The Hidden Still — Restaurant in Ellington

EXTREMELY RUDE STAFF AND NO GLUTEN FREE ITEMS OFFERED! This used to be my favorite local restaurant for years. Tonight I had a horrible experience. The place is very small. There is the main room with the bar and a small side room. People are sitting on top of each at the bar. The side room has about 8 small tables, so they cannot accomodate large groups at all. I have Cekiac disaese and have been going here with a friend for over 10 years.The food choices were limited so we always ate elsewhere and just came for drinks. We decided to try eating here because the menu looked like it had improved. However, they don't even bother to identify which items are gluten free. My friend got an appetizer and we had to spend $18 on a salad so I could have something to eat. I went there for happy hour alone tonight hoping to get a small salad and a drink. The lazy waitress didn't even go ask if this was possible to get a small salad for the same price of other apps. I ended up eating a bowl of mashed potatoes and a bowl of cole slaw for dinner. Terrible! The waitress didn't see anything wrong with this. She knew I was angry about the food and service. She was waiting by the kitchen when I left. I told her I was going somewhere else to get a drink at a place that would appreciate my business. She was very snarky and said Enjoy your drink. So they lost a long time customer due to a rude waitress and because they refused to serve me small portion of a salad they already make. They pride themselves on being CT's only moonshine bar. The moonshine drinks are very weak. If you are looking for a place with a lively atmosphere, thus isn't it. They sometimes have one musician play there but there is no room to dance. Not much of a family place...

The atmosphere was good. Nice decor with good seating/lighting/etc. They had a great selection of cocktails and liqours, but a very small craft beer selection, not really on paar with other modern bars.

We went on a night of live music, which was a nice surprise. The staff was very helpful and polite, our waitress seemed to have the perfect balance of timing when it came to asking if we needed anything and giving us space--it sounds odd, but this is a very difficult feature to master.

The food came quickly. We ordered two wraps, one chicken curry, the other fish. Both were quite good.The fish breading was light on salt for our tastes, but hot/fresh and went well with the rest of the wrap. The curry was well seasoned, though not so strong as an authentic curry dish. The chicken curry (wailer wrap) was very good, although quite a quick preparation as it used fresh cut onions and lettuce, not cooked or prepared in anyway. Somewhat akin to a cafe, but it was well priced (9.5) so no one can complain.

We had the sweet potato fries as a sides. They included skins which is always nice, but they were a bit soggy/wet. This might be a preference , but I generally prefer a crust. Still enjoyed them though--large salt grains instead of a fine dusting were a nice touch.

Overall, will go back. Everything is priced extremely well for...

Update: Victoria, our server, greeted us with the knowing smile of someone who has danced this dance before. She remembered us from a previous visit, which lent the evening a peculiar charm, as if we'd slipped into a story already half-told. Her presence wove through our experience like a thread of silver, subtle yet essential. The food, warm and well-prepared, seemed to reflect her care.

There was a moment of confusion over the bill—a slight curfluffle, you might say—but Victoria, like the queen whose name she bore, swiftly and gracefully righted the course. The evening, pleasant on its own, was elevated by her attentiveness, leaving us with the distinct impression that Victoria had been the real magic of the night.

Old review: Kelsey, our waitress at The Hidden Still, really made our dinner special. She was right there when we needed her, but somehow never made us feel rushed. I was impressed by how she knew the menu inside out, giving us great recommendations that hit the spot. She had this easy-going way about her that just made us feel at home. And talk about efficient – our orders were spot on and served up fast. Kelsey's professionalism and warmth really stood out. She's a big reason why we'll be coming back to The...