Cozy, two floor pub atmosphere near the center of Bloomfield. Â Draft beer selection is limited but decent. Â Bottle selection I think is better at least in terms of numbers. Â I had the truffle parmesan popcorn for an appetizer which was stale tasting; I don't recommend it for $5. Â If you really want popcorn, you're better off with Pop Secret. Â My wife had the gazpacho chopped salad, which was a highlight. Â Excellent, fresh combination of flavors. Â Portion was not huge, if you're looking for a large salad (for me, the size was fine). Â My wife got peel and eat shrimp (a special) in old bey. Â She didn't really care for the amount of liquid, and it had other flavors besides the old bey, but I sampled it and thought it was excellent. Â I had the coq au vin, which I found to be excellent. Â The stew was rich and flavorful, the chicken was tender, falling off the bone. Â I would have liked to have seen more carrots and other stew compliments, but overall this was an excellent dish.
Review Source:Went to Republic for happy hour after hearing recommendations from a few people. Â Was happy to see local beers featured as specials (City Steam, Hooker, Ten Penny, as well as Narragansett), and local Cato Farms cheeses used for their cheese plates (not a happy hour special). Â What really puzzled me though, was the choice to serve toasted raisin bread with the cheese plate. Â It really interfered with the flavor of the cheeses; some plain naan would have been great.
Anyway, I really dug the interior and open kitchen, and the service was adequate. Â I'd be interested in coming back to try the hummus plate or guacamole during happy hour.
Excellent Lunch restaurant. I have yet to be there for dinner.
I have sampled quite a lot of the food and the standouts are the Asian wings, the little lobster rolls, the margarita pizza, the burgers, the .... I will stop right here. the only complaint I had so far was that the arugula was too heavy on the pizza. Drinks are great. Beers on tap are excellent. Wines are good to very good. They also have other concoctions behind the bar that are worth a try. Ask for the drink special list.
The bar tenders are fantastic and fun to talk to. They also make drinks well and even will make up a drink for you if you ask nicely. The Alissa special with raspberry, pama and sour apple vodka is yummy.
The ambiance is great. The wait staff generally very good although as with any new restaurant there is always the turnover problem.
All in all a great place for lunch. Probably a great place for dinner. Consistent food by my observation and generally quiet enough for a good chat.
We came here for a Friends birthday. and we were actually shocked to see how beautiful it was inside.
Republic seems to transport you from Bloomfield, CT to a nice bar in downtown Boston. great Vibe inside. For a Friday evening around 8:30 PM it was packed.
We had a pretty big party  for a 9 O'clock reservation so it took about 15 minutes for the tables to be set up and cleaned up for us. Which wasn't bad of a wait. We all chatted and got drinks at the bar.
The food was good. I don't recommend the hot wings unless you really like them HOT! Their mild sauce was something like inferno versus mild. Burgers were good and the fries were GREAT!!
I'm not sure if they do this with all tables or if it was just because we were a big party but they brought us out cookies, and Carmel corn after our meal! That was a great plus!!
I will love to return at some point, with a smaller group and check out the vibe then.
This is a great little place hidden in Bloomfield. I love to go and sit at the bar and have martinis and order something off the menu. This place, by far, has the best martinis. The food is also very good but very pricey. I wouldn't recommend going on a Thursday night because the place is ALWAYS packed. I gave it only 4 stars just because of the price. Great Atmosphere!
Review Source:If Republic stands for anything, it definitely stands for artery clogging down to earth comfort food. Â It's one of those places that you want nearby when your heart breaks or someone's being mean to you and you just need some fattening food to make you feel better (at least temporarily) because it's too cold outside for ice cream.
We tried out a multitude of plates, including the Asian BBQ ribs, tuna sashimi flatbread, house made guac, salmon burger, truffle mac 'n cheese, "heart attack" burger, gorgonzola / fontina / brie / pear flatbread, bacon roasted brussel sprouts, calamari, banana bread budding, and lava cake. Â
No surprise, mostly everything was quite fatty and comforting. Â However, this didn't necessarily mean it was tasty. Â The ribs were smoky and great, but there were chunks of hard fat or something that made it more of a chore to eat. Â The guac was bland. Â The calamari was way too spicy for us. Â The "heart attack" burger was ok despite the truffle and foie gras. Â The salmon itself was good. Â
Highlights included the tuna sashimi flatbread, which was definitely much better than the gorgonzola flatbread; the truffle mac 'n cheese; and the bacon roasted brussel sprouts.
