The Black Sheep

We visited on a September Friday for lunch. No wait for a table. I ordered their onion soup and house salad. The onion soup was very yummy, I really enjoyed it. The House salad was a nice compliment to make sure I was full enough, but still light enough for exploring. My husband had their daily special steak tip wrap, which he really enjoyed. It's a cool building, we enjoyed the ambiance as well. They do have a couple of outdoor tables, but we decided to sit inside.

We stopped here for dinner tonight during our travels today and enjoyed the great food, beverages and atmosphere of this pub. We ordered the corned beef and Shepards pie which were great. The corned beef sandwich was the best I’ve ever had. The staff were great! Thanks for a nice relaxing evening after a hectic day of traveling.

Reliably excellent pub food. Reliably friendly and welcoming to the kids. Reliably friendly service. Sometimes they do not have enough staff for a busy lunch hour, so if you're in a rush, this might not be the spot. But for a consistently comfortable experience, great food, and casual atmosphere, this is the spot. We eat here almost every time we are in Niantic.

It was packed when we walked in, but they got us a table in under 5 minutes. The wait staff was extremely attentive, and the atmosphere was so warm and cozy on a cold, drizzly night. I loved the way they used the original makeup of the building and just added their own flare. The drink menu was extensive, and the specials were not your ordinary run of the mill. The regular menu wasn't huge either, but the choices were a great selection. I love pub style food and that's exactly what they offered. The onion soup was piping hot when served but delicious along with my Cobb salad. My husband Caesar salad was also delicious and so fresh and crisp, and it was the first time we've ever had crunchy chick peas. They added extra texture to the salad. Our entrees were cooked exactly how we ordered, and the flavors were spot on. We will definitely be heading back for another meal!

Erin was awsome!!! We were so in need of a drink and a snack after a very long walk on the boardwalk She was so attentive and fun to talk to. Bacon wrapped scallops and clam fritters were the bomb!! Long island was delicious. Highly recommend this place

Very very nice experience at the black sheep. We visited it for the first time when we visited last year. Everyone in our group were very impressed with the food and service. This time when we were coming back from Massachusetts to New Jersey, everyone's suggestion was to take a 2 mile deviation and visit the black sheep again. As anticipated the food and service were exceptional. Thank you Black sheep team.

Food was fresh and delicious. Ate outside on a beautiful day.

The tables were incredibly sticky and whipping them off without them having any finish. That is why we only got an app instead of a meal. The appetizer wasn't great. Just clean the tables and coat them with some polyurethane and glass tops, you'd be fine even with crappy food.

Classic pub fare and great vibes. Local watering hole where you can find great service, cold drinks and food that stands above the usual. Pickle brined fried chicken sandwich was awesome, and I'm not just saying that because it was after a frew brews.

Niantic is a nice town right on the water, unfortunately with some views marred by train trestles and Millstone nuclear plant. The Black Sheep is a great pub type restaurant located on Main Street. It was a lovely late September day and we sat out on the patio. Our server was so attentive and helpful. Everyone was very happy with what they ordered for lunch. Don had the Ruben, one of his favorites, and he loved this one. Vanessa had the crunchy steak wrap which was fantastic. Patty and I had enormous Cobb salads that were filled with chicken with delicious avocado ranch dressing. Dave had the tuna poke bowl which he raved about and that's also a dish he is familiar with. The kids had their usual and were happy. I have read the great reviews about this restaurant and I agree - great service, great food with reasonable prices!

I stopped in with a friend late afternoon on the Saturday of the Niantic Oyster Festival. It was before dinner, it was calm and plenty of seats available. We sat at the bar which is our preferred spot and were greeted immediately and handed menus. I ordered wine and my date had a Guinness draft beer. Next we ordered mussels to share. They were delicious. The toasted bread used to soak up the broth. As we enjoyed our conversation and he had soup the restaurant started to fill up and it became much more lively with conversations and laughter. Next we ordered dinner. I had the pasta primavera and he ordered the shepherd pie. We were both pleased with our choices. Staff was very attentive even as the place filled. I would definitely go back.

Loved the sirloin tips, service was great and loved the old Irish Pub ambience. Will be back...!

I checked out the Black Sheep for their Tuesday evening trivia (which was a lot of fun and really well managed). Their drinks are fantastic and pretty reasonably priced, and the bacon wrapped scallop appetizer was very good. I got the Buffalo chicken flatbread off the specials menu and it was pretty good, and the fish and chips were also very good, though I thought the portions size could be a tiny bit bigger for dinner. Our server came by to check on us throughout the two hour trivia and the Irish pub vibes are really cool! The trivia is definitely geared towards the crowd that grew up in the 70s-90s so it's not exactly the youthful trivia I'm used to but it was still a great time.

