Damon's Tavern-Prospect Ave, Hartford, Ct
Damon's was recommended to me by a few people so today myself and two friends checked it out. It's located in the space formerly occupied by West Wings just over the Hartford Line from West Hartford. The outside of the bld is nothing to write home about...it's much nicer inside. It has a Buffalo Wild Wings vibe but it's nicer decor. There are tv's at every booth and all over the perimeter of the place.
The good: While we didn't drink anything (it was early for us) there was a huge beer selection on tap. We ordered the potato skins and we liked them very much. Simple, fresh, good.
The bad: My order of the slider appetizer (one buffalo chicken, one pulled pork, one bacon cheeseburger) was lamely presented on a plain plate. No fries with it...no garnish. I actually had one chicken and two porks. All 3 were dry. The chicken was leathery too. My friend ordered the BLT which looked fantastic aside from the completely brown slices of avocado on it. The fries that came with the sandwiches had nice potential but were limp and overly browned.
The worst part(s):My other friend ordered the Monte Cristo and it was batter dipped and deep fried. I had a bite and it was like a sponge of oil. It was really bad but if you picked through it the ham, turkey and cheese were of decent and tasty quality. They should explain that it's deep fried on the menu because when the waiter asked my friend if she wanted to wrap up her sammich, she said "no thanks, I wasn't expecting it to be deep fried" and the waiter said "everyone says that." I think there's room for improvement.
All said and done--the menu has promise, and the atmosphere on a quiet Sunday afternoon for lunch was right, but the food wasn't great.
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My boyfriend and I went to Damon’s last night and had a really great time.
- VENUE: The build out is fabulous – huge bar, good-size dining area, small stage with “dance floor” in the back (our server said they plan to have live music on Saturday nights). TVs everywhere (including outside along the front of the building!).
- FOOD: Ordered sweet ginger soy boneless wings to split, BLT for me (avocado was green and fresh – a tasty addition), lobster/shrimp/scallops mac & cheese for him. All delicious. So much on the menu that I look forward to trying! Oh, and our server did mention they had a meeting on the Monte Cristo – response to it is 50/50 – and they’re deciding how to handle it.
- SERVICE: It was very busy but we were seated right away. Service was excellent. Seated next to us appeared to be one of the owners/partners. Very kind and wanted to make sure we enjoyed our meal. The Exec Chef even came out to ask how everything was, and during our conversation he let us know everything is fresh and prepared on site (boneless wings cut there, sauces prepared by the chefs, etc.). He then sent out warm cookies and ice cream for dessert! Very nice.
- ATMOSPHERE: Crowd was varied – families, college kids, young professionals, older couples. It was lively and entertaining, but we were totally relaxed and comfortable.
Anyway, we found everything about this new spot to be fabulous and plan to visit many, many times. A must try for anyone looking for a new place to eat around West Hartford, or a great place to catch a game. Can’t wait for the patio seating this summer!
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stuck in Hartford County
Apr 17, 2010 10:52 AM
Just drove by the other day and noticed the restaurant. 'TIC was plugging it the other day. What happened to Wings? It looked really cool, visually- I liked the open front. The new design isn't as nice. Maybe we'll give it a try, but there are so many new places to try that sound more interesting. Thanks for the review.
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WOW !! The place is amazing. The owners went over the top with the everything. Damons has been mentioned to me by 3 different people as a must go. I went last night and we had a burger,pizza and a beet salad. One of the best value/ high end menu's I've ever seen. Burgers,salads,pizza, great apps..... Seafood.. Whatever you want...with a great staff, great service, great kitchen... We will tell all of our friends... A MUST try...
