I was refered to this cafe by a friend, who told me the food was great and the price is right! I now go there at least every two weeks! It is a small little cafe with about 10 chairs around the bar and 10 tables. The food is always fantasic and they have themes every week. The do special drinks and all kinds of local beer on tap. The prices are very reasonable. The staff is always friendly and has a very hometown feeling. There are regulars there for sure and they always are up to meeting new people. They have a cute outside patio when it is warm outside and a firepit outside when it is cold. It is a hidden treasure for sure. I recommend going. Very casual and fun!
Review Source:Somewhere between Boston and NYC is a place called East Lyme that left me pondering whether this was the birthplace of Lyme Disease as I drove through? No sooner than I came up with this half-baked thought I noticed an out of the way bar called Rustic Cafe (RC) along Boston Post Rd. Feeling hungry and in dire need of a bathroom I stopped to take a look and maybe score some grub. My trusty Yelping companion quickly learned from weary ghosts of Christmases past that RC was known for their lobster rolls. We each ordered a roll along with French fried sweet potatoes, New England Clam Chowder, potato and bacon soup and a side salad to delude ourselves into thinking that by having a lettuce leaf would somehow turn our artery clogging meal into something healthy. We washed the whole lot down with surprisingly good Cabernet and a mug of Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer poured from a tap, respectively. Everything was very good. The lobster roll was primarily made from joint and claw meat. Nevertheless the roll tasted fresh and succulent and served by very friendly waitresses. The bartender invited me to play the guitar I was admiring but I instead decided to finish eating my soup. I very much recommend this joint and not because it seems there is nowhere else to go to for miles.
Review Source:Rustic it is! Very good food made to order. Friendly wait staff and bartenders. Nice place for a bite to eat or to enjoy a pint or cocktail. Try their specials! Nice selection of local & seasonal beers on tap. Also, they've a firepit set in their outdoor patio, enjoy the outdoors and relax in it's warmth.
Review Source:We stopped in today for a quick lunch after a day at the Connecticut shore.  We found it through Yelp and are glad we did!  My husband had the whole belly clam basket and I had the Caprese salad.  We were both very happy with our choices - the clams were right off the boat and mine had home grown basil and a wonderful balsamic reduction on the side.  Even better than the food was the terrific waitress, Sarah!  She was efficient  and charming!  We'll be back!
Review Source:Always loved this place. Â Great food, great crowd, decent vibe. Â Location is out of the way from most places and convenient as hell if you're in East Lyme. Â I like the burgers and of course the beer, but they have everything from seashore fare to traditional bar food and light dinner items. Â They sometimes have entertainment and that can be hit or miss but when it's on it's amazing! Â Don't drive by this one if you're looking for a regular stop on your way through or if you live in the area.
Review Source:This is my FAVORITE place in East Lyme. If you haven't experienced this hidden gem, by all means make the time to try Rustic! The food is excellent tasting and excellently priced. Our favorites are the tomato basil soup and lobster roll. During the day the place is family-friendly and at night it turns into a pretty happenin' watering hole, often with live music, karaoke, and an outdoor fireplace. Owners Steph and Jeff are such kind people. If you decide to have a drink, be sure to try the Pickleback! The immense number of cars and motorcycles outside the cozy Cafe is a testament to how great this place is.
Review Source:This place was okay, but nothing really stood out to warrant the great reviews I read prior to going. Everything was more expensive than I expected and took longer than expected (at the expensive end of "moderate"). When the food came it was okay, but nothing to write home about. We had mostly seafood and while the portions were large it was in general pretty bland fare. I agree with others that the decor is fun, but it's annoying to be right on the side of the road with cars passing all the time.
Review Source:Restaurant has new owners who have taken great care in providing quality food at reasonable prices. If you're driving on 95 it is very close to the highway. We had the lobster bisque and crab cake appetizer which were both fresh and tasty and I had their special  spinach salad which was delicious. My husband had the roast beef club which was large and fresh. Service was friendly and personal. Highly recommended.