This is a convenient and good place to meet people or enjoy a meal. We've been several times and have always had a good experience. To be clear, we come for the food and not the alcohol. There are several dining areas inside with some being a bit more private. The outside seating area is nice but often quite sunny. Each time we've come, service has been excellent. I've had the fish and chips, the salmon burger, and the black bean burger. Last night, they offered grilled salmon tacos, and they were delicious. The salmon was blackened and had a good smoky flavor. It was listed as an appetizer, so I paired it with a side salad, and that was a great meal portion for me. My husband went with the fish and chips but substituted mashed potatoes. His go-to is the cl chowder because it's creamy, bacony, and full of flavor. On our visit last night, I was a little disappointed in the level of cleanliness. Our table was quite sticky (problem with aging lacquer?), and the female restroom could use some attention with missing toilet paper holders and empty soap dispensers (they offered pump bottles of soap instead). Despite that, I know we will be back because we find this to be a dependable meal. And they are open on Mondays!

The food was beyond delicious very satisfied with the service provided during my visit definitely will return and add to my list of top 5 places to dine. Also drinks are fantastic!

I went to The Black Sheep to catch up with family after attending a celebration of life in the area. The staff was so accommodating, especially since we showed up on a whim with a huge group that took over half of their patio, and the service was fantastic. We stayed outside mostly but I did go inside to use the restroom and I loved the vibe and it was very busy for a Sunday evening. I didn't take any pictures but I thoroughly enjoyed my dirty martinis and my husband and I split a burger which we devoured because it was so delicious. I will definitely come back next time I'm in the area as it was an excellent experience all around!

Unreal.......first off when you walk in the door its so dark you can barely see, then after you sit and the waitress takes your order for drinks she must have walked back and forth for literally 6 minutes with no drinks......we actually got up and left after 10 minutes of being ignored......DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE unless you like waiting and being ignored.....and btw it was not busy at all(we were the 5th table and like 4 at bar) and the 5 waitresses were all standing around.....will never go back there!! So much for a good first time experience....it was a joke

We came here on a weekday for lunch and we were seated fairly quickly. Their black sheep lager was not the best. We got calamari and mussels as appetizers. The mussels were great but the calamari had more fried peppers than actual seafood. The sliders of pulled chicken were ok. The fries were not bad. The new england clam chowder was good but super heavy. Not a bad place but not sure if I would go back given all the other food options around.

1. get rid of chips with garlic cream sauce. instead do irish nachos (potato chips, sauerkraut, swiss cheese, corn beef, thousand island) 2. say "corn salsa" not "corn relish". relish sounds gross 3. massage kale with oil 4. i want to marry the braised beef tacos 5. the service was delightful

Food quality was average but my wife had to ask to be moved because of the fruit flies. Staff was courteous and apologized. It needs cleaning if fruit flies are that prominent

Black Sheep has been a favorite spot of ours for years. We stopped in for a drink and we were informed unless we order food we don't get service to our table. We had to stand at the bar and wait for our drinks. Where has service gone? Shameful. Guess they don't need tips.​​​​​

Went for a quick bite to eat and hoped to sit at the bar but being on the small side there were no seats available. We sat by the window that was a little cold and drafty but I was ok with that since the weather has been so frigid it's to be expected. We ordered fish and chips & a Pastrami Rueben. Both were delicious. I did tried a spiced pear martini off their menu and it was awful. So so bad that you couldn't drink or even just toss it back. Our waitress was very sweet and friendly. She asked at the end of our meal if there was something wrong with the martini and I couldn't lie lol it was that bad. I apologized for my harsh critique and she said that's ok someone else just returned theirs also. But anyway we would try this place again but stick to basic drinks

This is the best Reuben with sweet potato fries.Others do not compare.The Shepard's Pie is excellent. It was extremely crowded.Perhaps because it was a beautiful Fall day.I often take home from here and they are quite prompt.

Worst service ever. Bartender's behavior was appalling. I will never return. ....................................................................................................................

Came on a busy Saturday and was seated right away. The service was fast, efficient and friendly. The pumpkin espresso martini was especially delicious. Had the cod sandwich which was hot, crispy and tasty.Even though it was busy, it wasn't loud, but pleasant. Glad I decided to come here, will definitely return.

Good food and great service. Pub style with a regular menu and daily specials. I wish I had 85 characters but I don't have much to say. Give it a try.

Cool building right down town and good Irish food So cool looking feels looks like a Irish pub in and outside

Came in for the hot dog that was listed on yelp. Not available. Decided on the crispy avacado app and the turkey club. The club was NOT a club and the avacado was tasteless. Don't normally complain but disappointed. Margaritas were good though. Might have been a sign when the bartender asked if we were here to drink or did we want food. Everyone else at the bar had drinks only. Nice atmosphere but between inattentive service and lack of good irish food I would suggest this as a place for drinks not food.

