Townhall Taphouse & Eatery — Restaurant in Milford

This is a tough review to write. I've been dying for this place to open as the previous restaurant was a local favorite. Additionally, "Townhall" is associated with another successful restaurant in Milford. Having said that, Townhall has some major opportunities. The layout in the location has changed only slightly, but you will be seated near another table(s). I always enjoyed the cozy feeling of this building so that hasn't changed and still works for someone like me. The drink menu is amazing and this started the night off strong. However, the menu itself is extremely limited. There are few vegetarian options: 3 salads (my friend was not happy and had to settle for the chopped salad which is not what brings her out to a restaurant) and there are no gluten free options (my mother in law could not attend). Also, aside from the salad options - Townhall has few "healthy" items. But let's start on a positive note: appetizers are amazing! Again, limited and unhealthy but options are curds, chicken or duck wings, crab Rangoon dip or a giant pretzel. We tried the pretzel and crab Rangoon dip - the dip was absolutely fantastic. House made chips made quick work of the dip that had large chunks of crab throughout. Great presentation on the pretzel. Entrees were lacking. The smash burger was just ok and had an extreme amount of cheese on it. No chance to cook this to order as they are very small patties, hence the "smash burger." The salad was small - perhaps we didn't order the entree version. The chicken wings were small and half were of poor quality. Lastly, the fish tacos were swimming in diced tomatoes. None of us finished our meals. The service was erratic and we had to ask passing staff to help us get a few things for the table. The one thing that sticks with me is the menu itself...it has the same theme throughout and you can tell they are attempting to create an easy path for the kitchen staff with similar options to prepare. The menu consisted of: fried chicken sandwiches, smash burgers, tacos, and flatbreads which almost all followed a similar pattern: duck, chicken, Korean BBQ (or similar), and shrimp options for the four categories of entrees made for similar options - plus there is no "signature dish" here...what makes Townhall Taphouse & Eatery special? What sets it apart from the other restaurants in Milford? Right now the answer, sadly, is nothing. I really hope there are changes coming and this is just a symptom of a new restaurant with inexperienced staff. Lastly, do not attempt to deviate from the menu: there is a note on the bottom of the menu in red capital letters that modifications to the menu are not allowed since "the kitchen is very small - modifications are harmful to our mental health and to the efficiency of the kitchen." This means that "quick wins" for customers are gone - no way you can make a duck flatbread only a veggie flatbread as you cant deviate from the menu. Even within the flatbread and taco options there can be a low effort, low priced offering - like making flatbreads with a GF crust or "veggie only" tacos. Extremely limited options without the possibility to adapt to customer's needs and no "signature dish" drawing folks in could be a recipe for disaster. Out of the 5 areas that I look at (service, drinks, appetizers, entrees, and either location/special offering...only 2 hit the mark: drinks and appetizers. Unless the menu changes drastically, this might be our first and only visit. I hate writing poor reviews and truly hope to edit...

Sorry for the long review, but I am impressed!

Food, service, and atmosphere, all great! Owner came to chat with us and gave an exceptional first impression of the new restaurant. My husband and I looked at the menu before going and were so impressed with how they’ve designed it: Each section (apps, fries, salads, tacos, burgers, chicken) is the same but different, and in our opinion that’s the best way to do it! A curated menu means the ingredients are always fresh (because everything is being used) and it allows the kitchen to become experts in creating each dish. That equates to efficient service and consistently good food done right! The duck confit poutine (my weakness) was incredible, and we could SMELL the difference before even tasting it. The gravy is clearly made with duck fat (as it should be), and reminded me of thanksgiving gravy made from the drippings of the slow-roasted bird, but the turkey is a duck 😂 Also ordered: duck wings (glaze very ginger-forward, so good); plain chicken wings (my 10 year old ate an entire order and said they were delicious and there was a lot of meat on them); THREE pretzels for the kids (beer cheese was everything I wanted it to be 🤤, I couldn’t resist); a plain cheese flatbread (also for the kids, specially offered by the chef when they saw we had young kids); and a side salad that was so fresh and crisp (zero wilting on the lettuce, good tomatoes). Shout out to the bartender, too! The Pink Spritz was delicious! Townhall Taphouse is off to a great start, and I think they have what it takes for long-term success in...

I love the menu and the fresh curated food choices. The cocktails are made well and the bartenders and staff are always working on new recipes and ideas seasonally etc. they are friendly welcoming and also engaging. Consistency always resonates with me so i enjoy coming back each time. The atmosphere is laid back cool vibe with good music and upbeat people. Some of my favorites are the hot honey chicken sandwich, and duck poutine... fresh and delicious - definitely some of the best food i can get in a bar/pub atmosphere. I love to support local especially when its food and service worth talking about. I will continue to give them more of...