Connecticut Has 2 Of The Nation's Best Bars

CONNECTICUT — Two of the nation's best bars are located in Connecticut, according to a new list compiled by The Daily Meal. The food website released its list of "The 150 Best Bars in America for 2019," and both The Oyster Club in Mystic (no. 125) and Tap Room at The Griswold Inn in Essex (no. 92) snagged spots.

The list was compiled by 150 expert panelists who ranked establishments by quality of drinks, mixology, bar-tending, decor, cuisine and essentials.

Located at 13 Water Street, The Oyster Club opened in September 2011 in what was originally a small carriage house in historic downtown Mystic. The restaurant features a varied and frequently-changing menu of cocktails and food, sourced almost exclusively from local farmers, fisherman and artisans, according to the bar's website.

"As the name suggests, this small, coastal New England restaurant and bar in Mystic, Connecticut is famous for its oysters. They’re shucked at the raw bar, and the day’s offerings are scrawled on a driftwood chalkboard," Lauren Mack of The Daily Meal writes. "With six draft beers; 200 wines by the bottle and 16 by the glass; a range of spirits focused on whiskey; and eight signature cocktails, there is a tipple to suit every taste."

The Oyster Club also offers guests the chance to eat and drink in the "Treehouse," located directly above the bar. Featuring outdoor dining and coastal breezes, the Treehouse's menu is a "salute to the New England summer," with items such as quahog chowder, dry-aged burgers and, of course, oysters.

Located inside the historic Griswold Inn in Essex, which dates back to 1776, the Tap Room officially opened at the Inn in 1801. Since then, it has been consistently acclaimed as one of the best bars in Connecticut, if not the country.

According to the Tap Room's website, the menu offers items such as burgers, fish ‘n chips and house-made soups and chowders, and is a frequent destination for live music.

"There are several beers on tap, including the bar’s own Revolutionary Ale," Mack writes. "Cocktails change seasonally, but perennially popular ones are the Connecticut Mule and Liberty Lemonade in the summer, hot buttered rum in the winter and the bloody mary all year."

See the full list of top ranked bars at The Daily Meal.