Restaurants in Windsor Locks

At Horizons Restaurant & Bar, owner and classically trained chef Mark Melikian uses farm-fresh ingredients to craft his seasonal menu of upscale American and European-inspired cuisine. He loads Maine lobster onto a plate of baked mac and cheese and pairs oven-roasted Atlantic cod with scampi-style shrimp and roasted baby red potatoes, which should be eaten quickly before they start teething. Other dishes include fried Camembert cheese with honey Dijon mustard for dipping and a nine-ounce, pan-blackened filet mignon with melted gorgonzola and a marsala-accented demi glaze. Each of Chef Melikian's artistic plates complements the elegant ambiance of his dining room, where stained glass chandeliers and fresh flowers create a gentle, romantic environment.

Culling its name from a miniature statue that was at the center of a bygone prank played by one of the owners, The Iron Frog Tavern is home to a menu of upscale pub fare—90% of which is prepared in-house daily. Decadent stacks of short ribs accent classic grilled cheese sandwiches, while signature "Nooks and Crannies" burgers beautifully boogle palates with a mix of beef, cheddar cheese, and crowning fried egg. Toe-tapping tuneage often echoes across The Iron Frog’s idyllic outdoor patio, treating ears to aural feasts as friendly servers package leftovers in eco-friendly containers and soybean takeout cups. Guests take in weekly entertainment, including trivia on Wednesdays, open mic night on Thursdays, and table-side magic shows on Saturdays. Those eager to assault early-rising appetites may partake in brunch served every Sunday.

The menus at Sakimura's two locations change regularly in order to incorporate the freshest seasonal ingredients and the chefs’ newest culinary muses. The Simsbury location is known to intermingle traditional Japanese flavors with contemporary flourishes, with specials taking forms such as foie gras with sweet miso sauce. Both locales’ sushi chefs also invent their own creative rolls, such as a deep-fried Godzilla roll and an Out of Control roll filled with shrimp tempura and topped with seared pepper tuna.

Diners seeking a hot dinner can gather around hibachi grills and watch as chefs sear their choice of shrimp, chicken, scallops, filet mignon, or any number of other gourmet ingredients. The hibachi rooms' smokeless grills and modern yet warm decor combine to create a pleasant dining experience.

Though Michael Anderson has worked in the kitchen for more than three decades, he hasn't always worn the title of executive chef. Like many great chefs before him, Anderson began his career as a dishwasher, working his way up through practice and education before finally earning the prestigious role of head chef at Chandler's Tavern. With this culinary accomplishment under his belt, Anderson decided he was ready to fulfill his dream of opening his own restaurant—naming it for the chef he studied under as a dishwasher all those years ago.

Today, a panorama of white-linen tablecloths and chandeliers stretches across Tucker's dining hall, bar, and private banquet rooms. Anderson still works in the kitchen, overseeing staff as they prepare gourmet pastas, meats, and seafood from noon until nightfall. The restaurant opens its two elegant banquet halls for weddings, birthday parties, and upscale games of dodgeball.

Drive-in movies. Car hops. Rock 'n' roll. Though human nature compels us to view the past in varying shades of gold, the 1950s almost transcends nostalgia. For those who were there, the smallest of triggers can set off waves of fond memories: a ringing bell leads the mind’s eye back to the polished counter of a soda fountain, and an oldies radio station evokes weekends spent passing quarters through the jukebox slot.

On September 11, 2001, in the midst of tragedy and after 19 years as a flight attendant, Brenda Stranberg decided that she was tired of playing back memories of America’s greatest decade in her head. Looking around her at a cultural landscape that her childhood self would hardly recognize, she teamed up with old friend Naif Makol Jr. and founded Skooter’s, an old-fashioned diner and coffee shop inspired by the simple pleasures of life more than half a century ago. Though somewhat of an anachronism, the diner’s open kitchen has proven wildly popular among the various generations that frequent the sit-down counter to sample thick milk shakes, loaded hot dogs, and burgers topped with fried onions. Between bites, guests can toss coins into the antique jukebox or admonish the diner’s soda jerks for callously dousing their friends with fountain drinks.

Umi Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar's chefs sling hot meat and veggies across tableside hibachis in showy displays of culinary prowess. As chopsticks busy themselves with vegetables and fried rice, meat such as lobster and filet mignon sizzles on grills just barely out of reach. Chefs also arrange sushi rolls on beds of seaweed in ribbons of eel, red snapper, tuna, and other raw or tempura-battered seafood. Blond wood inlays and sleek glass panels encircle the dining room, whose walls are sprinkled with shadowboxes of traditional Japanese art.