Peppercorn’s Grill

I went to this restaurant before attending a play at the Bushnell. I’ve never been there to eat before. A 20% off coupon came in the mail when I received the play tickets, so my family and I decided to try it out. We called about 30 minutes before arriving and they were able to reserve a table for us. We were appreciative, since we knew it was last-​minute on a Thursday night.
The atmosphere was very nice — nice décor, very clean, and well air-​conditioned. We were seated promptly. Our waitress asked us if we were attending a play that evening, and we told her we were. She was conscientious about putting our appetizer and entrée orders in strategically so we would get to the show on time.
After finishing our apps, there was some down time before getting our main course. The waitress came over and acknowledged this, letting us know that there was a issue with our meal and our chicken fell off of the plate accidentally as it was getting delivered to us, so the chef was making a new meal. She, and the manager, apologized profusely. We knew this was an accident, and things like this happen. We completely understood. The staff let us know they were «on top of it», and would get our meals out ASAP.
About 2 minutes later, our meals arrived. The manager/​waitress made-​up for this incident, and went above and beyond. So very professional and accommodating! They offered us a round of drinks or a dessert «on the house». We accepted the round of drinks.
They then brought delicious, home-​made assorted Italian cookies over to the table, and offered to wrap them to-​go for us as they knew we had to leave for the play. They were delicious!
In addition, they offered to give us a ride to the Bushnell, so we didn’t have to walk, as they knew were were short on time. Wow! We couldn’t believe this! On a very busy night, full of diners, the manager, Marcel, drove his car around the front of the restaurant, and brought us to the Bushnell. We made it to the play, with 3 minutes to spare!
What excellent customer service… we can’t say enough about it. There are not many places you can go to these days with this kind of acknowledgement and ownership when something goes wrong, unexpectedly. We will definitely be back!
Oh, yes, our dinners were very good too! We got the meatball and artichoke appetizers, chicken and gnocchi entrees.

We had dinner there last night, a group of great friends celebrating two birthdays, and it could not have been better. Not only is the food outstanding but so was the service. We all had fabulous drinks, a nice bottle of wine, salads, dinners including my lamb chop special, and great truffles on the house. Could not have been better, truly.

Sadly, I can’t quite figure out how this place consistently has high reviews and has stayed in business for so long. I have to guess it possibly has to do with location and the lack of many other good options in the Hartford area. The chaos and lack of a host/​hostess greeting us when we walked in leaves a significant negative feeling with me.
The antipasto platter is nothing memorable or impressive and there was no cheese on it which was a disappointment. The service was a little slow. The restaurant was very busy and we were seated 30 minutes after our reservation. There was no meal or food that was served at the table that was remarkable or memorable. Again I can’t figure out the success of this place.

The happy hour special ($ 2 appetizers and $ 4 drinks) and décor are probably my favorite parts about Peppercorn’s.
I’ve had lunch, dinner and take-​out. And for what it’s worth — it’s pricey Italian food. The customer service has always been courteous, friendly and very helpful though. But, when I’m craving some good gnocchi or a great osso bucco, Peppercorn’s just misses the mark.
FYI
— Happy hour is Monday-​Friday: 4−7pm
— Free parking (7 days a week)
— Free valet (Wed-​Sat)

First visit to this restaurant, and it was terrific! Great atmosphere, warm welcome from the moment you entered the door. You could tell that there are a great number of regulars who dine there.
We had half orders of the rigatoni with sausage for an appetizer, delicious! The mozzarella and tomatoes great as well. Two of us had Osso Bucco which fell off the bone and was in a terrific rich sauce. Our other guest had the veal chop which was huge and flavorful. Only complaint was that the veal chop was more medium than medium rare.
Service was terrific and the valet parking a plus!

