Hard Hat Tavern

Visited the Hard Hat Tavern in Durham, CT. On 8.27.25. Right off Rte 17. I found the restaurant to be cozy. Sat in the bar area. The stool was a bit high for my 5 foot frame but was ok. I had water with lemon and the All American burger with French fries and a side of mango salsa for lunch. The burger was done the way I like it, medium well. The fries were just enough and tasty. They have bison burger on the menu! Wow! My meal was very tasty. They have a Mexican night on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 4. Italian night. Fridays they have music bingo. Interesting concept. I am going to try that next. On Sundays is Funday with $10 drinks and live music. There is a dining area as well and outside dining, which was very nice with plenty of tables. Loved the spanish music they had playin

Close drive from North Guilford, just right over in Durham! Great food options and atmosphere for adults and kids. Happy hour is Mon through Fri from 3-6 and is very affordable and delicious.

Everybody in the restaurant was friendly and we felt very comfortable here. Then we ordered food….. My husband ordered a burger that was cooked properly and wasn’t bad he said, his French fries though were soggy and room temperature. I ordered prime rib, which was okay it’s not great not worth the price but it was okay and I ate it. My broccoli was rock hard and cold alongside my dry but tasty mashed potatoes. Place was slow so I can imagine how the food is when it’s busy.

Cozy spot with good comfort food! I really love the vibe here, especially visiting in the fall - the decorations were adorable! Their new fall menu and drinks are perfect for the season, and it’s a nice spot to come watch the game. They even have a really good BOGO happy hour deal on wings that’s worth checking out! Some of my favorites were their signature doob style wings, loaded nachos, and the sweet potato fries with a unique marshmallow sauce! The personal pizza was really tasty too.

We had my husband's military retirement party in the dining room. I worked out a menu with Missy. The day of the party was excellent Kaiti did a fantastic job setting everything up and ensuring that we had excellent service. Good was great Fernando and his kitchen team did fantastic. I was very thankful for the intimate space available for parties. I highly recommend using Hard Hat in Durham for catered parties and events.