This place is great, right on Main Street and across the the street from the boardwalk. A truly tradition Irish pub feel with all the character of your local bar. Great people and atmosphere. They do live music, have great eats and even better drinks. Highly recommend trying this place out. On nicer days you can sit out from in their outdoor dining area which is always an added bonus.

We split an order of the Poutine All The Way and it was amazing! In non-COVID times (where we're hopefully soon approaching) this is a great place to cozy up by the fire in winter, and grab a beer at karaoke night in the summer!

Absolutely fantastic food & service. Went for lunch with friends- all the food was amazing- pastrami sandwich, salmon, & Guinness onion soup. A nice cozy Irish pub - enjoyed a Guinness & a Smithwick's & felt like we were back in Ireland. We will return.

This was my first time here. I was seated right away but I definitely go there at a good time because five other parties came in within minutes of my arrival. I arrived right before noon. The food was delicious. I had the steak sandwich special with sweet potato fries and a lemonade. The staff was friendly.

Atmosphere... a big empty box... way too bright...set your lights Clam chowder... ok but seems like it has been sitting in a steam bath all day...,.separated Potato barrels? Just no...,dry cheese chemical flavor Wedge salad... decent... could use more dressing Diet Coke...,ice was melted Sat at a table with a broom and dustpan leaning against the wall next to me I tried to like it but doesn't seem like anyone really runs the place

Food was great, and staff was very accommodating. Great spot for an afternoon get together.

My best friend and I stopped at the Black Sheep for lunch last Sunday. It was so-so. I ordered a sandwich off the daily specials and my friend ordered the shepherds pie from the regular menu. While my sandwich was excellent...her shepherds pie was subpar. It was edible, but not worth the price. Our server took a VERY long time to acknowledge us after we were seated, and then take our order. We are pretty mellow ladies, and I was a server for almost thirty years, so at first we gave her the benefit of the doubt. But...I was never asked if I wanted a refill on my coffee (and I'm pretty sure she was annoyed I asked for one in the first place,) my friend asked for lemon for her water and the server forgot about it and then brought a slice over in her hand on a paper napkin (kind of gross,) she never came back til we were ready for a check to refill waters , no checking on us to see how our food was, and once we got the check, my friend's credit card sat there for a long time before she came back to pick it up to run it. Overall...I don't know that I would be in a hurry to return. Either she was having a bad day, or she just isn't cut out for serving, but it takes a LOT for us to be unhappy with a waitress. We were not happy.

I've been coming here for a few years and I always order the tacos and flatbread on the daily specials menu, it's always great.

The food here is actually pretty good, but something is wrong with front of house operations and especially if you are coming in as just a couple. From a customer perspective, there appears to be a bias towards seating tables of 4+ people, otherwise you get offered oddball seating which isn't conducive to a couple enjoying themselves or anyone else for that matter and is likely why the table is open and available. On a previous Friday night visit the music was death metal and not exactly relaxing, but disappointingly the person working the front desk was unable to do anything about it and was just passively accepting the situation and assumed the customers would too. Though most customers and wait staff was bothered by it, we took our food to go. Tonight after getting wedged into an odd corner spot while 1/2 the tables in the dining area were empty, we ordered an app and then left to dine elsewhere. I would say for a one time meal as a tourist, this would be a fine spot.

Being that i only had a beer and an app. I cant really gague the while value of the Black Sheep. However, i can say that the small irish pub vibe is in full effect! Very cool spot with ocean views if you decide to sit on the patio. Not the greatest draft selection but they have decent choices. The pretzels were top notch with beer cheese sauce.

I love to come here because it's in the middle of Niantic. It's fun to hang out around here. We have a beach house in Old Lyme and enjoy Niantic. We come to the black sheep because the food and the menu is really good but the service is so pathetically slow. I'm gonna start to reconsider coming here just because there are so many choices now in town. We would be better off going to some of the other places.

My coworkers and I were looking to find a place that was open here in Niantic and we found one. This place is Covid compliant. They sanitized everything before we sat. Cleanliness The food and drink were how do I say this? PERFECT! I ordered the Mahi Mahi tacos and they were so yummy. The service: it's not easy by any means being a server, and being a server in the conditions you have to work in now can't be pleasant. But our server did her best. She was super pleasant and we thank you for that. I would like to make a recommendation for the future. *You disappeared for quite a bit of time in between table visits. We had empty glasses and waited for our drinks for a longer than normal amount of time. It was definitely busy, and we get it. Just something to work on in the future. That was it. Keep that sunny attitude, over all good job.

I LOVE the sheep and its consistently yummy food. Whether I dine in or take-out, I always order the strawberry spinach salad with their amazing grilled chicken, and it never disappoints. The service is usually great. Beware of Tuesday trivia night as it's generally quite loud and the kitchen is backed up. Be sure to try the shepherds pie!

