Hot Tomato's

06/15/2008 Posted by sierrabrees

My fiance and I are new to the area and read all the fabulous reviews about Hot Tomatoes. The staff was very nice and we liked how it was not pretentious but still a classy place. The service was pretty good however there were many large parties and it was extremely noisy. But the ambiance was very nice and fit the place well. We started with the sushi as an appetizer and it was terrible. It tasted like they had been made days earlier and the rice was awful. We just took the tuna out and ate it like that. The french bread they give (not the staple garlic bread) tasted like paper. For our main course I had the gnocci pasta---I had never had such large gnocci and it ruined the dish. The frozen gnocci I get at Trader Joe's is much more satisfying. My fiance got steak which was supposed to have a 'gorgonzola' crust-however it was more like they plopped a scoop of blue cheese dressing on top and it totally took over the taste of the steak. Though very dissapointed by the food-I would be willing to give this place another shot. The wine list was good (only $22 for the cheapest bottle of wine) and the ambiance was nice so hopefully if we return we will have a better experience and order some better dishes.

Pros: Wine list, friendly staff, not pretentious

Cons: Food, Noisy with many large parties/groups

06/03/2008 Posted by hartfordsbest

let me start of by saying that this is one amazing place. i have been here a couple times and the atmosphere, the people, and the wait staff is great. the food is an A+(try the tort rose) the service is quick and the staff is friendly. no real complaints except that the waiters are a little lazy it seems that they do not do anything but take the order. The busboys are the one's that really took care of us. they were there for everything we needed. (Thanks Amanda and Paul) you guys were great. i would recommend and have recommended this place. keep up the good work guys, and thanks for the amazing garlic bread Jimmy it was great with left overs. P.S. don't think about getting into the bar for drinks on the weekends its cramped full of people

Pros: service

Cons: parking/ bar

12/07/2007 Posted by kypkmd

I like Hot Tomato's . The service is very good and the food is good enough. The decor could use a little work but it is comfortable.The garlic bread is just the best around and sometimes they will give you a loave in your doggy bag.

Pros: the garlic bread,the service and the wine list

Cons: ??? can't think of any offhand

11/10/2007 Posted by staticdesign

We had a going away party and they were gracious enough to put our 15+ party in a private room, no extra charge on a weekend. The food was excellent as usual and our personal server, Sean, was very friendly and made the experience a very memorable one. We totally recommend this restaurant, for big parties as well as just a small dining date.

Cons: parking can be difficult when it's busy

06/17/2007 Posted by rkapur105

This place came highly recommended, and boy did it deliver! My fiancee and I were looking for a casual place to grab a meal after a long day. Downtown Hartford is pretty sleepy, but as soon as we entered the place, the hip atmosphere changed our mood. The food was EXCELLENT, the service was friendly, suited to our taste, and very prompt, and the ambiance was inviting. I would definitely bring friends/family here as a Hartford MUST-SEE. Our server, Rafael, did an outstanding job of understanding our needs/wants, and customizing his recommendations so that we left happy (and modifying the dishes to match our tastes). The only down side, honestly, was that there were SO MANY good choices on the menu, it took us a long while to figure out what we really wanted (ask your server, and they'll help you navigate). You can't go wrong with this choice, and the bread was a great surprise at the end!

Pros: Great Food, Great Service, Great Atmosphere

Cons: Too many menu choices... (can that even be a con? ) It took us a while to sort through the many options...

04/20/2007 Posted by jessi323

I have to say that Hot Tomato's is my favorite place. I like to go during the warm season and sit outside on the patio and enjoy the great food. I love most the bread with the red butter spread, the food is well priced and the staff is friendly. I highly reccommend during the spring and summer.

Pros: Ambience, Food, Service, inexpensive

Cons: Parking is hard to find at times

08/09/2006 Posted by vermont123

I am now living in Vermont, but everytime I go back to CT, I always get pizza from hot tomato's. There crust is thin, and they use all fresh natural ingrediants. My favorite is the basil, tomato and mozzarella pizza. The staff is always kind, but is usually quite pizza on weekends. I would highly recommend.

07/22/2006 Posted by jodella

The wait staff was awesome and the food was great. Huge portions .Top notch. Look like they have a gathering room for larger parties. Right in downtown Hartford.. The only drawback is we had to pay 10$ to park... very little parking at night on the weekends.

Cons: hard to find parking

05/12/2005 Posted by jsnowden324

This is a Hartford Icon that doesn't seem to rest on its laurels. Jimmy the owner/manager is unbelievable, he remembered us on our second visit, including where we sat. Not gourmet food but very tasty and consistent. The decoration is modern with some whimsical touches and the service is down to earth friendly. Nice diverse crowd. Make a reservation as you'll need it most nights.

Pros: Food, Service, Ambiance

05/01/2005 Posted by mcaldarola

The ambiance is not what I expected. The decor is non-descript unless you eat in the wine room which is terrific. I had expected a more upscale dining area. The service was fabulous but the food was only fair. My sirloin was tough, the calamari were over breaded and the salmon ossobuco was bland. Every thing is a la carte which is ok if the food is worth it. I didn't think the value was there.

Pros: Great service

Cons: Atmosphere, Food quality, Value