Bars in Guilford

The flames at Prime American Grille have escaped the kitchen. Not only do they live inside the sizzling-hot grill, they also exist atop flickering candles and inside the dining room's roaring fireplace. Flame-kissed rib-eye and new york strip steaks arrive at tables coated in house-made peppercorn, gorgonzola, or mushroom-and-onion sauces. Chefs also bolster their menu with ocean-fresh seafood, pizzas, pastas, and sandwiches. Bottles of wine litter a massive rack inside the restaurant's dining room, which boasts a warm color palette, dark woods, and strategically placed mirrors that make the space feel airy and light, like a helium balloon filled with tossed salad. On the weekends, Prime American Grille pulses with live music from DJs and bands, and each night, diners can sit at the full bar to watch sports on seven flat-screen televisions.

Recently named the state’s best family dining restaurant by Connecticut Managzine, Chips’ Pub III fills the bellies of its guests with steaks, seafood, and other homestyle dishes. An impressive list of 15 hand-pressed burgers, each char-broiled over an open hearth, dominates the menu, which also features Chips’ specialties such as the Primo prime rib with housemade horseradish, and platters of scallops, shrimp, and calamari.

Although The Hitchin' Post Tavern is nestled in New England, cowboys and cowgirls flock to the southwestern bar and grill to feast on a menu of American favorites with a south-of-the-border twist. When they’re not eating, guests can dance while bands play rock classics and modern hits. During themed nights, such as the Hoedown, partygoers dressed in their finest cowboy hats and overalls can imbibe dozens of beers on tap, in a bottle or can, or loaded with other extras at the full bar. The bar also pours wine, shots, and martinis, such as the espresso and the Sugar Cookie, which can take the place of after-dinner coffee and dessert.

A unique wine bar located on State Street in New Haven

A combination corner bar and haute cuisine restaurant, Christopher Martin's Restaurant and Pub keeps it local with cheeses from Colchester, ice cream from Milford, beef from Barkhamsted, and beers poured right behind the bar. A neighborhood fixture for more than a quarter century, the eatery's seasonal menus reflect their commitment to freshness and their unflagging creativity. Whether splitting orders of butternut-squash ravioli or creamy goat-cheese medallions in the dining room or clinking glasses of local brews over seafood pot stickers in the pub area, guests get a flavorful taste of New England living.

Joker's Wild Comedy Club's stage showcases comics drawn from both the national touring circuit and the local scene. The intimate venue, which recently replaced its space-hogging booths with brand-new seats, features headlining comedians who fill Thursday–Saturday evenings with laughter during 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. shows. On Wednesday night, fledgling funny folk strive for their five minutes of fame at open mic night. Joker’s Wild also runs its own School of Comedy, where budding comedians can chase their dreams of cracking up audiences and keeping glasses of water on a stool. The club’s full menu of pub food mutes growling stomachs with appetizers and entrees for patrons hoping to perfect an onion-ring spit take.

A 3,000-square-foot pub-style restaurant with a crunchy sports-bar center, Black Bear Saloon lures revelers with its happening atmosphere and anchors them in place with a classic American menu. An extensive appetizer menu primes jaw muscles for a marathon meal with starters such as deep-fried mac 'n' cheese bites with marinara sauce or calamari tricked out with buffalo sauce and crumbled bleu cheese. Whetted appetites move onto belly-filling entrees such as a full rack of ribs—slow-roasted, grilled, and slathered in barbecue sauce—or beer-battered cod with creamy tartar sauce, french fries, and coleslaw. Diners toast to the recently confirmed existence of The Santa Claus: Deluxe DVD Edition with two hefty mugs of domestic brews such as Miller Lite, Budweiser, or Black Bear Ale.