Welcome to your new favorite hangout.
Come as you are—hungry, heartbroken, or just in desperate need of a good cocktail. We don't judge. We just feed you.
We're a scratch kitchen, which means we actually make our food—everything including our soups, sauces and salad dressings. No frozen shortcuts, no mystery ingredients, and definitely no squeeze bottles labeled “ranch-ish.” Just real, fresh food made with love. And did we mention our staff? They're our secret ingredient—genuinely kind, wildly personable, and always ready with a smile (or a solid menu recommendation). They make this place feel like your second home.
So, if you're looking for the perfect spot for a first date, tappy hour with the crew, or a place to nervously watch your team blow a lead? We’ve got you! Great bar vibe, craft cocktails, and enough flavor to distract you from awkward small talk.
And if you're planning a party, we do that too, because good food tastes even better when you're celebrating something, even if it's just surviving Monday.
Come Hungry. Leave Tappy.....I mean Happy (you get the point)
The Beginning - How it all started
The Wood-N-Tap is a true Connecticut original. The two partners of this locally-owned restaurant group bring years of restaurant knowledge and experience to the table.
Phil Barnett attended Central Connecticut State University and spent his college days working at Joe’s Bar and Grill. At school, he rented an apartment from Mike Hamlin. Together this duo founded the original Wood-N-Tap in Hartford in 2002.
In addition to restaurant knowledge, Mike Hamlin's interest in real estate and construction is the key to finding suitable locations and transforming the restaurants. Phil Barnett's marketing expertise has made the Wood-N-Tap one of the most visible restaurants in Connecticut.
Since the original Wood-N-Tap opened on Sisson Avenue in Hartford in 2002, the team has opened nine CT locations in Farmington, Southington, Rocky Hill, Vernon, Wallingford, Hamden, Enfield and Newington. In 2023, Mike and Phil launched their first location outside of the Connecticut market in West Springfield, Massachusetts.