This is one of my favorite stops when I'm cruising holy hill back roads ! Live music...watch for dates and times
Hearty pub fare served in a rustic Hartford farm building
Down Slope Pub offers a warm and friendly atmosphere, perfect for gathering with friends and family. Enjoy a diverse menu featuring delicious options like prime rib, Reuben sandwiches, and homemade Oreo cheesecake. The attentive staff ensures a pleasant dining experience every visit. Patrons often praise the perfectly prepared dishes, from non-greasy fried mushrooms to excellent onion rings and flavorful chicken wings. The bar boasts a selection of well-crafted drinks, including outstanding Old Fashioneds and Long Island Iced Teas. The pub's rustic ambiance, set within an original farm building, provides a unique and inviting backdrop. With friendly bartenders and efficient service, Down Slope Pub is a local favorite for enjoyable food and good times.
This is one of my favorite stops when I'm cruising holy hill back roads ! Live music...watch for dates and times
This is a great hole in the wall. The service was awesome. Jim was a good bartender. One of the ladies took over when they opened the kitchen. She hustled and kept up with the large crowd with ease. Drink prices are cheap. Bloody Mary was awesome. The band area outside is cozy. Bring your own chair is allowed. Get ready to make a friend while your here. Folks near & far come to this great dive. Though we couldn't order food due to high demand & too many people ordering at once. I suggest maybe the bar get a food truck outside to accommodate larger crowds. It would definitely take some pressure off their one cook. We ended up leaving to go eat elsewhere. Also be warned that you may get blocked in, due too the smaller parking lot.
Pulling into the parking lot close to dinner time, we were worried we wouldn't find an open table. Fortunately one in the rustic bar area was available. The bartender took our drink order and gave us menus. Maddi made two outstanding drinks - Long Island Iced Tea and a Wisconsin Old Fashioned sweet, extra bitters, sub Bulleit. The Old Fashioned was so good, I had a second and handed the car keys to my wife. We had batter fried mushrooms with ranch on the side. I would place them in the top-3 of the best I've had. Not greasy (none of the fried selections were greasy). Simple seasoning and the mushroom flavor came through perfectly. My wife ordered chicken wings in sauce (the option is to have sauce on the side) with a side of French Fries. She said they were good. I had the Reuben sandwich with onion rings. The corned beef was perfect and the sauce accented the lean beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese. Excellent tang! The rye bread was fresh and held up to the loaded sandwich. And the onion rings were some of the best I've had! The slender fries were awesome, lightly salted and crisp, the way French fries should be! For dessert, the homemade Oreo cheesecake was spot on - silky, moist, and creamy with the perfect crust! The ambiance is definitely rustic in an original farm building. In the bar area is a bank of money games, fortunately with the volume down low. The staffing was minimal, but watching Maddi, she handled the often full bar cordially and efficiently. I saw two other women pop in every now and then to handle the full dining area. Every employee was smiling while working nonstop. Our orders were prepared just as we asked and came in a relatively short time, surprisingly seeing how packed the Down Slope was. They must have an excellent cook who can handle the load, just like the bartender. I highly recommend the Down Slope and look forward to returning when the weather warms up so we can enjoy our drinks and meals on the patio.
Update Dec 20, 2025: I'm still totally uncomfortable here. Previous: Great food. Bartender Madeleine is great. Too crowded and too loud for me. Older crowd typically. We finally made it in time on a Thursday to get lasagna. I prefer the pizza, but lasagna was good.
The Prime Rib was great. Party of 6 @ 6 had a great time. All of us thought the prices were very reasonable. The drinks were "nice" as well. The owner came out and made sure everything was to our satisfaction. Thanks Jim
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