The banana bread pudding could had used more...bananas. The lava cake was not too bad, but Feng Asian Bistro makes a much feistier version.
BLTA = yum! Really cool atmosphere at this place. Great quality food, awesome service, big portions and reasonable prices! I'm not a big fan of the sister restaurants (especially Market Grille), but I am indeed a fan of Republic. The only complaint our table had was the fact that many of the dishes are hard to eat without making a mess. Will be back!
Review Source:Blat? Â Bacon - Lettuce - Avocado - Tomato
I really like the meal presentation. Â They utilized a wooden slab covered with butcher paper as the primary conveyance. Â The sandwich was actually two, set atop on another and held together by a sharp steak knife jammed through the sandwiches into the board. Â The fries were contained in a steel bottomless sleeve lined with paper. Â Bob mentioned the little ketchup bottles in his review.. Â I like them too. Â Very cool.
The bread was good quality the sandwich was toasted. Â I chose sweet potatoes fries for $2. More - Â our server was on our game and.... huge kudos for keeping our water glasses full!
We went to this restaurant about one month go with a party of 4 without a reservation on a saturday night. Â We arrived around 830 9pm for dinner and had to wait roughly 30 minutes for a table. Â not unreasonable without a reservation. Â
Ambiance - 4 stars - very interesting inside. Â like how they have done the decor. Â it was busy, energetic, vibrant, and dark. Â the bar scene was big and probably my least favorite part of the design. Â the open kitchen is nice. Â i have seen better looking ones in other areas of the country but i travel a ton and eat out quite often. Â We were sat in the loft and it was very nice. Â plenty of space on the table for 4 with an appetizer. Â neighbor table was close but the volume of the restaurant made it not matter. Â loud but not in a bad way. Â very good vibe but didn't strike me as a place for a quiet date or something like that.
Entrees - 4 stars - I had the Philly Cheese steak for which I requested different cheese. Â Somewhere along the way this was miscommunicated as no cheese. Â the waitress came over in an appropriate amount of time after serving our food. Â When I told her of the error she corrected it immediately. Â Once cheese was put on the sandwich ti was excellent. Â The steak was perfect. Â I would of preferred a more exotic bread it was std. white but fresh. Â if (when) i go back i will likely have the patty melt which is what my girlfriend had. Â burger was perfect. Â marbled rye was outstanding and in general not something i see very often which made it all the better. Â Menu is not overly expansive but all entrees ordered were very good. Â
Dessert - 2 stars - we ordered cheesecake pops. Â and i had 3 issues. Â 1st on the expensive side, not a big deal but when combined with these other issues it kind of was. Â 2nd - they were lemon which wasn't advertised on the menu. Â one person in the group doesn't like lemon,w as immediately disappointed i had pushed them as a dessert. Â 3rd in terms of creation they weren't what i expected. Â I have had them other places where they are cakepop-esque where the cheesecake & graham cracker bite is encased in a shell. Â Republic had a small piece of chessecaske with a graham cracker cookie attached on a stick. Â disappointed by the design and the presentation. Â I would skip dessert next time
Price - 3 stars - nothing unreasonable but nothing struck me as an overly good deal. Â drinks about par for nicer places in the area.
Addt. Comment on Price - I selected $$$ 31-60 which reflects a few drinks, app, entrees, and dessert for 4. Â I dont have the bill handy as writing but I think it was under $40/per incld tip, maybe $45
I expect I will return.
Awesome place to eat well, drink lots, and get great service.
My reservations were for 9pm, but my group of 4 arrived an hour before to get our drank on. Â We ordered beers and extra dirty martinis. Â The menu has a small, but solid selection of beers on tap. Â The martini was definitely extra dirty with loads of olives (Brian Griffin would approve).
Food:
I prefer to order a bunch of appetizers than one large meal, so three of us ordered the following:
1) bacon wrapped dates: Â AMAZING. Â We got 2 orders actually because 1 wasn't enough;
2) Carlee flatbread: thin crust pizza, which was also delicious. Â I loved the bacon and mushrooms, and there was a good amount of cheese as well;
3) Cheese plate: Â great selection! Â I'm sort of a cheese snob, and this selection gets two thumbs up;
4) Charcuterie: because who wants a cheese plate without cured meat! Â This was also a great choice, but i wish I remembered which meats we ate;
5) Boody balls: Â gotta love pork fritters! Â And the touch of apple compote was good too. Â I like to mix sweets with meats, and this was definitely a great combo. Â
The fourth person ordered a burger, and she said it was great. Â But I cant comment because I didn't try it and I can't remember what it was. Â
Service:
Can't get better. Â The host periodically checked up with us to tell us he had not forgotten about us, and to make sure we were fine at the bar. Â The bartenders were fast and courteous. Â The waitress was also very attentive. Â She came to our table often, didn't forget anything, and was pleasant with us. Â
Crowd:
We went on a Saturday night, and I was surprised with the crowd. Â I expected to see a lot of people under 35 years old, but there weren't that many. Â I'm not saying it's a good or bad thing, just an observation.
