Location: Hartford
Top Restaurants in Hartford
Top Things to do in Hartford
Best American food near Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Discover Restaurants offering the best American food in Hartford, Connecticut, United States. From its origins as a Connecticut River trading post in 1633, Hartford has become not only the state capital but also the insurance capital of the world, with a slew of historical attractions, a thriving arts and entertainment center, a revitalized riverfront and beautiful parks and public gardens. It was here that the lovable Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer were born in the imagination of celebrated author Mark Twain and immortalized on paper during the writer's Hartford years. Twain's home and those of fellow literary figures Harriet Beecher Stowe and Noah Webster are open to the public. The Wadsworth Atheneum, the oldest public art museum in the U.S., houses Pilgrim-Century furniture, the Amistad collection and a special treasure hunt system to entice kids to explore the museum's works. If your timing is right (end of June, beginning of July), you'll catch the Elizabeth Park rose gardens in bloom, but fall is also great for brilliant leaf colors, and spring yields colorful gardens and blossoming trees. For a bird's-eye view of the city, visit the observation deck of Travelers Tower, where you might also spot two resident falcons.
Things to do in Hartford
10. Dish Bar and Grill
Overall Ratings
4 based on 246 reviews
Dish Bar & Grill serves the finest farm to table American cuisine. Join us for a quick bite to eat for lunch, a relaxing dinner in our Modern dining room or dine casually in our bar with variety of burgers and happy hour specials.
Reviewed By Wanderlust777
On a holiday weekend, the restaurant was relatively empty at dinner, but the staff seated everyone together in the front room and took good care of us. We appreciated their recommendations about the menu. Both cocktails and food were very good. We particularly enjoyed the shisito pepper appetizer, the short rib meatloaf, and the key lime pie. The ambiance is very pleasant. Not sure how noisy the restaurant would be if it was busy.
9. Ted's Montana Grill
Overall Ratings
4 based on 198 reviews
Ted's Montana Grill serves time-honored American favorites in an atmosphere inspired by the hospitality, food and spirit of the Old West. Our mission is to give guests a fresh, authentic and original experience with every visit. Ted's Montana Grill's made
Reviewed By Sanjimgregware
The dining room was dark, but the service and food were fine; while I wouldn't rave about it, there was nothing negative about the experience. The salads were huge, and the burger was good. Parking is always a challenge in Hartford, unless you don't mind parking in a garage.Thank you so much for the great review! We are so happy you enjoyed our genuine hospitality and made-from-scratch food. We have over 20 gourmet burgers so you have to come back to try them ALL! We look forward to seeing you again very soon!
8. Vivo Seasonal Trattoria
Overall Ratings
4 based on 213 reviews
"Fresh ingredients, prepared simply" best describes VIVO's inspired selection of dishes, infused with simple, contemporary Mediterranean flavors and the finest in market-fresh, seasonal ingredients. Chef de Cuisine William Reardon creates pure and delicio
Reviewed By NSL1986
We stayed at the Marriott overnight and ate here out of sheer convenience. Wowâwere we pleasantly surprised! Typical hotel breakfast buffet, but the food was actually delicious! Freshly made waffles, pancakes and omelets were made to order, the scrambled eggs on the buffet line were fluffy and warm, the bacon, sausage and breakfast potatoes were flavorful and also warm, nice selection of fresh fruits and delicious ripe berries. There wasnât anything super exciting about the menu, but it was excellent for a hotel breakfast buffet and we would gladly return on another visit. The service was also wonderfulâfriendly and attentive across the board.
7. City Steam Brewery
Overall Ratings
4 based on 725 reviews
Hartford, CT Restaurant with the Finest Handcrafted Beer, Live Comedy and Upscale Casual Cuisine in an Historic Setting.
Reviewed By 203kennedys
City Stream Brewery was an amazing place to have dinner. I had gluten free Mac and cheese which was amazing and my colleagues had burgers, which they said were equally good. The beer menu is decent and the downeast cider they have is delicious. Definitely would eat here again.
