Backstage

Bar, Eatery

84 Main St
Torrington, Connecticut, 06790-5347
United States

// CLOSED //
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.35
Reviews:
6
Ratings:
14
pDev:
9.2%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Wheresalbany2:
Photo of Wheresalbany2
Reviewed by Wheresalbany2 from New York

4.95/5  rDev +13.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Stopped in for dinner last night. Always a stop when coming through Torrington. The space is nice, open and slightly industrial looking. Ate at the bar. The beer selection was fantastic with 40 beers on tap and many of the usual suspects missing. Got a sampler with Heavy Seas Holy Sheet, Half Full raspberry sour, DFH Firefly, and Two Roads ConnTucky Lightnin'. Beers were presented well and all tasted great.
Dinner was clam chowder and a tuna burger, both were great and not too expensive. My total bill came in under $30. The bartender was attentive and my food came out quick. Overall this place is great and the tap selection is second to none in this part of the state. Highly recommended
Jul 10, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.28 by happyreefer from Connecticut

Jun 14, 2016
 
Rated: 4.19 by xtonytx from Connecticut

Jun 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4.41 by psweendogg from Connecticut

Apr 17, 2015
Photo of DoubleSimcoe
Reviewed by DoubleSimcoe from Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -13.8%
This bar is on Main Street Torrington hard by the Warren Theater, but it is easy to miss when driving back. It opens at 11:30 am but it was pretty dead on a Monday at 4pm when I visited. Only three or four people at the bar, and all of them appeared to know the bartender.

The joint is rather cavernous and it’s got enough booths and seating for all of Torrington, likely. Nothing much in terms of atmosphere, though. This could be an Irish-style pub in Anytown, USA.

40+ taps, including Allagash Fluxus, Kentucky Bourbon Pumpkin, Sam Adams Double Bock, Weyerbacher Pumpkin, North Coast Old Raspy (nitro), Carnegie Porter, Thimble Island Coffee Stout, Black Hog Granola, Monk’s Café… not too bad, but I’ve seen bars with only ten taps and more interesting stuff.

Decent prices ($5-$7) and alright service. I made it a point to come here and I’m not sure I would detour again for it, but if you’re in the area, well then sure why not.
Oct 17, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Scotty11 from Connecticut

Aug 29, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Bjorn2bWild from Connecticut

Aug 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by grahuba from Connecticut

Mar 02, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by DefenCorps from Oregon

Nov 26, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by KevinDanger23 from Connecticut

Nov 08, 2013
Photo of redfmp
Reviewed by redfmp from Connecticut

5/5  rDev +14.9%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Backstage now has 40 craft beers on tap! And the selection is not mundane; they seem to be in the pipeline to get a lot of really cool one-offs! BEST beer selection in Western CT.

Food is great, too. From certified Angus beef burgers ($11 - $13) all the way to certified Angus steaks as good as any expensive steakhouse. Small plates, apps, salads, wow.
Mar 30, 2013
Photo of ToeNee11
Reviewed by ToeNee11 from Connecticut

4.78/5  rDev +9.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
As most people were, I was also quite sad to see the brewery shut down a few years ago. But since it has re-opened as Backstage, Torrington could not have asked for a better place.

Located directly next to the Warner Theatre on Main Street, this place has the perfect atmosphere to suit a variety of needs... But this is Beer Advocate so I keep the focus on beer/food. The general manager, Chris clearly takes pride in the beer that he puts on draft. In the past they've offered... Rare seasonal drafts like Anchor Xmas Ale, Hooker's Chocolate Truffle Stout, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Sierra Nevada Celebration, Allagash Black... Rare drafts like Dogfish 120, Dogfish Burton Baton, Weyerbacher Merry Monks, Victory Storm King, Allagash Four... just to name a few. They've held several beer & food pairing nights, not to mention a bunch of Tap Takeovers from breweries like: Hooker Brewery, Dogfish, Long Trail, and Victory.

The food here is great as well, especially since it has re-opened. Great apps like steak quesadillas (my favorite!), calamari, wings... or burgers, sandwiches, salads... all very impressive. And if you're not sure what pairs well with your meal, let the staff steer you in the right direction.

Unfortunately, being way up in Torrington, its a little off the beaten path. But anyone that makes their way up there, will NOT be disappointed.
Feb 01, 2012
Photo of far333
Reviewed by far333 from Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev -5.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
Nice to see this former ill-fated brewpub have a rebirth as a craft beer centric place. Twenty-four taps, very good selection, but not quite world class, maybe they'll get there in time. Extensive bottle list, lots of good selections there. A few macros, but they really are in the minority. Any beer geek should be able to find something here to make them happy.

Big open airy place, crazy high two story ceilings, lots of wood and glass, although a little sterile and cold - mostly bare walls, how about some craft beer prints, old brewery photos, historical city photos? Big bar area prominently displaying the tap handles. Service was quick and attentive, the server seemed to know the beers fairly well. Food was very good, everything is made from scratch including breads, sauces, dressings, soups, etc. Lobster bisque and clam chowder were both very good and the burgers were cooked a perfect medium rare. This place did manage to commit two cardinal sins on my restaurant pet peeve list - misspelled "Guiness" on the beer menu, and brought out the entrees before the apps were finished. Despite that, it was a good experience overall and I would be happy to recommend to others and go back any time.
Dec 27, 2011
Photo of Boto
Reviewed by Boto from Connecticut

4.13/5  rDev -5.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
We went here prior to a show at the Warner Theatre. The site formerly housed the Cambridge House Brewpub. It was good to see that beer is still a priority. They had 24 taps, most of which were craft beer. They also had another 75 different bottles, which they said they were planning on expanding. The food was a bit better than the previous pub fare, although burgers, etc were still prominent on the menu. We had some crab cakes as an appetizer, and they were quite good. Both of our entrees (plank seared salmon and a steak) were also quite good. The wait staff was very attentive. The desert was also quite good. I’d head back here for anything from just a beer to a good dinner and anything in between.
Aug 09, 2011
Backstage in Torrington, CT
Place rating: 4.35 out of 5 with 14 ratings