Ambiance:
If you want a place where you can talk and hear your conversation, then you're in luck. Â You can hear your party without having to scream or do that weird nod implying your hear/understand them. Â This is true for both the bar area and the dining area upstairs. Â
Hours:
My only issue with Republic is that they close WAAYY to early on weekdays. Â 10pm is far too early. Â If they closed later, I would come here more often on weekdays. Â In fact, I've been trying to go on weekdays after class (which ends at 9:15pm), but to be there for only 30 minutes is pointless. Â I think management should consider extending at least the bar hours until 11. Â
Republic might be my new favorite restaurant in the Hartford area...The jury's still out. Â I'll have to go back again.
Republic is a MUST GO!
Thought this place was going to be AM-AH-ZING based on all the reviews.. and it just wasn't . The bartender was our server and even though the place was empty the service was super slow. We went for the cheese plate which was nice but they dont give you nearly enough bread/jam, etc to go with the cheese and then they charge you for extra. Culinary entrappment! As for the cheese plate itself, it would be a great idea for them to stick in little flags letting you know which cheese is which! So you actually know what you like and dont. We also tried the Thai wings and.. well I've had better.
Also, you would think it being slow there wouldn't be much confusion? Think again! The Bartender added a $13 burger to our bill without batting an eye. Nor taking responsibility. All she said was "that's weird". In addition she was so slow I had to go to the bar to get our check from her, 10 minutes after we requested it! Â
Sorry food is average and service was horrible. Too many restaurants to return to give them a second shot. Simply not worth it.
I was very excited to try it for the first time, and took my wife on a Valentine's Day date for dinner at Republic. The restaurant is much larger than you may think, looks amazing and had a great atmosphere. The menu is very interesting although I really wanted a burger, so that is what I had. The burger was perfectly cooked, the fries were very good and so was the coleslaw that came with it. I had a pineapple with lemon ice cream and something desert that was not really my taste, but it was fine. I would love to go back, even just for the bar side of it. Very good experience, as you would expect from the owners of "Mill On The River".
Review Source:Always great food and a great atmosphere. Â Some of the best food for the price in the Hartford area, and definitely worth the trip to Bloomfield. Â The menu offers a lot of unique items and great twists on the classics, and the execution is fantastic (some of the best handmade pasta I've ever had). Â
Be warned: MAKE RESERVATIONS if you plan to get there any time around 6-9. Â Learned the hard way a few weeks ago, but been back a few times since then with reservations and it was well worth it.
I go to their sister restaurant Abigail's in Simsbury a lot. That's a great place also! I heard about republic opening and definitely wanted to try it out. I did and it was fantastic! Â We ate upstairs and overlooked the bar. The interior is fantastic . And so was their food. Delicious. And I like how they serve it in a unique way. I will definitely be coming back for my 5th visit soon. We can definitely say addicted. You must check this place out and excite your taste buds!
Review Source:I believe Republic is a fun upscale pub with very good food. Â I have now been to Republic for a business lunch and a dinner date. Â The bar area atmosphere was great during our Friday night visit. Â Very glad to see a stellar drink menu, which included excellent wine and beer selections. Â My Tai seasoned head-on prawn dish was superb. Â Prices are high, but food quality and presentation will certainly bring this reviewer back.
Review Source:Neither good, nor bad! While I really did want to love Republic, it comes across as trying to be Plan B but falls short on getting there. Â The atmosphere is very similar, dark wood, hand crafted light fixtures, exposed metal, etc. The beer list is OK, basically a few locals (Back East, City Steam) and many of the macro micros (Goose Island, Long Trail) I had several beers, truffle popcorn (not much to write there) and a Margarita pizza (which was well made, props on that). I'll likely give it one more shot for a burger and a cocktail next time, but for the value I may head elsewhere.