Review Source:Stopped in for lunch last Saturday...their clam chowder had tons of clam meat and potatoes, just the way I like it. Â The fish & chips tasted fresh as well, the lobster roll was warm, but it had too much claw meat, which has a different texture than other parts of lobster. Â The place reminded me of a cabin; it only had about 6-7 tables and the bar, good thing we went during lunch so it wasn't super crowded.
Review Source:The food is good and inexpensive.  I would have given 5 stars  but customers need to be aware that this is a very small establishment and a positive dining experience can be quickly undone by one loud, boisterous patron.  The Rustic Cafe has 5-6 tables and a bar.  Both times that we have eaten here (one was a Friday night and another a Thursday night)  a very loud customer has made us regret our decision. Â
We will come back, but for lunch or at another time when one might expect the other customers to be quieter.
A little far off the beaten path, but we stopped there after a trip to the Florence Griswold Museum.  Rustic  in a new sort of way.  All redone inside, with faux logs and faux tables carved from logs.  A few tables, busy bar at 2pm. Â
We got the lobster rolls straight up, cheap enough and tasty. Wait staff fast and friendly.
With the beautiful weather we decided on a road trip toward the coast and wanted to try the Rustic after the Yelp reviews. We split the lobster roll, tons of meat and butter for under $8.00. Â Excellent. Tom had the fried clam strip basket and I had the fried sea scallop basket. Â Some of the best we have had and one was $8.99 and the other $9.00. Kinda far for us, but really good and highly recommend. I heard the girl behind the bar saying they are the new owners and going to make changes. Â By all means add things but don't mess with the above; perfect.
Review Source:We were two weary travelers traversing Connecticut to visit myriad friends and relatives during our recent East Coast trip. Â We were hungry (one of us gets really cranky when he doesn't eat, don't you, Jason?) and looking for something New England-y. Â There was a good crowd of cars outside this place and we liked it's "Rustic" feel so in we went. Â It is small, for sure, but that contributes to its rusticity, I think. Â It turned into a great find!
We got a lobster roll that is one of the biggest lobster rolls I've ever seen. Â There were other road weary travelers in there that night too and we joked with them about the portion size. The meat wouldn't stay in the bun there was so much of it and it was ridiculously inexpensive. Â Like less than $8. Â We noted that they have a whole lobster dinner for less than $12! Â I'm surprised my mom doesn't drive down the two hours from Boston for a bargain like that. Â When we were there on a Friday early evening there were several patrons there but I'm sure they must queue up from miles around for this kind of deal. Â We also got some yummy onion rings (with just enough onion and not too much ring), and some other assorted fried goodies. Â
It turned out the guitar playing dude with the quick wit and big smile was the owner who happened to be from out here on the West Coast. Â How cool is it that he was hanging out chatting with customers?
The only deficiency, which the bartender said they were working on, is that they didn't have any local micro-brews. Â That was only worth noticing for us because we don't spend a lot of time in the Northeast and it would've been fun to sample something from nearby (assuming there is something nearby). Â But that lobster roll....oh man, that lobster roll!
I have seen this place as other names in the years I've lived in Connecticut, but never tried it. Â It's on the Boston Post Road right after Four Mile River Road in East Lyme (right past the border with Old Lyme). Â Today, having heard that the Rustic Cafe is wonderful from friends we trust, we took a short drive to try it out for ourselves.
The place is tiny, definitely rustic! Â The decor is charming, perhaps only five or six tables and a busy bar. Â We couldn't help but notice that everyone was laughing and having a great time when we arrived. Â The menu has sandwiches and burgers; a lot of fried seafood specialties. Â We followed our waitress' suggestion and ordered three lunch specials to share (there were three of us!): fried scallops, fried clams, and fish and chips. Â All were served with fries. Â The fish was DELICIOUS! Â Fresh, crunchy, not greasy in the least. Â The fries were terrific. Â There was cole slaw and tartar sauce on each plate, too. Â Fabulous lunch treats. Â Total for three of us was $28. Â
We had a wonderful time there, and especially enjoyed listening to the chef yak with his friends at the bar. Â Great fun. Â We are eager to stop by for happy hour one afternoon.
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