Jaden McDonnell
Best drinks in Middletown, maybe even Connecticut, NYC quality with CT pricing. Conspiracy is locally owned by a husband and wife. They have found the perfect combination between delicious and creative.
Their menu changes about every month which is crafted by the owner and bartenders. You never know what will be on the menu but you can guarantee you will like something. One drink that stuck out to me was a pumpkin chai inspired drink served in an edible cup! A fun move here is ordering the Bartender’s Choice. You tell them your preferred spirit and flavor profile, and they improvise a custom cocktail on the spot. They also offer a food menu but the drinks are the real reason to come here. The food is impressive for their kitchen size but don’t expect a meal here.
They offer a happy hour 5-7 and live music on the weekends. The vibe is intimate, dim light with quiet music, perfect for a good conversation. Their location can be hard to find, but look closely for this hidden gem as you walk down Main Street in Middletown. I’d genuinely challenge someone to find a better cocktail bar in CT.
… moreKarissa Pasquarella
Don’t usually write reviews and normally an understanding person, but I think the way the situation was handled is why I feel inclined to write one. I went with a group of 6 people, everyone ordered food and the food came out one by one, we were in the lounge area so everyone just ate as theirs came out until I realized mine was the only one not coming out. Everyone finished eating, no one came to check up on us, and at that point my friends husband got up to walk up to the bar to tell them I didn’t receive my food. They came back to tell me the order got lost or something and they actually ran out of the ingredients(batter) to make my order, so I’d have to wait 20 minutes for it to be made from scratch. So we waited(which made us late for our plans we timed accordingly not anticipating this) and I just took it to go and ate it in the car. The person who brought the food who wasn’t our server (assuming it’s the chef) handed me my food, not saying a word. A simple “I’m so sorry for the wait” I probably wouldn’t have written this review. It’s the way he looked so annoyed handing it off to me without saying anything. So I said can you bring our server over so we can pay and leave – no words just a head nod seemingly annoyed. Then I asked for plastic utensils and a bag so I can eat it in the car and the server said they don’t have any which I guess they don’t do “to go” orders…? Even if they told me they were out of the ingredients completely, I would’ve picked something else, something quicker to make on the menu, which I realize I should’ve done instead of waiting for it to be made from scratch. Anyways, I feel like the server should’ve offered some sort of discount, or even a genuine apology would’ve sufficed. The vibe and atmosphere was nice, but service not great. I took videos and pictures I wanted to post to social media before that whole interaction – because I like promoting businesses that I’ve enjoyed – but I won’t be anymore. I know they’ll be fine, not trying to bring the business down, but wish I was atleast a little compensated or atleast a little more customer service friendliness.
… moreGreg Roberge
this was maybe my 3rd or 4th time here, it’s always such a a great vibe. The drinks are bespoke and the price reflects that but it’s always worth it. I have not been disappointed yet with the complex flavors and creative menus. For example our drink mentthis time was a tarot deck and each card was a different drink. Absolutely Brilliant
… moreHassan Chehab
I’m normally wary of such places as they tend to have a reputation for being overpriced and gimmicky. However I and everyone else in my group found the drinks and the dishes to be quite good and we had a great time. Our server was really nice and funny and made us feel welcomed. The atmosphere felt lively and the dim lighting added to the feeling.
… moreHoosieronthemove
This was my second time coming here this year, and I’m in love. I knew they have a tarot card deck of drinks and I finally got to try one. The drink I got tasted just like a fluffernutter and let me tell you, I would have ordered like 3 of this if I didn’t have to drive home, they were so tasty.
Love the ambiance in here, they have really good bites to eat as well.
… moreChris Rakoczy
Ascend the narrow staircase into a higher realm of cocktails. If you enjoy quality cocktails with unique flavor profiles and ingredients, this is the place for you. Tucked up on a second floor in the heart of the wonderful downtown Middletown, Conspiracy leans towards classic and Prohibition era spirits crafted for sipping, savoring, and indulging.
The food menu includes some similarly interesting items, but really, you are here for the cocktails.
We had the Campfire Old Fashioned, (fashioned with bourbon, smoked maple and a toasted marshmallow), the World (a spherical glass with a decadent blend of ginger and bourbon with notes of cranberry and orange smoothed out by a luxurious white chocolate), and a High Priestess (hibiscus infused gin and other flavors I can’t identify!) All were layered and nuanced in flavor. This is a place you have to return to to try all the options. These aren’t the sorts of flavors you get anywhere else!
… moreJp
It’s difficult to put into words how much I love this place. The bartenders are incredible, attentive, and accommodating. The bar gets really busy at times but they make sure to keep checking in. The drink menu is always changing and one of a kind. I’ve never had drinks like this at another bar in the area. It’s a beautiful bar with a great speakeasy atmosphere. The cocktails are unique and delicious. They are always coming up with new ideas and fun ventures. This is by far one of my favorite bars in CT.
… moreMarianna Gleyzer
Oh my gosh, what an insane treasure hidden in plain view! I walked by this anonymous looking front door so many times and never knew it went up a stairway to the coolest ever speak easy kinda bar. Very chic vibe, with the most suave bartender and their drinks are inspired by tarot cards! They give actual tarot decks and you go through the cards picking out what magical drink you want. The drinks don’t just have magical names, they are mouth-watering amazing, even the mocktails were insane! The empress and temperance were our top favorites of the night, paired with their mac and cheese rib dish, you can’t imagine anything better. Such a cool hidden prize here in the heart of downtown Middletown, loved it!
… moreSammi
I came here on a Saturday evening with two others and made a reservation for 5pm. Reservations are strongly recommended if you want a table but the bar is first come first serve. At 5pm it wasn’t too busy but it definitely picked up as we were there.
The inside was funky, extremely dark, so be ready to use your phone to see the menu! However it was a cool vibe and overall a fun atmosphere. The drink menu is a hard cover book which was a fun touch and they had so many options! They also had a happy hour menu that went from 5pm-7pm.
The drinks were very good. All had good explanations and had high quality ingredients. On average a cocktail was about $13. The food was also good, however I found it pretty expensive for what you got. I’d recommend coming here for some beverages but perhaps get dinner or food on another one of the great restaurants down the street.
… moreNick Gasser
Delicious food, interesting cocktails, cool decor, but a few strange design choices. Back lounge was so dark it was hard to see very far, but the bar was pleasantly dim. Very loud party at the back but waitresses were very accommodating at getting us new seats. Bao buns and pretzels were outstanding. Cocktails were original and inspired and very tasty, I tasted drinks I’ve never had before. Would definitely recommend, maybe get here earlier when it’s less busy
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