Review Source:Love this place. Imagine if your favorite, cozy, comfort-food pub got picked up by a tornado and smashed straight into a more stylish, upscale eatery...and left only the best parts of both. Republic impresses from the moment you walk in, with a very cool atmosphere that, the night we were there, was just the right balance of "buzzing" without being too crowded or noisy. Service was warm and attentive. Great beer selection...and they take their cocktails seriously, too, as evidenced by the barrel-aged negroni special. Our food was very good...had a couple of their specialty burgers. And the prices were perfectly reasonable. Definitely will be heading back, hopefully on the sooner side.
Review Source:This place is fabulous. New favorite restaurant in the area!
Love the decor (very industrial looking with lots of chalkboard paint), love the sleek bar counter, love the FOOD!! It's so damn good. Drinks are expensive for CT but I can't complain because it was great (craft cocktails...I got a hot toddy and it was pretty awesome but I could make it for wayy cheaper at home).
BUT, the food! Right after I finished my "au poivre" burger (caramelized onions, crushed black peppercorns, cognac cream sauce & grain mustard) , I declared that I could eat another. No joke. It was so delicious--perfectly cooked beef, fluffy bun topped with sesame seeds, etc. etc etc. I love when I go to restaurants and actually ohh and aww when my food is brought out to me--presentation counts.
The food was arranged on a little wood block, stuck in the burger was a beautiful little wooden skewer and a delicate little perfectly shaped pickle on top. Fries in a metal container with tissue paper, petite side of coleslaw, miniature personal ketchup bottle. All arranged perfectly together! It looked beautiful.
I'm coming back again and going to Back East before or after....this place is seriously amazing. My friend got a philly cheese steak and it looked so delicious (topped with siracha....what could be better?) Â My friend and I were then eyeing all of the other food that came out (caprese flatbread looked incredible and only $7 for happy hour...)
My ONLY issue is that it's kind of expensive. My hot toddy was $10 and my burger was $15. Worth it, but kind of a lot to spend for lunch. Regardless, I'll definitely be back...the food is expensive for a reason, you are getting what you pay for!!
Stopped here on a Wednesday afternoon with pretty high hopes, considering all the stellar yelp reviews, and a personal recommendation, as well. Â When I arrived at 4pm, the place was fairly empty, which helped to showcase its open, airy-ness. Â I believe the restaurant is housed in a redesigned home, and the layout is fantastic. Â From the thoroughly windowed front dining areas, to the bar, and upstairs seating, everything is a bit dramatic, but comfortable.
Lunch is served until 3, with happy hour from 3 till 6, and dinner from 5ish on. Â To be honest, it was my intention to just stop here for a drink and then meet my girlfriend elsewhere, but, after reviewing the menu, my desire for something new led us to spend the whole evening at republic.
While waiting for her, i ordered the hummus with naan and veg (a $1 upcharge for the veg, for a total of $4). Â For $4, the portion was ridiculous. Â It could easily have served as an entire lunch. Â The naan was beautifully warmed and the veg were clearly not an afterthought- fresh and crisp, they were an excellent complement. Â The hummus was okay. Â It looked seasoned (obviously peppered with parsley and pepper), but the flavor was a bit lacking. Â It needed more olive oil, acid, and salt, for sure. Â But the idea was there.
Other happy hour offerings included deviled eggs, truffled popcorn, bacon-wrapped dates, and wings, buffalo or thai-style. Â Other patrons ordered all of those, and they all looked good. Â My girlfriend and i were on a mission for different tastes, however. Â I chose the truffled mushroom soup and a side of jalepeno slaw. Â The slaw was buttery and highlighted by just enough heat from the fresh jalepeno- a complete success. Â What i had expected to be a decadent take on french onion soup was nothing of the sort. Â To my surprise, it was a creamy, pureed onion bisque served over (tableside) what was billed as a mushroom hash. Â This was much more hash (read: potato) than mushroom, but was still delicious and lent interest to the soup. Â The truffle and onion flavors were perfectly balanced, and i was a very happy girl.
My girlfriend ordered the parmesan fries and fried pickles. Â Parm fries had a generous amount of fresh parm and were matchstick in style. Â She ate them with abandon, so i imagine they were as yummy as they appeared. Â Finishing touch? Â They were served with their own mini squeeze bottle of ketchup; fantastic detail. Â Her fried pickles were spears, not chips (which, for me, is a no-no), but she gobbled them up, even dipping into the thick and rich mustard condiment that accompanied them.
