Ideal Tavern, convenient to Central Connecticut, is a gastronomic refuge that offers elevated versions of classic comfort foods in a casually modern, sophisticated, and rustic setting. Our restaurant's interior features upcycled wood (from a barn in Maine) and industrial metal interior touches pay homage to our namesake, Ideal Forging, the venerable manufacturing company that had been a local community fixture.
Our mission is to offer elevated food in a casual atmosphere. Ideal Tavern is the perfect gathering spot for friends and families, whether you're a cocktail connoisseur, craver of craft beer, or fan of fine wines. We take care of our customers, offering fastidious service and combining it with uniquely creative preparation, all in a convivial and casual atmosphere.
Our mission is to offer elevated food in a casual atmosphere. Ideal Tavern is the perfect gathering spot for friends and families, whether you're a cocktail connoisseur, craver of craft beer, or fan of fine wines. We take care of our customers, offering fastidious service and combining it with uniquely creative preparation, all in a convivial and casual atmosphere.
Services
Ideal Tavern isn't located in Seattle, Washington, Portland, Maine, or Brooklyn, NY. We are proudly situated in historical Southington, Connecticut, which is being reborn as an urban hub. At the center of that hub is Ideal Tavern. We create handmade, fresh, quality foods prepared by a renowned chef, all at reasonable prices.
Our kitchen's alchemy blends classic dishes with forward-thinking gastronomical trends, and this applies to both food and drink at Ideal Tavern. We know you'll find something on the menu that you'll want to return for - over and over again. And if it's not on the menu, we'll try our best to create it for you.
Ideal Tavern is seeking individuals with great communication skills and a strong work ethic; a knack for hospitality, respect for teamwork, and a commitment to gastronomic excellence. If you're passionate about cultivating meaningful community partnerships and building loyalty with your guests, then we at Ideal Tavern would love to talk to you.
Reviews (22)
C. Longo
Jan 23, 2022
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Alex V.
Jan 02, 2022
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Sally C.
Dec 27, 2021
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Homemade pretzels, backyard flatbread, gourmet mac & cheese with mushrooms & pan seared cod! Along with a lively libation what a great cozy restaurant! So glad we felt it was time for dinner early due to the sun setting before 5PM because we beat the dinner crowd! We had no complaints about our food - flavorful & delicious! Was hoping for some bread but it was a minor oversight compared to our food!
Neycha Santiago
Dec 26, 2021
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Absolutely amazing.
From the ambiance, service, food and cocktail everything was perfect. Beautiful place, and the food was absolutely delicious. I will say the calamari breading could’ve been more crispy but overall it was tasteful. The cocktail I got was perfection. The bolognese was flavorful and delicious. The service was very quick and our server was very attentive and friendly. I will 1,000% come back no doubt about it. Btw this was on a Thursday and it was very packed!!
From the ambiance, service, food and cocktail everything was perfect. Beautiful place, and the food was absolutely delicious. I will say the calamari breading could’ve been more crispy but overall it was tasteful. The cocktail I got was perfection. The bolognese was flavorful and delicious. The service was very quick and our server was very attentive and friendly. I will 1,000% come back no doubt about it. Btw this was on a Thursday and it was very packed!!
Andrea Hinks
Dec 12, 2021
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Kaylee N.
Nov 17, 2021
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Zach Minella
Nov 12, 2021
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Ashley Kathleen
Sep 19, 2021
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Andrea Marrero
Sep 13, 2021
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Thomas P.
Sep 09, 2021
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Great atmosphere, great food, great drinks but, forget all of that; The service blew us away. We had Greg as our waitor and this guy was on point all night. I've never seen anyone roll with my family's strange tastes and confusing questions so well.
Not only did he accommodate the table 110%, he gave real recommendations that weren't pre-packaged. He genuinely knew everything on the menu and spoke in detail about the flavors of each drink and dish we asked about.
Is it strange to write a restaurant's review focusing on one person? Of course. But, we genuinely had such a great
Not only did he accommodate the table 110%, he gave real recommendations that weren't pre-packaged. He genuinely knew everything on the menu and spoke in detail about the flavors of each drink and dish we asked about.
Is it strange to write a restaurant's review focusing on one person? Of course. But, we genuinely had such a great
Meagan J.
Aug 15, 2021
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Tina Kopylec Amodei
Aug 14, 2021
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Joanne Marie J.
Aug 08, 2021
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I am okay just sitting in the apartment G and I will love to see you and talk with her about the television and she knows Johnny Homes is going to be coming over to see what she is staying in that apartment G and she knows that she will show you his ashes and lord knows she is blessed with her life and life insurance and she has told everyone that she loves that everything in that apartment G does belong to AdomaviciajrAnglegirl61 and that her television is true and that she knows that but can't move it herself anymore cause her back with be true and that she is staying healthy and safer than
Jenn Bird
May 31, 2021
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Darcy Quinn
May 29, 2021
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Luis C.
May 23, 2021
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On my first day working here in May of 2017 the head chef at the time Joseph had me weed their garden and then told me that they didn't actually need me...Didn't pay me or anything at all. I've been meaning to write this for a while but I'm finally doing this. I have never been back since and I hope they haven't done this to
anyone else.
anyone else.
Rich Sederquest
Apr 18, 2021
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Ola K.
Apr 16, 2021
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I sat by the bar and really enjoyed the atmosphere here. The waiters and bartenders were very attentive but not in the over bearing always watching you type way. The place isn't entirely small but its not large so it may be a good idea to call ahead especially during the weekend dinner rush.
For drinks we had the Brockman's Bramble which is a gin drink and very delicious. Also a fig Manhattan (I think it was) but I replace the whiskey with gin and it was very good, tasted like tea actually.
For food we had the special of the day which was beef stroganoff and it was very tasty, along
For drinks we had the Brockman's Bramble which is a gin drink and very delicious. Also a fig Manhattan (I think it was) but I replace the whiskey with gin and it was very good, tasted like tea actually.
For food we had the special of the day which was beef stroganoff and it was very tasty, along
Diane Carter Nowack
Apr 02, 2021
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Nicholas G.
Sep 27, 2020
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This is my second visit any I have loved everything I've gotten here. This time around I ordered the Down East Cider, a big Caesar salad and some chicken skewers. The big surprise was that the skewers had a broccoli salad with them that was similar to St. Louis Salad (broccoli, onions, creamy sauce). It was a nice reminder of home in New England. My husband ordered the Ideal Burger and enjoyed it. He was overwhelmed by the number of fries.
Daniela Rivera
Dec 09, 2019
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Mudi Kenney
Jan 08, 2019
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I really wanted to like this place since it had a lot of good reviews but it was just OK.
The interior is beautiful and our waitress was wonderful (attentive, friendly, and always had a smile). Excellent service overall.
We ordered the cauliflower 'popcorn' as an appetizer. It was good - basically cauliflower that's been battered and fried, with a sweet chilli sauce. It tasted really good but the pieces are so small, your not sure if you're eating cauliflower or just crumbs of batter. The sauce was good, had just the right amount of kick but since it's so sweet, less would have been more.
My
The interior is beautiful and our waitress was wonderful (attentive, friendly, and always had a smile). Excellent service overall.
We ordered the cauliflower 'popcorn' as an appetizer. It was good - basically cauliflower that's been battered and fried, with a sweet chilli sauce. It tasted really good but the pieces are so small, your not sure if you're eating cauliflower or just crumbs of batter. The sauce was good, had just the right amount of kick but since it's so sweet, less would have been more.
My
