First opening its doors in Corbin’s Corner, West Hartford, on May 31, 2022, Tavern in the Square has quickly become a hotspot for the Greater Hartford community, especially on game days. With their diverse menu, reasonable prices, rousing environment, and passionate staff, Tavern in the Square is one of the most underrated restaurants in Connecticut.
Tavern in the Square offers a wide variety of food and drinks with relatively affordable prices as well. Their American-style menu consists of seafood such as blackened fish tacos, various types of meat such as parmesan-crusted chicken and sirloin steak tips, power bowls, and lots of salads.
Their prices are slightly cheaper than local restaurants like Bricco and Treva and are definitely worth it for the higher quality food. When I went with my sister on a Saturday in late November, we ordered a Shirley Temple, a fried pickles appetizer, and multiple courses which consisted of mac & cheese, chicken tenders, and sirloin steak tips. Everything was delicious and absolutely worth going back for.
The steak, prepared medium well, was juicy and marinated very well. The chicken tenders were on the crispier side but still easily sliding out of the cornflakes. The standout item, though, was definitely the fried pickles. Paired with their special Bang Bang sauce, they were neither too salty nor too crispy, and there was a good batter-to-pickle ratio. In total, we surprisingly only spent around $75, a great deal for two people. Although we could not finish all of the food there, it also made a perfect leftover meal for the next day. Additionally, we placed a to-go order for my family at home, spending around $50 for two additional entrees: one order of the blackened fish tacos and another order of the steak tips, cooked medium rare.
To match its American-style menu, the restaurant gives off a modernized diner vibe, with tiled floors, several booths, dark lighting, and a darker-toned interior design. Like most taverns on a Saturday night, the ambiance was very chaotic, rowdy, and exciting, especially since college football was being broadcasted on every television they had (and they had plenty). The bar was packed with people cheering and booing for their respective teams, and their covered outdoor patio was full of families as well. Thankfully, we got lucky and surprisingly did not have to wait at all to be seated. Walking to our table, we could tell the restaurant was a pretty big space, which was impressive considering how full it was. I even ran into a few people I knew, including people from KO. Less than five minutes after being seated, our waiter came by to introduce himself and take our order for our drinks.
Photo Courtesy of the Hartford Courant
Although the service throughout the rest of the night was a tad bit slower than usual due to the number of people there, for the most part, their staff continued to act as positively and enthusiastically as they would any other day of the week. For example, when asking to place the takeout order, the waiter didn’t realize it was for family back home; thinking it was for us, he had a great sense of humor by saying, “Nooo wayyyy girl that’s too much!” The only downside of our whole experience was not being checked in on by him as frequently as we expected. Once again, though, this was likely due to the amount of traffic the restaurant was dealing with that night.
Overall, I would highly recommend Tavern in the Square as I believe it is one of the most excellent and reliable restaurants in West Hartford and more specifically in Corbin’s Corner. The menu had so many options at a relatively affordable price with a rowdy environment and friendly staff. If you’re looking to come in at a less busy time, though, I suggest stopping by during the week instead of on a Saturday. And be sure to grab the fried pickles while you’re there!
Photo By: Olivia Pilecki