We both took advantage of the happy hour drink specials, sipping on thomas hooker (the nor'easter) and naranganssett for just $3. Â There are also a variety of wines by the glass for $5. Â Martinis seemed very overpriced at $9-$12, but did appear to be made with care.
We were happy enough with our experience, but agreed that we didn't feel the urge to return. Â Others around us were obviously regulars, and obviously received better service. Â My original bartender was very professional, but the
guy that took over was very... frat boy-ish. Â Not our favorite thing ever. Â As industry people, we know that you need to treat everyone well, regardless of how often they've come in. Â That's precisely how you create regulars.
All in all, i would return, but at about 45 min away from home, and plenty of other great places closer by, not with any hurry. Â I will state that the place was packed, and i'm happy for their success, but i may just not be the target audience.
Despite? Â Because of? my experience, I encourage you to give this place a shot. Â It has a lot to offer, and i only encountered a small sampling. Â I do think to really get the full picture, you'll need to bring your (and your companion's) wallet, but if you can afford to do so, it's probably worth it.
Went here this past weekend for my friend's birthday and they had really stepped up their game from the last time I had dined here. We were sat in a much more ideal location on the 2nd floor and the service we received was prompt and courteous. I was really intrigued by the specialty cocktail menu, as well. Very creative and my martini was delicious!! I ended up getting the same burger I had the last time and it was great!
One suggestion I will make is the happy hour should include more food offerings! (We had tried to come here for a late lunch one day and left as there were like 3 menu options, none of them substantial).
Been here a few times...the service staff has always been well trained, informative, and personable. What a pleasure to not be rushed, nor ignored! Last night Randi was our server, and though she seemed quite entertained by the ramblings going on at our table, she remained professional throughout. That's a talent you can't find just anywhere.
Our appetizers were the Thai chicken wings, which were hot, crispy, and perfectly seasoned. My wife had the Broccoli-Brussle swprouts, a side dish, as her app. I can see why too. Even though she said it was better the first time she ordered it, it was still a great combination to nibble on.
Our mains went from their huge BLT, the Au Poivre burger, and a shrimp Caesar salad, with an addition of a "Toad in the hole," which is a sunny-side egg cooked withint the cut-out hole of a piece of bread, Interesting, and daring...but it worked perfectly with the caesar dressing. Oh, before I foret to mentnion, ketchup comes in the most Darling mini squeeze bottles!!!
Dessert...Oy! We had the "Under Glass" desert, which was 7 pairs of bite-sized items, enough to share between the four of us. This night it has Red Velvet cake, Peppermint fudge, mini gingerbread bundts, shots of egg nog & Captain Morgan...even two small dishes of vanilla ice ream with cookie brumbs, topped with t thimble-sized cone. These fols certainly do not lack for imagination!
Their beer list and wine list are also to be recognized, featuring local brews as well as many regional and national favorites.
All in all, a place we would not mind going back to quite often!
Our new favorite restaurant! I have been here a few times now for happy hour and dinner and it's been great each time.
The appetizers are great, especially the flatbreads. We've also tried the deviled eggs and truffle parmesan popcorn which were good, but not something I'd get everytime.
Recently I ordered the trofie a la vodka and it was so delicious. I didn't realize it was a pasta dish until it came to the table but it was really good. I also sampled someone's pork confit and I really wish I had ordered it. I will definitely be getting that next time. Another favorite is the side of tempura fried pickles - so good.
Really good food, local, and the prices are not too bad.
Went here after a visit at Back East Brewery.
What a nice place. Decor is beautiful. The interior feels big and open. There are two levels to sit on. And in the summer, I can just imagine them opening up the big windows so that you can dine al fresco.
We sat at the bar for a late night bite and beer. The bartender, Evan, was very pleasant. For a mid-week night the bar was pretty busy.
Republic gets a big GOLD STAR for keeping my water glass filled. I left very well-hydrated. Thank you, Evan.
We split the Miso Glazed Salmon Burger with kim chi, cucumbers and radish sprouts and a field green salad. We got the kim chi on the side as I'm not a fan. The salad was perfectly dress and the burger was delicious. We ordered the salmon cooked to chef's choice and it came out flaky and delightful.
My friend pointed out that in the bar fridge (which has glass doors) he saw every one of his favorite beers lined up in a row for his viewing pleasure. Since he's quite the beer connoisseur, I definitely will have to say Republic embodies the true spirit of Le GastroPub.
Bien faites, Republic. Felicitations!
A friend and I decided to give this place a try for Connecticut Restaurant Week.
