You Cannot Go Wrong at Elbow Room
This restaurant is like a small slice of Greenwich Village transplanted to a sedate suburb.

The atmosphere is hip without being kitschy and the food is first rate.

This is one of the few establishments that will actually prepare a dish to order. (My medium rare was medium rare - not rare - not well done.)

The price is about what one would expect for an upscale suburban restaurant, but a good value for the quality of food served.

My only wish is for an expanded wine list, other than that, I would rate Elbow room 2 1/2 out of a possible three stars.    [15 Jul 2002 15:24:51]

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Recommended Dishes: Beef Tenderloin with horseradish mashed potato and balsamic sauce

     ­Anonymous   

Why So Popular?
My first (and probably only) visit to The Elbow Room was a bit disappointing.

To start, they did not have my desired beer (Sam Smith Nut Brown Ale), although shown on the not very large menu. The beet salad with greens was fresh and pleasant, with goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. The sweetness of the beets contrasted nicely with the tangy dressing. The shrimp cocktail was also fresh, but with only four large shrimp, unimaginitively prepared.

The biggest disappointment was the main course - 5 Spice Salmon, which I requested rare. As the other 4 diners with me ordered well done portions, I suppose my dinner finished cooking first and was served at room temperature (hardly appetizing). While the wait staff was pleasant, they never returned to check on the meal.

Finally for dessert, two of our table planned to have the Chocolate Creme Brulee, but again the restaurant was short and only had one left.

While the prices weren't excessive, the atmosphere scarcely commands a premium.

Finally, the name of the resturant is fitting, as there barely is any Elbow Room. If bumping chair backs with the table behind you is what you're looking for, this is THE PLACE.    [11 Aug 2002 16:40:17]

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Recommended Dishes: Not enough experience to suggest

     ­Arlex   

Elbow room is very over rated
The service and food at the Elbow Room absolutely sucks. I'm not saying this as a joke. I eat out a lot, and I've been to the Elbow Room a few times and all the things I've had were completely terrible. The crab cakes tasted like they were sitting around for weeks (very fishy), my roomate got some pot roast special that looked and tasted like a TV dinner, and my girlfriend's tuna burger was dryer than a hockey puck! This was just one of my experiences at this over rated dive. The service people there act as if they are working in some trendy SOHO restaurant. They feel as if they are doing you a favor by getting you some water and napkins. I think the location and aesthetics keep people comming back to this restaurant. Do yourselves a favor and don't come here. Anyone who gives this place a good rating really doesn't know food to well. And I'm not a cynical or snotty person.    [04 Dec 2002 14:37:09]

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Recommended Dishes: Nothing

     ­Paul   

Little concern for Customer Needs
In making reservations for my Mother's 80th birthday, I requested a table in a corner to minimize the difficulty she might have in hearing. While the Elbow Room took my reservation for 8, they would not commit to a specific table or area, saying it that was their policy regardless of occasion or reason. I was amazed at such a disregard for their customers and such an apparent lack of concern for business. I cancelled the reservation and took my business down the street where they did care.    [22 Dec 2002 15:44:50]

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     ­Anonymous   

Am I alone responsible for paying their bills?
Tuesday, February 11, 2003:
two glasses of merlot and a coke = $18.05

Does that seem reasonable to you?    [11 Feb 2003 21:37:03]

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     ­I usually love this place but not today   

Lost Reservations Twice
I have been to the Elbow Room 3 times. The first 2 were nothing special, but decent enough to go back. However, on the last occasion my reservations were "lost." The response I got was a giggling hostess saying that "sometimes it happens!"    [18 Apr 2003 14:04:47]

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     ­Anonymous   

You all are nuts -- this place is great
The Elbow Room is one of the more reliable and interesting places to eat in the metro Hartford area. The kitchen is fantastic and the menu has several specials per night, with notable fish dishes of great varieties. My wife and I have been eating there for years. I love the upstairs deck with a bar and heaters for chilly winter nights. The decoration throughout is fantastic. I'm really not sure what you all are complaining about, to be honest.    [20 Apr 2003 16:44:48]

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Recommended Dishes: Fried Oyster Salad and any fish dish on the menu or among the specials

     ­Steve McDonald   mcflavin at usa dot net

Terrible Service and Food
August 10, 2003. Had lunch at the Elbow Room. I ordered a Spinich Omlet. There was little spinich and much potatoes. It should be called a potatoe omlet. My wife ordered the chicken breast sandwich. The chicken sandwich was over cooked to a point of being burnt. The chicken, as a result, was extreamly tough. The waiter never returned to ask us if the meal was satisfactory. Also we had to wait 30 minutes for the meal. When asked why so long, the waiter replied, "If you want fast food you should have gone to McDonalds".    [10 Aug 2003 13:29:31]

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     ­Anonymous   

Mediocre food and atrocious service
I ate at The Elbow Room last night, for the first time in six months. On previous occasions the food has been acceptable even though the service has been a bit slow.

Last evening our cocktails took 45 minutes to arrive, the food took more than an hour.

The "saffron rice" that accompanied my entree was Goya, $1.39 a packet at your local supermarket. It tasted like chlorine.

The wine we ordered with our meals had still not been brought to the table when we'd finished eating, despite multiple complaints to the waiter, who was surly and snide (when I said "I'll have the grilled mahi-mahi," the response was "No you won't. We're out of it, I guess you'll have to choose something else"... no apology and no attempt to recommend another dish.)

The Elbow Room needs a major overhaul. Owners and management, please take note.    [13 Sep 2003 11:53:07]

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     ­Anonymous   

Rushed and unpleasant
My fish was raw inside. I'm not talking about a fish that might be served rare like salmon - this was RAW and COLD inside. Small portions and high prices made me pledge never to return.    [07 Oct 2003 17:34:10]

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     ­Anonymous