City Steam Brewery
City Steam Brewery in Hartford brews up exceptional beers, a creative casual menu, and a one-of-a-kind atmosphere.
Atmosphere(9)
This building is regarded as on the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in the US. Cast iron railings and millwork from an old department store are still on display. Three stories high of a sleek and stylish brew pub for the millennium.
Menu(9)
Diverse, extensive, informative, and creative: From the brewery baked pretzels to a tuna steak burger. Very unique.
Portions(9)
No cheap fillers here; the dishes are very hearty.
Appetizers(9)
Tremendous "crackling calamari", breaded and fried and served with a tub of fresh marinara sauce. Blue and yellow corn nachos were served piled high on a pizza tray, melted in jack cheese with sour cream, salsa, and fresh jalapenos-perfect with a brew.
Food and Drink(8)
Char-grilled chicken breast sandwich served with grilled peppers, mushrooms, and jarlsberg cheese on a Kaiser roll was a great combination, well-executed. Extremely tender Baby Back Ribs with a savory chipotle barbecue sauce. Fresh beers made on the premises, from a light "Colt 46" to a strong "Eugene's Bock".
Desserts(8)
Apple Kuchen featured a wonderfully dense apple cake and caramel. Chocolate Oblivion was almost as intriguing as its name.
Service(9)
Servers know the menu backwards and forwards, and they're not shy to offer their insights on the selections. Phantom's server was right on with all his recommendations. Good meal timing, quick and efficient service... but they wear baseball caps.
Cleanliness(9)
Clean dining room, shiny brass bar, well groomed wait staff.
Parking(7)
The Cheney Building in downtown Hartford. Accessible for the work force, but the lack of parking can make it tough at night.
Value(8)
Appetizers run from $2-10; sandwiches for about $7. Entrees average $15. Quite affordable, certainly memorable.