We came for an early dinner tonight at 5:30 and the place was already very busy but we were seated right away. Â We had to ask for the restaurant week menu as it was not presented with the other menus when we were seated. Â Our waitress, I never caught her name, was fine but seemed hurried. Â For example, when she forgot the lemon I asked for in my Coke and I reminded her, I also wanted to ask for two straws for mine and my dining companions water glasses - but she began walking away and was almost out of the room before I finished my sentence. Â
First, a rosemary foccacia was brought to us with olive oil for dipping.  The appetizer I chose was the Truffle Onion Soup.  It was creamy but not too thick, having almost a liquid foam-like consistency  and the mushroom hash that was in it was wonderful.  This was just what the doctor ordered on this brisk autumn evening.  I loved the little wooden boards the food was served on and the little white square bowl that the soup was in. Â
My friend ordered the Au Poivre burger and I got the Truffle Mac 'N Cheese and we split both. Â The burger came with thin cut fries, a cognac cream sauce, and a mini ketchup bottle. Â Like Dan R., Â I was completely sold on the mini ketchup bottle. Â How cute. Â The burger was delicious and cooked perfectly. Â While the Truffle Mac 'N Cheese was also good, I didn't taste truffle so that was a bit of a letdown. Â The soup tasted more of truffle than the mac and cheese.
The dessert of choice for both of us was banana bread pudding. Â This was presented nicely and was quite good, but the bottom of mine was burnt and hard so I chose to discard it after eating the non-burnt parts. Â I also ordered decaf coffee with dessert. Â I wanted to make sure the waitress heard me say decaf, so I repeated myself. Â In the same hurried manner as the incident where she began walking away while I was still talking, she curtly replied, "noted" and was off.
Glad we tried a new place tonight. Â Overall, we had a nice time here as we enjoyed each others company quite a lot. Â Some hits and misses with the food and the service, but we might come here again if in the area.
In life, it's nice when things work out in an expected way. Â When it comes to food, it's even better: I hate visiting a much-hyped restaurant and finding out that it is subpar. Â Luckily, there were no such concerns with Republic.
The setting is trendy, and the inside is bigger than you would expect from the outside. Â There is seating on the upper and lower levels, and while the tables are close you don't feel like you are on top of the party next to you.
The food is the star of the place. Â The burgers are not quite Plan B or Burger Baby quality, but they're very good. Â The au poivre burger with the cognac cream sauce is a must-get if only for the sauce itself. Â I ordered the Peruvian chicken on another trip; while I generally don't like to get chicken when I eat out, the tender meat and rich flavor made this a winner. Â The hummus appetizer was straight-forward but delicious.
For dessert, I've only tried the cheesecake lollipops with a raspberry puree. Â I was nervous that the dessert would be overly-sweet, but that was not the case.
The service has been solid on both of my trips. Â Republic has a great beer selection, which is a bonus for a beer-snob like myself.
Bloomfield is a "sneaky good" food town, with places like Sake Cafe, Pasticceria and Thai Palace. Â Republic continues that trend of good food, and I hope the place stays successful.
Found out about this place through a Hartford Courant article and had to try out as an employee of Cigna tired of happy hours at Tapas all. the. time. Â Needed a new close place big time...Glad to say Republic does not disappoint.
This review is based on multiple happy hour trips with a co-worker.
Positives: Â Very trendy looking place. Â Love the open kitchen look and the exposed second floor. Â I like my beers and this place does not disappoint. Â Nice tap selection and goes on from there with better bottle selection. Â $3 selection of drafts and we're not talking Coors or Bud either. Â Decent selection of bar bites for $3 - $7 dollars. Â Pizza is good, wings are good, deviled eggs are good.
Negatives: Â Hmmm...I am giving place 4 stars...They used to put all drafts on special for $3, but must have taken a bath because they've moved to 4-5 selections. Â Bartenders are not super friendly and you have to push to get served. Â Place gets packed during HH (last part can be good and bad).
As long as I'm working CIgna, I will definitely be here at least once per week...This place was sorely needed in Bloomfield.
Quick Update (10/11): Â Went there for lunch. Â Actually never looked at menu to know what they did for lunch, but enjoy the place for happy hour so... Â Co-worker and I got the express lunch box ($14) and came with soup, small entree, and dessert. Â Food was all very good and worth the money, but just go in knowing you are dropping $20 pp with tax / tip for lunch. Â Might be pricey for some....Oh, and no free refills on soft drinks...found that a bit odd in this day and age.