6. Black-Eyed Sally's
Overall Ratings
4 based on 484 reviews
Come sink your teeth into our award winning bar-b-que and Southern cooking served up in a juke joint atmosphere. We are open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week, and feature live blues & jazz music. Try some of our house specialties such as Ribs, Pulled Po
Reviewed By NeilMavis
Inhaled my meal, it was so delicious. Ordered blackened fish, arrived perfect.Mashed sweet potatoes, tasted like desert. Green beans were the perfect in between of cooked and crispy. Wrote this review immediately after a Monday dinner.I will be in Hartford for a week. I will try other places this week for variety, but will eat here before I leave on Friday.
5. Trumbull Kitchen
Overall Ratings
4 based on 489 reviews
Reviewed By NeilMavis
Awesome filet mignon appetizer, and appetizer. Highly recommended as one of the top restaurants in downtown Hartford, and I agree. Walking distance from several downtown hotels; I get safe walking there.Hi Neil, Thank you for the fantastic review. The filet appetizer is a staple here at TK. We hope to see you back in soon!!! thanks, David MascoloTrumbull Kitchen [email protected]
4. Bear's Smokehouse
Overall Ratings
4 based on 456 reviews
Reviewed By mleonard2018
If you are in Hartford for a concert at Infinity Hall or attending a show at the convention center in downtown Hartford and looking for a quick tasty meal...just around the corner is Bear's BBQ. The food is great and the service is quick and it is all done at a very fair price.
3. Firebox Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 364 reviews
Reviewed By girigamba
Enjoyed a mid-afternoon lunch in the outdoor seating. Not only was the service impeccable, but the Firebox salad was amazing!! Wish I lived closer!
2. The Capital Grille
Overall Ratings
4 based on 387 reviews
Reviewed By 305E40th4J
We have made The Capital Grille our go-to venue for special events and we had four birthdays to celebrate -- husband's, mother-in-law's, stepfather-in-law's, and my impending milestone event. The valet parking (LAZ) was attentive and polite. Our OpenTable reservation was immediately honored. Our table was decorated for the birthdays, which was a nice touch. The server was professional. The description of specials was problematic, as there was no price offered for each appetizer and main course items. Also, I ordered a Perrier, but was asked if a Pellegrino was acceptable, which it was: I was very surprised to see a large bottle of sparkling water, when I was expecting a single-serving size -- particularly as I was the only person drinking sparkling water (and would have been perfectly happy with a club soda from the soda gun at the bar). We ordered appetizers, steaks and two sides. The lobster bisque and clam chowder were reported to be excellent; the corn chowder seemed a bit thin; the beet salad was a miss -- the beets were too thick and use of red and yellow beets would've made the plate pop, rather than just red beets. All the steaks were excellent. The creamed spinach was good; the au gratin potatoes had a novel topping, but we prefer the au gratin potatoes at J. Gilbert's. Complimentary desserts were provided and received excellent reviews, although I ordered a creme brûlée and took mine home. The server kindly got an extra bone or two for our pups at home, which they devoured this morning. One minor complaint: we had thought that the remainders of the bread basket would be in the leftover bag, but perhaps we should've made that clearer by putting the breads on a plate -- I was looking forward to toasting the dark bread for breakfast this morning. Long story short -- my so-called "acid test": would I go back? Yes, we like The Capital Grille for special occasions and will return for anniversaries and birthdays in the coming years.
1. Max Downtown
Overall Ratings
4 based on 554 reviews
The crown jewel of the Hartford, Connecticut dining scene, Max Downtown has been serving its guests for over 21 years and remains a fan favorite. After a top-to-bottom renovation in the summer of 2017, the restaurant has never looked (or tasted) better.
Reviewed By joselito1959
This is a fabulous steak restaurant.The service was fabulous and the hospitality.Love the high ceilings, controls the noise level.The decor is,very elegant.The plate presentations on the appetizers were gorgeous.The shrimp cocktail was so good.The fired oyster- the best.The octopus was cooked to perfection.The ribeye medium rare was perfect.Loved the pumpkin bread pudding.Definitely a place to come back.