This is my first time here; me and my companion were here for dinner. Considering the restaurant is in downtown, parking can be a challenge; but Peppercorn’s has valet service. We had our reservation done ahead of time, so we got seated right away. Getting seated can be a challenge, depending on the day of the week; so I’d suggest you make your reservations.
We had the Calamari fritters and Shrimp Cocktail for appetizers, the Calamari was rightly fried and the batter was good. I’d wish there was a side of tartar sauce. The Shrimp cocktail was good. For entrees, I had the ribeye steak with a side of french fries and mixed vegetables. My companion had the Filet Mignon with a side of mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes. Both our dishes were good and cooked as per what we requested.
The waiter who was serving us was fairly new, but he was great. He had a good knowledge of the menu and helped us thru our order. To finish off our dinner, we had the chocolate banana pudding with bourbon, this dish was EPIC; LOVED IT and it was a perfect way to wrap up a nice dinner.
This place is definitely one of my favorite places to eat and I’ll highly recommend to visit Peppercorn’s Grill.

Peppercorn’s earned their 5-​star review almost entirely based on the service we received, although the food was also worthy.
We walked in a few minutes before 7pm on Friday night, asking if any tables were open. We explained that we were going to the show at the Bushnell that evening, so we were in a bit of a hurry. The waitress seated us almost immediately even though the restaurant was very busy and we didn’t have reservations. Our waitress understood our time restraints and was attentive and swift. She brought us our drinks and bread right away and even recommended to stay away from certain food items that take longer to cook.
My friend had the gnocchi and I had the rigatoni. I absolutely agree with the other reviews here raving about the rigatoni. I ate half of it and was full beyond means but wanted to finish it, it was so good. Our waitress brought us the check when she saw we were about halfway done, so that it could be processed and signed by the time we were ready to go. I had set an alarm on my phone for 7:45, giving us 15 minutes to get our check, walk back, and find our seats — the alarm went off as we were leaving Peppercorn’s.
I was really impressed with how well they took our predicament (45 minutes to get seated, find a meal, order it, and eat it) and handled us professionally, positively, and made us feel welcome. At no point did we feel rushed, even though we were rushing them.
I will definitely make reservations here the next time I’m going to a show.

Started with draft beer happy hour, good beer fair price. Ordered the braised short ribs and tirimisu, both were excellent. I would go back for both the happy hour and dinner. Nice bar with live music and free parking.

I gave in and finally went to Peppercorn’s for dinner one with boyfriend. My boyfriend had purchased a voucher through his company’s rewards/​promotions program almost a year earlier. I have never really been a fan, but agreed to give it a try… again. I was not impressed, I was actually completely turned off.
Walking in, the décor is dated and is in need of changing. My server was very friendly and professional. We proceeded to order our food drinks, only to be disturbed by the trash-​bag of a women sitting across from us on the other side of the wall. She was about 8 – 10 feet away, but she was so obnoxious and loud it made it difficult for my boyfriend and I continue with our conversation. She did not get the subtle social cues we sent her way. I was in shock that a man could even sit there and tolerate her simple-​minded gibberish. Her ignorant complaints about the quality and taste of the antipasto plate sent me over the edge. I asked our server if we could moved somewhere far away from the inconsiderate diner. At first she hesitated in giving us an answer. She went to check with the hostess about our relocation. A few minutes later she and one of the other staff members assisted us to a completely different part of the restaurant. The manager came over to ensure that our new table was suitable, which was appreciated. He did apologize for the negative experience that we suffered by the hand of the other patron.
My food was good, but not worth the price tag that was attached to my entrée. My boyfriend was not overly excited with the pasta dish he ordered. Maybe, at one time Peppercorn’s food was very good all the way around the board, but not any longer. I am not going to go out of my way to have dinner there again.

I went here during Restaurant Week for lunch and I think it might have to be the norm from now on. The menu they have for lunch/​dinner has a lot of variety so it’s a great value. I got the bruschetta, lobster/​pumpkin ravioli and peach cobbler. My date had the braised short ribs and tiramisu. Everything was on point and the server was very attentive.

I went here for lunch. Pasta was under cooked. I also had chicken diablo… not a hint of spice and the chicken seemed like it was reheated from the night before. .or several days before. The veggies were very good. .thus that earned a star. .but the instant mash potatoes. .need I say more. .the kids meal of chicken fingers was the only thing that I would consider really yummy. Thus they earned 2 stars. Also the service was really slow and it wasn’t crowded for lunch. Unfortunately I would not return. Some other reviews were good… so maybe lunch wasn’t a good time to go. .but either way.. Consistency is important. But how does an Italian restaurant screw up pasta!!! 7 to 10 minutes is all it takes… and it took 30 minutes+ to cook it.
Should have gone elsewhere. .I know now.