Let me start by saying, "Damn good lunch!" My wife ordered the Rueben with corned beef, it comes with pastrami. The bread was fresh, grilled to perfection, the corned beef, lean and shaved beautifully thin. There thousand Island was creamy and delicious and the Katy had the perfect tartness. The accompany sweet potato fries could have used honey mustard but they claimed not to have any. I had the Bangers and Mash. The dish came out piping hot with three nice sized sausages and a generous heaping pile of mashed potatoes and baked beans. The onion gravy tied the dish together nicely. We sat outside and people watched in this quant little town and would highly recommend.

Manager was rude. Staff is not considerate of those with disabilities. I really don't understand who visits this place regularly. Food is fine but go somewhere else with kinder people.

Can't say enough good stuff about these guys. One of my favorite restaurants to go to by the shore. Food is phenomenal and atmosphere is so relaxing. Can't beat good food by the beach!

What a bummer! Took nearly two hours to order, eat, and pay the check. In all fairness, our entire party wasn't there right away so I understand that we waited a little bit in the beginning, but it took probably 40 minutes for our appetizers to arrive once we ordered. We were never offered any refills on our drinks and items were missing from our entrées. At one point, two of the waitstaff were complaining about customers because the customers were complaining about not getting refills and the tables not being cleaned. They were swearing and bad mouthing the customer. Then four of the staff members stood in the back continuing to complain about the customers. This has always been a decent spot to go, but the service has been getting progressively worse recently. Someone made a comment in another review that it doesn't seem like anyone is managing the place... That's exactly what it seems like.

Food, service & ambiance all wonderful. The specials are always delicious. Bartenders are the best.

Great staff! So much fun. Highly recommend this place! The bartenders make amazing drinks

Our waitress was so kind and took care of us throughout the night. Wait time for food was a bit longer than expected but the food made up for it. It was phenomenal. The restaurant was so cozy and lively. Definitely a fun place to stop if you are ever in Niantic, CT.

Absolutely delicious meal for me and my crew. Great service and Atmosphere would highly recommend if you are in the area.

I've never had a problem with the service but then, I've visited during the off-peak hours. i.e. before the band arrives or at 6 pm on a weekday. It's solid Irish pub fare. It's not spectacular but it's good. The restaurant/pub is nicely decorated - appropriately for the type of venue. The dark woods, the leather seats and the ambilighting is perfect for a date night. Ordered a gin mule. It was perfect. Not too strong or weak. There is always a good selection of beer on tap. For our dinner, we started with their house made potato chips. The chips didn't come out hot (not that I expected freshly fried chips) and unsalted. It could use a bit of salt because there wasn't enough blue cheese sauce. The shepherds pie was delicious. It has just enough tomato paste to taste but not overwhelm it. The bangers and mash was delicious as well. Good pork sausage - not dry at all. No complaints about any of the dishes we had.

Great service, our waitress was very helpful and friendly, good food and music. The bathrooms needed some attention and some of the lights flickered occasionally.

We have been going there for a long time and enjoy there food and patio. However, they are NOT dog friendly anymore as we have witnessed in the past. We were turned away last week when we arrived for dinner with the pup on the patio.

Excellent food and excellent service. The salmon special at lunch was simply fantastic

Stopped by the Black Sheep on a busy, post-holiday Wednesday. Warm, pub atmosphere with a friendly and attentive staff. We were grateful to be seated at a large, comfortable booth and enjoyed the casual nature of the place. The food was just okay. The Espresso Martini was mostly Kahlua and Irish Cream. No coffee beans or foam on top. Bland. Artichoke dip...bland. I think this is a great place for listening to music in the evenings and beer drinking. If and when Niantic becomes a busy hub of activity, The Black Sheep will need to up their game.

We recently moved to the area and have been looking for a cozy place with great food and lots of options, and I do think we found it! In terms of the atmosphere, its a typical cozy, fun Irish Pub. My husband and I selected the table near the fireplace, making it even cozier. The service was great, every was very nice and attentive. AND most important in these crazy times they were very CLEAN I observed closely and they have the tables at a safe distance, everything was cleaned down once a patron left, etc. I was a bit worried with stopping at the Black Sheep because I really just wanted a good salad, and my husband was initially looking for a good burger. Well the salad was amazing, tender chicken, perfectly cooked egg, homemade avocado dressing - next time I want a GIANT salad that is PERFECT, I'm coming here! My husband had the wedge salad with the homemade blue cheese dressing, and that was great as well. He also tried the French onion soup, and gave that two thumbs up as well. Next time we want to pop in for dinner !!! Great job Black Sheep!

Great food. We go every time we visit Niantic. Friendly bartender and waitresses within walking distance of Niantic Inn

The food here is always delicious! Definitely recommend the spinach and artichoke dip and the steak frites. However, we usually order off the specials menu and everything is great.