The Elms Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in New London

I had very high expectations from reading other reviews, but we were a little disappointed with the dinner we recently had. The brussels sprouts were very good, but the entrees were a mixed bag. My short rib was surprisingly dry, although the accompanying vegetables were very tasty. Unfortunately, my girlfriend's steak was not up to expectations at all. Her first cut in revealed a black-and-blue steak that was cool to the touch (and this was near the edge too!). She sent it back because it wasn't edible, and our waiter was very courteous about the error.

However, the second try was arguably worse. Our waiter returned the same steak a few minutes later. But we cut into it near the edge again, only to see that it was still uncooked! It was barely warm to the touch and somewhere between black-and-blue and rare (see photo). We looked for our waiter but she had completely disappeared.

At this point, my girlfriend was getting hungry so I encouraged her to see if the steak was better-cooked on the other side. She cut into the middle of the steak and it was shockingly cooked. It was medium-rare, not medium, but it was certainly edible (and tasty too).

Clearly something weird was going on, because the steak was more cooked in the middle but not closer to the sides. We cut into the steak and found that it had only been cooked in the very middle. Going from left to right, the steak was cooked medium at the very edge of the steak, then not-quite-rare, then medium-rare in the middle, then not-quite-rare again, then medium again at the edge. It was like they had put the middle of the steak over heat but left the rest of it untouched. When you took a bite of a slice that was on the border between raw and cooked, the texture of the meat very perceptibly went from tender to chewy in the space of a centimeter.

It's a shame that such a beautiful cut of meat was so utterly destroyed. We might come back again for the brussels sprouts but...

Hotel restaurant. First time here. Plenty of off street parking. Classy decor and comfortable seating. Looks like you can wear casual or dress up. Waitresses wear a Tshirt and jeans so don’t stress what you wear. Good for large parties. Takes reservations on Resy. I started with the oysters. Beyond knowing there were oysters on the menu and where from, the waitress did not have a description for me but did go ask the kitchen. I was told medium size oysters and moderate Briny flavor. They were very good. However, I would call them small not medium. Price could have been better for the size. The octopus appetizer taste was absolutely amazing with perfect tenderness and grill flavor. NOT shareable and honestly very tiny so again, overpriced at $18. Entrees are fairly priced. My husband was delighted over the tavern steak. It was a little undercooked per our request for medium but they will take it back if needed. He ate it anyway and said it was outstanding. I had the salmon dish and it was superb. Cocktails and wine fairly priced. Mixed drinks w a smaller pour. For desert the crème brûlée did not disappoint. Our waitress was not the best but from what I could see, the other waitresses were very attentive. Food 5/5. My service and some overpriced items...

We made the trip from Brattleboro, VT to New London, NH for an event at Colby-Sawyer College and decided to try Elms Restaurant and Bar — and wow, we’re so glad we did!

The entire experience was top-notch. We started with fresh, perfectly shucked oysters that set the tone for an incredible meal. The steak was cooked to perfection, the burger was juicy and flavorful, and the crème brûlée was the ideal sweet ending. Every dish was prepared down to the T — we honestly hadn’t had food this good in a long time.

The drinks were equally impressive — well-crafted and delicious. The atmosphere was cozy yet upscale, with a welcoming vibe that made us want to linger. The staff was warm, attentive, and genuinely kind.

We left full, happy, and already planning our next visit. Elms is truly a hidden gem in New London and absolutely...