume a drink that someone else had already sipped. It was appalling to me. That alone would keep me from going back to this restaurant. I have since been told that the owners and management are wonderful people who give generously to the community. That’s terrific. That’s why I notified management first before writing a review. Perhaps if they had reached out to me, this would have ended differently.

Written November 4, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Barbara G

Connecticut481 contributions

We Love Willibrew

Jan 2023 • couples

Willibrew is a good brew pub often very busy, so get reservations. Lots of nice beer selections, I had the Porter, which was great. The meals are typical, good hamburgers, good brisket, good pork sandwiches; waitstaff is very nice and friendly. The space is busy but not too noisy. We had the Thanksgiving sandwich which was sliced turkey, mashies, and butternut squash on a roll… good, but I missed having some cranberries on that typical sandwich. Their fries are really tasty. We didn’t go with desserts, but it was a nice meal.

Written January 22, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

BluejayOne

Omaha136 contributions

Decent food, terrible service and bad order accuracy

Jun 2022 • family

Had high hopes based on the reviews. Based on poor service would not return. Food was decent, but took a very long time to get it. The French Onion soup was really good. Nachos were not as ordered, and the beer flight we ordered never showed up until we asked about it. Water not refilled timely. Great atmosphere, but need to step up the service and deliverables.

Written June 18, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Susan P

Putnam951 contributions

Good Go-To Brew Pub

May 2023 • friends

In general, my friends/family and I were satisfied with our drinks, meals and service. This is a go-to restaurant and bar for many people. It has its own parking lot and ample seating in both the restaurant and the bar. There is some outdoor seating available, too. They offer their own beers as well as others. Besides that, they have a full bar and wine. Flights are available and they offer samples of their beers if you want to try before ordering. The food menu is large enough, with a mix of entrees, appetizers and sandwiches. My husband and I both had the Windham, a variation of a Rachel. He had his served with French fries. The corned beef wasn't fatty or stringy. Other options for sides are available including cole slaw and potato salad. I was the only one ordering a glass of wine. It was a delightful sauvignon blanc. I did feel the pour was skimpy. Prices are on the high side for a brew pub. It does get very loud in the building.

Written June 2, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brian L

1 contribution

Chicken Wing Joke

Oct 2023 • family

my wife and i ordered chicken wings spicy parm seasoning. it took a while to get them and i overhead an issue with them in the kitchen. when they arrived the plate with paper was soaked with grease, so soaked that all the seasoning had run off the wings in a pile. needless to say, i ate one and it was just a deep fried wing no flavor. the bartender asked me my thoughts and i told him. he was happy to take them away after eating only 2 wings. he never offered to compensate us and we were charged. for this is the reason for my fair review. this was my first and last time going to this place.

Written October 15, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Heelers

Murrells Inlet20 contributions

Good place for beer and fixings as well as dinner

Feb 2020 • none

Since I live locally I come here a couple of times a year. Stopped here recently for a few brews and snacks with my brother and the place was hopping even on a Monday night. Great selection of beers and cider in house and we snacked on Wings & Fries. I really liked the garlic fries they were very tasty. My brother enjoyed his dry rub wings (I personally like sauce so I passed).....I would definitely say this is a great local place and has a good vibe so stop on down if you are in the area.

Written February 19, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

KDAA

East Hartford853 contributions

Good beer. Ok food.

Mar 2022 • none

First time visitors. Loved the location - inside an old post office. Service was friendly and prompt. The one beer I had was very good. The food was fine and generally the portions were generous, but our meals weren't anything we felt like we would come back for. The flatbread pizza was too heavy on the cheese. The catfish sandwich (Mardi Gras special) was ok. I had chips on the side - good, but a small portion. Based on the service and the beer, I'd come back if I were in the area again.

Written March 7, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jim T

Warwick2 contributions

I Would Go Again But Choose A Different Menu Item

Oct 2023 • family

It's a nice place with very nice people that helped us. We were a group of 11. We had a reservation for 5:30 and we were seated about 20 minutes later. I personally was looking forward to the onion rings. Imagine my surpirse when I was informed they were all out. The food was OK, not great. Just OK. One person had the Char-Grilled Beef Skewers and him and I shared each others dinner. Mine was the Stonington Sausage Platter. Was good. His was very tough. thin and over cooked. It was so tough that it made my jaw sore just chewing! It sure seems odd to run out of a menu item before 5:00pm. Anyway, it's two stars for the poor management. Somebody should have had inventory control under control.

Written October 8, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Doctor Rocket

Holden6 contributions

Nice atmosphere and friendly people

Aug 2022 • none

This week I met an old friend for lunch here because of the positive reviews. Workers were friendly and helpful. We had a nice table in a corner, and we had plenty of leg and elbow room, so the overall experience was positive. The food and beer were mostly blah. I had a tuna melt and he had a Reuben. I thought mine was a bit bland, and I thought a couple of pickle wedges might have helped. The fries were edible, but nothing special. He ate about three quarters of his sandwich. As for beer, he ordered a pilsner and i had an IPA. Neither of us could tell if we were served the right beer, and we switched them back and forth a couple of times. My IPA had no hoppy overtone. The server said it was "West Coast style." I have had a few West Coast IPAs, so I am wondering, West Coast of what country...where they dispense with hops? This is not a place I will visit again.

Written September 2, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michelle

38 contributions

Good but not the fun vibe it used to be

Jun 2024 • friends

What happened? The pub area used to be packed! It was crowded and standing room only to wait for a seat. Now, it’s low energy and kind of empty. You can’t just walk in and seat yourself in the pub area like the old days when it was first come first served. You also can’t hang out and chit chat and stand around. You have to ask to be seated at the front door. They stop people when you walk in and it was a pain because there were reservations clogging up the pub area despite few people in there. They gave us a time limit and weren’t flexible on the number of people in the party and wanted to bump us to the dining room. It used to be so relaxed but now it’s strict. Yet it’s quiet! However the food is still about the same quality it used to be and is very good. It’s a good place to get appetizers too. Their nachos are still the best around. Their own beer is just alright. We liked the selection of beers from other breweries instead. The servers are all very nice despite their rules and it’s still a friendly place. It’s a good spot to meet friends, family, or a date but be sure to make reservations if you hope to sit on the pub side. Or take a chance to get a seat at the bar.

Written August 27, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

2

…

Showing results 1-15 of 363

Best moderately priced restaurants

See all