This is the trendy, cute neighborhood bar everyone hopes to have in their own neighborhood. Â What they've done with the decor ever since changing hands is amazing. Â The atmosphere is very open, yet intimate.
Add to that the unique menu selections: Â I ordered a side of brussel sprouts that I pictured to be - well, just brussel sprouts. Â They were roasted with bacon, and roasted and roasted and roasted well beyond anything I've ever seen. Â Absolutely delicious, and like nothing I've ever had. Â I suggested to the bar tender that they should be an app instead of "just a side." Â It's an especially rich dish; Â if I had known this I would not have ordered a salad as well.
As service goes our bartender was kind and attentive;  I spoke to a colleague who said he enjoyed.....well, let's use Dan's word - the  perky - servers that Republic has hired on. Â
I will need to visit Republic again before I up it another star. Â I'm in agreement with Kaitlin that it's on the pricey side, which means I won't be visiting as often as I would wish. Â The crowning achievement of a successful neighborhood bar needs to be "reasonably priced," so that you can go get a salad and a drink after work without busting your budget.
I'm not sure what happened. Maybe the opening team were only temporary and their replacements weren't as experienced? Maybe the staff is the same but grew complacent, or worse, tired of the job? Maybe management started cutting corners? Our last visit here left me a little embarrassed that I had spoken so highly of Republic to all my friends. It wasn't the busiest we've seen them either, still, the quality turned a complete 180* on us.
The ribs were bitter. I'm completely clueless as to what could be so different. Maybe they're using different woodchips for the smoke? Or maybe they took longer to come out so the smoke was stale by the time it got to the table? I don't know. They did a good job making me not romanticize about the ribs or their novel presentation.
The pork belly was cut differently. It was much taller and not as long. It was also chewy and kind of felt like a quick-fried slab of uncut bacon that was given time to cool and then reheated in a microwave. Gah! This meal used to make me so happy. It was not the ooey-gooey slathering belly it used to be.
The novelty of the Desserts Under Glass has completely worn off as well. The offerings are always something that can be plated quickly with little or no concern. The cheesecake pops were dappled with fingerprints like they had been pressed back on the stick too many times. Root beer floats again? Chocolate covered strawberries of grocery store quality?
All the neat little details have fallen to the wayside and "lack of pride" has reared it's ugly head. If the food were still on par, I would say that the drink prices were tolerable, but for this? No way. Too expensive to drink here and not good enough to eat here. I hope this was just an off night, but I suspect it's really a sign of things to come. Can't say I'll be back to find out anytime soon.
So let me ask you, what's the dividing line between a 3-star and a 4-star review? We were on the fence until our server offered to gift us the super-cute mini ketchup squirt bottle that accompanied my wife's Cloak and Dagger (a version of the classic Reuben sandwich). Our server (Maja) was perky and friendly in her own right (I'm a sucker for perkiness), and when she offered to give us the little ketchup dispenser, we crossed the goal line into 4-star territory. Later, she confided to us that the plastic bottles cost 20 cents each, and they order 100 a week!!.
This was our first visit to Republic, and we arrived at 7:00 on a Friday. As we walked from the packed parking lot to the front door, I was struck by how many people were walking the opposite way- no doubt office workers from the area that stopped for a few pops before going home. Â
Republic was very crowded, I believe I pulled into the single remaining spot in their lot. . The central main dining area was very very loud. We were seated in a front dining room, separated from the rest of the place by a partition wall, and it was still pretty noisy.
Our drinks were a Brooklyn Chocolate Stout ($4.50), a Pyramid Apricot Ale ($4.50), a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat ($5), and a Narragansett draft ($5). Two of our party wanted a Stella, but they no longer serve them, altough they remain on the beer list..
We started with a shared appetizer- a nice Charcuterie platter ($14) that was shared by 4- small crusts of bread with salami, prosciutto, a small portion of salad greens, and some small pickles. Everything was delicious. We went through two bread baskets- very generous slabs of nice focaccio with dipping oil.
Our four entrees were Adrienne's Cloak & Dagger/ ($10) a cheeseless reuben on a pretzel croissant served with fries and that little squeeze bottle of ketchup, a "4 Cheese Lasagna" ($13) with fontina, parmesan, mozzarella & taleggio with meat sauce, a  Grilled Skirt Steak ($24) served with red bliss baked potato, avocado salad & a chimichurri sauce, and a pasta dish - Truffle Trofie Carbonara ($15), with pancetta, caramelized onions, peas & a truffle creme.
