Ground Round Grill and Bar in Mystic, Connecticut

The famous free popcorn, large movie screens, and movie memorabilia that once made The Ground Round Grill and Bar stand out are gone but me and my girlfriend agreed the food was good at a recent visit to The Ground Round Grill and Bar in Mystic, Connecticut. I ordered the Chopped Steak and she ordered the Sirloin Steak and both steaks were cooked the way we ordered them and while the restaurant does not have steak to the quality of Outback Steakhouse, it is more reminiscent of Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday.

While the service was a little bit slow, the waitress was nice and did come back to check on our orders.

The restaurant is located at 9 Whitehall Avenue in Mystic inside the Best Western Hotel near the exit 90 Interstate 95 ramps.

A connection allows hotel guests to walk to the restaurant without walking outside and parking for the restaurant is separate from the hotel guest designated parking.

The restaurant and hotel are not far from Mystic attractions like Olde Mystic Village, Mystic Seaport, Mystic Factory Outlet, and Mystic Aquarium.

As a child, I remember dining at The Ground Round Grill and Bar in Groton, CT which had a unique atmosphere oriented toward families with cartoons playing on a large screen and free fresh delicious popcorn delivered to your table.

In fact, the restaurant chain first started operations back in 1969.

Those aspects made The Ground Round Grill and Bar stand out and unfortunately The Ground Round Grill and Bar has transformed into a more "adult" restaurant making the chain blend in with other popular restaurant chains.

Specifically, I noticed the menu features more alcoholic beverages than in years past including a complete selection of bottled and draft beer, wine by the glass, and specialty drinks varying from margaritas to Long Island iced teas.

Non-alcoholic beverages consist of lemonades, smoothies, milkshakes, raspberry iced tea, regular iced tea, and soda.

In Mystic, one enters the restaurant and sees a kiddy claw machine and, directly straight ahead, the bar/lounge with full menu service and eight televisions.

The bar/lounge is separate from the main dining room on the right-hand side.

The restaurant features both booth and table and chair seating and when we went, we saw both families and couples enjoy a Sunday evening meal.

Plenty of windows on two sides of the dining room allow natural light to flow in while the bar/lounge is situated away from any windows.

Even the most discriminating taste should be satisfied with their menu choices which include pastas, ribs, seafood, Tex Mex, steaks, chicken, burgers, and sandwiches.

Both I and my girlfriend considered ordering the Triple Sampler appetizer that comes with stuffed potato skins, Buffalo chicken tenderloins, and mozzarella cheese sticks but we didn't think we would be able to eat all of that plus dinner.

Other appetizers on the menu included pork egg rolls, Asian platter, Chicken Quesadilla, Pot stickers, Chicken Sticks & Rings, Chicken Tenderloins, Mozzarella cheese sticks, stuffed potato skins, Round 'O Rings, Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip, and Outrageous Nachos Grande.

Ground Round Grill and Bar in Mystic competes directly with several restaurants located nearby including Friendly's, Steak Loft, Go Fish, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, and McDonald's.

According to the Ground Round Grill and Bar Web site, Mystic is the only Ground Round in Connecticut while the chain has only one restaurant in Rhode Island located in Pawtucket.

There are six restaurants in Pennsylvania including Corapolis, Allentown, Wilkes Barre, Greensburg, Hazleton and Scranton.

New York has seven locations including Bay Shore, Port Jefferson, Levittown, Plattsburgh, Riverhead, Brookhaven, and Johnson City.

Massachusetts has two locations in Needham and Hadley while Vermont has only one location in South Burlington.

There are two locations in Maine, one in Augusta and the other in Bangor while there are two locations in Ohio including Maumee and Toledo.

As for states outside the northeast, there are locations in Wisconsin, California, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

While the Mystic, CT Ground Round Grill and Bar prices were affordable and similar to other restaurant chains, the hotel it is located in, the Best Western, is quite expensive but I guess that is what is to be expected if you stay the night at Mystic.

Tripadvisor.com states the average price for a room here is $173 for a hotel awarded two diamonds by the AAA.

Specifically, the hotel offers guests express checkout, television video checkout, complimentary breakfast, fitness center, indoor heated pool, steam room, locker room, game room, two children play areas located in the courtyard, high speed internet, family-sized suites, and meeting facilities.

Additionally, each suite and room features a refrigerator, iron and ironing boards, hairdryer, microwave oven, and a coffee/tea maker.

The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle to Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun.

The Mystic, CT Ground Round Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with seating from 6:30 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. while take-out service is also available.

The Ground Round Bar/Lounge is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.

For more information about the Mystic, CT Ground Round Bar and Grill call 860-536-4281.