I had a terrible experience at Peppercorn’s recently, after having a great experience two weeks before!
I went to Peppercorn’s during taste of Hartford week and the food was wonderful. The waitress we were originally seated with was not great, so we asked to move and the hostess and second waiter were phenomenal. We got the fried calamari as an appetizer, which was fresh, tender and delicious. The butternut squash soup was just okay but they made up for it with the delicious scallop and lobster ravioli and amazing bread pudding.
Last Friday, my friend and I decided to try our luck again at Peppercorn’s, this time with their Happy Hour. We were going to have a few drinks and apps and then perhaps move to the dining area for dinner.
It was terrible. It was fairly early at 5 pm. We ordered prickly pear martinis, which they are known for and which the HH menu offers. We were told they were out of pear purée. Fair enough, it happens, but when I joked with the bartender that I wanted a pear martini, he rudely said «this is the second time in 3 seconds that I’m telling you we don’t have it.»
My friend and I ordered a different drink off the HH menu. We then ordered the calamari, zucchini blossoms and truffle fries.
The fried calamari was literally the worst I have ever had. It was dry, rubbery and tasteless. The «blossoms» was actually ONE zucchini blossom and the truffle fries were limp, cold and appeared to be half the serving size that the patron next to us received. If Peppercorn’s cannot afford to provide quality food at HH prices, then perhaps they should not offer a HH menu.
My friend and I would have loved to order another drink or two, unfortunately, the bartender never asked if we wanted another nor could we get his attention to order more.
When I told the manager that I was taken aback at the rudeness of the Bartender, he replied «oh, he’s been here 8 years.»
Not sure what that has to do with bad service.
This has left me wondering if they are only good during the taste of CT weeks, in order to get people to come back. Hopefully that’s not the case and this was just a bad night for Peppercorn’s.

1. Went for lunch :
2. FOOD: DELICIOUS: I had the lobster salad, dressing on the side. Wonderful. I asked waiter for tomatoes added. No problem the tomatoes were FRESH ! My friend had the pasta: wonderful too ! Bread: always a hit !
3. Wait staff: Super ! Very attentive but not over bearing. Very pleasant and consistent.
4. Prices: Fair

My favorite restaurant for over 10 years. Period.
If Dino’s cooking — I’m eating. The homemade sausage and rigatoni = to die for! The Special Salad with Tahitian vinaigrette is heaven. Love this restaurant. One of The few classics in Hartford. I can honestly say that when people ask me what my favorite restaurant is I say Peppercorns! Thank you Dino for so many memorable meals!

My husband and I went here recently for restaurant week. This place has complimentary valet parking, which is so helpful for this area! We were greeted and seated immediately. Being half Italian, I can say that the food was really satisfactory. The waitress was very sweet and helpful with drink and food suggestions.
I ordered a pear martini (which was really amazing) and my husband got an Old Fashioned. We ordered a few apps for the table which were yummy. I ordered the cheese meatballs and my husband got the caprese salad with imported cheese. We enjoyed it very much and the meatball sauce served as a dipping sauce for our bread. For dinner we I had a pasta with a lamb ragu and my husband ordered the gnocchi. Now, I grew up on authentic gnocchi so I tend to be a snob when it comes to them. AMAZING! They were light and fluffy just how gnocchi is supposed to be! For dessert we ordered the tiramisu to share. The dessert was just average compared to the rest of the meal, but tasty all the same.
Overall I was pleased with my experience. We will definitely be back!

Some friends of mine love this place so they wanted to meet here for lunch yesterday. I’d never been but had always been interested in trying it after hearing so many good things from them and others. Overall, a very nice first experience even if the décor and menu is just a touch dated and has a bit of a corporate Hartford feel (makes sense given the location).
We arrived around 12:20 and two of us had the Taste of Hartford menu while one ordered off the regular menu. Myself and my friend who ordered off the TOH menu got identical lunches from first to third course. We both enjoyed the veal ricotta meatballs, the ravioli of the day which was a spinach and ricotta stuffed housemade ravioli with an orange sage sauce (good, but this exact dish has been offered since 2011 and more of autumn flavors than summer), and the chocolate mousse with whipped cream. The friend who ordered off the regular menu got the bruschetta and one of the other pasta dishes, two things he’d had many times before, and was as satisfied as he always is with them.
The service was great throughout the meal — attentive without being overbearing. It was a hot day and the friendly server kept refilling our water glasses when needed and brought over fresh lemon wedges on request. The service overall, including with the host, was very professional and warm. We were able to have a three course meal in less but just about an hour so those that had to get back to work could. Glad we came!