All of the entrees dissapeared. I had the skirt steak- a very nice portion of sliced tender steak served with 2 very small baked potatoes and an avocado garnish. The dish was stellar.
The restaurant was very pleasant, if not a little noisy. Our service was very good, and all in all we enjoyed our first visit here very much.
This is my first visit there, having driven by I'm certain dozens of times. I was impressed with the obvious attention put into the recent renovation - large open kitchen, split-level seating, the layout of the bar, etc.
The service at the bar was also good enough that we gave up our reserved table to stay seated there. Nice drink menu with good selection of beers and bourbons.
The only thing holding me back from a higher recommendation was one of the items I ordered from the food menu: the the sauce on the ribs was burnt, and they replaced this first plate with an equally bad second plate (lacking in quality control). They did, however, have a very promising menu.
Generally a good experience, and I'll look forward to trying it a second time in the near future.
We have visited this new restaurant a few times as we really enjoyed our first visit. Â Our recent visit wasn't quite as good as the first couple though - I hope this isn't a sign for the future. Â Not sure if that is because it was an off night, but the normal chef and manager were on duty so not sure what happened there. Â Either way, the staff is always pleasant, and the place is always bustling with folks...so much that often times it is difficult to get a seat without reservations. Â You can tell their opening spotlight is fading though as we were able to walk right in on Sunday and get a table, something previously unheard of. Â
This is part of a chain, owned by the same group as the Mill On The River restaurant, and definitely a nice addition to Bloomfield. Â I can tell they will be successful so long as they try to keep the service level up. Â They offer a "pizza counter" which you can oversee the inner operations of the kitchen. Â Boy do they move in there...crazy to see how many folks operate as a team to produce those tasty morsels.
Ambiance is nice, and the seating upstairs is neat as you can see the old doors/windows that were left in tact from ages ago. Â They seem to keep the place clean...although I must say, we watched a waitress drop and break a glass of mixed drink as she was heading upstairs. Â They cleaned up the floor and very quickly wiped the wall. Â Unfortunately, they didn't do that great of a job so as the dust settles, you can see the stains on the wall growing darker and darker. Â Kind of gross actually...can't any of you see that that countless times you climb the stairs? Â It is all I see every time I walk into the restaurant. Â It's a shame since the place is brand new - it was gutted and rebuilt after a fire from the previous tenant.
That said, this review does come with high recommendations as I do enjoy the place. Â I wish them much success and I hope that the next visit serves to be as good as the first!
Don't you love the people here that have only one review on Yelp and give a place 1 or 2 stars?  I do believe that I could have a 5 star experience and others have a 2... but I'm not sure how you couldn't  have a great experience here!
Decor - Trendy... nice... clean...
Service - Outstanding. Â Our server tonight was Surf and she was terrific.
Food. Â There were four of us tonight. Â We had drinks, appitizers, entrees and dessert. Â So, I should be able to talk about all the services! Â The appitizers were great! Â Chicken wings were perfect, the flat bread was very good... fresh, crispy - delicious! Â Our meals were amazing. Â I have no idea how this place gets skirt steak (which I love) so tender. Â I have never had better... tender... skirt steak! Â The steak was outstanding! Â It came with roasted garlic, waffle fries and your own little ketchup! Â Presentation of food here is wonderful as well. Â One other of our party had a cheesburger that they loved! Â for desert we had (I believe it was called) sweets under glass. Â Basically an assortment of all kinds of delicious desserts. Â Coffee afterwards was wonderful too.
I will go back! Â You should give this a try. Â It's really terrific! Â I would make reservations - the word is out on this place!
YES!
I can't tell you the bar-less suffering that workers of the local big insurance company had to go trough. Â Getting people to head to west Hartford (my God NO parking) or across the street (eck). Â So we would often just hi the Golf place next door.
The rePUBlic opened last week. Â It is a solidly beautiful restaurant (they have opened up and installed a beautiful ground floor bar. . which I shot in the picture). Â
They have a strong selection of drafts and bottles, a better selection of bourbons. The food meets the restaurants goal - gastropub. Â You are treated with nice and interesting variations of food, such as the Truffle mac-n-Cheese or a Au Poivre Burger. Â
I have been to the place twice - and both times we drank/ate in the bar area. Â The rest of the restaurant is just as beautiful and re-done, and I would recommend you give this place a try.
For those of you who work at 900 Cottage Grove Road, stop with the Rubys and Tapas, and head .5 miles north to this place.
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