I like that they have free valet parking since the area is crowded with private lots and sparse on street parking. We sat at the bar and had dinner there. The bartender lady was nice and offered us samples of wines to help up select our bottle. Once we picked our bottle of Zinfandel she poured it and aerated in a pretty glass decanter. My bf got a pasta seafood dish Fra Divolo with shrimp, clams and muscles. I got the filet mignon with mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. I asked for my meat medium rare, my bf’s says that it came out rare. I enjoyed it.
The potatoes were tasty mostly because they were so butter ladden.
One bad thing was the way the muscles tasted in the seafood. They seemed too soft and smelled so fishy. I couldn’t get that damn taste out of my mouth.
They over price their entrees. That’s why I give them 3 out of 5 stars.

This is one of the better Italian restaurants in the greater Hartford area. The food isn’t heavy, covered in cheese, and/​or in gigantic portions as is typical in some places. The vibe may seem like it’s super dressy/​classy but there are plenty of folks in casual attire. Parking is a breeze with either valet or street. Service can slow down a little when they get super busy, but it’s very friendly and attentive.
This most recent time we’d ordered off the wine list and the waitress came back to let us know that they’d run out. We ordered again, and what do you know? They were out of that wine as well. This time the manager came over, apologized, and offered another bottle of wine that was more expensive at the same price as our original request. It was a little weird that we kept picking a wine that they didn’t have, but we both appreciated the sincerity of the apology and the ‘replacement’ deal.
My wife and I have eaten here a few times and enjoyed it every time. We’ll definitely be back!

My husband and I decided to go to Peppercorn’s for a pre-​show dinner in mid-​October. Having never been there before, I didn’t know what to expect. I made a reservation on Open Table and was able to get in, in spite of the fact that there was a show at the Bushnell. The restaurant was quite full, but our table was ready for us when we arrived.
We ordered a stuffed squash flower appetizer that was really good. A little small for the price, but clearly made with quality ingredients. I had the sea bass entrée and my husband had a risotto made with chicken and fresh corn. The sea bass blew me away. Perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned. I rarely order this and was so glad that I did because it was perfection. My husband also loved his risotto.
All of the staff are lovely. Service was a little slow, which I normally appreciate, but did have the underlying stress of wondering if I would get to the show on time. I would definitely recommend letting your server know if you are going to a show. I’m not sure why I didn’t do that myself! We didn’t have time for dessert, but we were so full anyway that we didn’t need it.
We used a
certificate with no issue. I also found out recently that Peppercorn’s offers 20% off if you’re going to the Bushnell, you just have to show tickets for a show the day you’re dining. With so many great deals out there, there is absolutely no reason not to try Peppercorn’s! We will definitely be back, and next time I’m saving room for dessert!

Peppercorn’s Grill is always my favorite stop for restaurant week, given that they have more options than other local eateries and the quality is always amazing.
My birthday always falls during Connecticut’s statewide restaurant week, and since I hadn’t been to Peppercorn’s in a long time, yesterday was the perfect time to stop in. We were seated by the windows and started with a glass of wine while perusing the menu, deciding on veal-​ricotta meatballs and prosciutto «sushi style» for appetizers. As perfect as I remembered them.
I moved on to the scallop and lobster ravioli served in a decadent lobster cream sauce. Hands down, one of my favorite dishes anywhere. My boyfriend ordered the Stinco di Vitello, tender slow cooked New Zealand veal ossobuco with soffritto vegetables and balsamic white wine reduction served on top of polenta and roasted veggies — exactly as good as it sounds.
My chocolate bread pudding with bourbon custard was better than any birthday cake I could’ve imagined. Seriously rich, not cloyingly sweet, and altogether a perfect balance. Nick ordered the apple crisp which was similarly excellent. Altogether a wonderful meal with great service!