50 Elm

First time to 50 Elm today for lunch and came away impressed with the food, the service and the space. Located on the edge of Bushnell Park near tunnel entrance to I-​91, it’s an easy walk from downtown or the various government buildings in the area. The Carribbean Hummus, Guyanese Chow Mein and Curried Chicken were all well prepared, tastefully presented and delicious. I will be back.

A hidden gem in the city of Hartford! I happened to be out driving one night when I came across 50 Elm. I was intrigued right off the bat by the beautiful interior and variety of spirits. The staff was warm and welcoming, making me feel right at home.
I first started going to 50 Elm over a year ago. I’ve celebrated milestones and achievements alike there. It is a very intimate environment with exceptional service.
The cocktails are handcrafted with the freshest ingredients. I love sitting watching the effort and skill put into each drink that’s made. The variety of exotic spirits is exceptional. It is refreshing to have a place who can make a almost seemingly perfect pisco sour. On show case there is a variety of high-​end tequila, bourbons, and cognacs.
I could go for days about how much I love 50 Elm.

I dined here for the first time a few days ago. It was recommended as a West Indian restaurant, which I didn’t know existed in Downtown Hartford. There is a parking directly across because parking on Elm is actually quite hazardous since the traffic circle near Bushnell Park funnels directly onto Elm Street.
My order Ceviche de Pescado was nearly swimming in lime juice! Now, it was very palette cleansing, but I think there was more lime juice than the fish! The fish was rendered a bit bland in comparison though it was very tender. Also, tried the Spicy Sweet Potato Fries which were very tasty and the Coconut Shrimp which was also very good. The presentation of all the dishes was elegant and neat. I was a bit underwhelmed by the overall selection of choices and the fairly bland look of the menu. I get that this is haute fusion Caribbean cuisine, but it wasn’t «slap your momma» good. Still, I would grab a bit here for lunch because I love the modern interior. The server was friendly and efficient. I think the menu could be a bit more adventurous and should include a salmon dish and kick up the spice a notch.

Love this place. The food is great, the decoration is adorable. The service is wonderful. Will definitely be back.

50 Elm is beautifully decorated, and there are many interesting elements that draw the eye, like a corner wall made up of book spines.
I had the most flavorful, fresh guacamole with plantain chips, which were made to order. My other appetizer were the ground beef stuffed potato balls, which were seasoned to perfection. The potato balls were served alongside a pleasantly spicy sauce. My friend and I tried 4 drinks, all of which were very appealing to the eye, and tasted delicious. The drink prices range from $ 9-​$ 12, a bit pricey IMO.
The server was helpful, and fun to talk to. I noticed that around 9 or so, the restaurant turned up their music and turned down the lights, and the bar area became very «clubby»

I hope to visit 50 Elm again to give it a better review. I came here for lunch and the service was pretty slow. Someone did take my coat, which I was pleased about. The seating for a group larger than 2 is very awkward. It is probably not great for a group lunch. It seems set up more for the evening lounge atmosphere. If I visit it under those circumstances, I’ll come back and write another review. The décor is quite interesting. The food was pretty good, but not outstanding (agreed to by all members of the group) and so coupled with the only OK service I couldn’t give it more than three stars. Nothing about the experience really stood out to me.

Love, Love, Love this place. Chic lounge atmosphere, great food, service and fantastic hand crafted drinks. The food here is eclectic Hispanic with a kick. I highly recommend the empanadas and flan. If you have never tried a Cuba libre this is the place to do it.

So far so good. My fiancé and I stopped in before a show on Saturday night and enjoyed a lovely meal in 50 Elm’s lovely space. The restaurant looks like a swanky hotel lounge, complete with badass book-​lined booth space. We started with cocktails — a very well made pisco sour for him, and the Amazonia for me (bubbly, rum, St. Germain and muddled basil). Outstanding. Service was slower than I expected, given that the restaurant was pretty empty, but friendly nonetheless. I ordered the picadillo (a delightful medley of ground beef, avocado, poached egg, sweet plantains, and heartbreakingly delicious black beans) and Nick opted for the pollo a la brasa. The picadillo was great but the pollo a la brasa was totally underwhelming and overpriced; basically a quarter of a chicken for $ 15. We’re spoiled from some of the other local Peruvian places, which charge a lot less for more and better seasoned chicken.
Still, overall, this is a wonderful new addition to the Hartford restaurant scene. I’ll be back for sure.

Very nice, clean and modern atmosphere! Only down side is that the close soooo early, 11pm even in the weekend other then that they would get 5 stars! A group of 6 of us arrived at about 10:30pm, they kept the kitchen open for us and stayed open about an hour after close just for us! Drinks were great and the food we had was good as well! I would love to go back!

50 Elm is a new and welcome addition to Hartford’s South Downtown («SoDo») neighborhood. The menu is eclectic and Caribbean-​inspired, and the cocktail list is inspired.
During an extended soft opening, the owners (who are wonderful and welcoming) were able to work through the inevitable kinks of any new restaurant. Now that 50 Elm is full-​on open, including for lunch, they have a well-​honed menu and a warm, enthusiastic, young staff.
The ambience is great. The loungy feel is perfectly suited for the tapas-​style menu, drinks, and desserts. Tables are small and chairs are large and comfortable. Staff happily rearranges furniture to accommodate the need for more table space when appropriate.
Our favorite drink is their excellent pisco sour. When it comes to the menu, we think a trip to 50 Elm is most fun when the table orders tapas to share. Our favorites include the papa rellena, beef or chicken empanadas (veggie were a little bland when we tried them), and the caribbean hummus, which is garlicky and served with delicious plantain chips. 50 Elm also makes a mean cubano — ask for extra pickles and mustard and dig in.
Don’t skip dessert — the flan and coconut beignets are highlights.

I love the location of this establishment. It’s tucked away on a nicely lit, quiet street with plenty of parking. The décor is very trendy and the seating arrangements are perfect for the small space.
With that said, I’m a fan! Great spot with a friendly staff, good vibe, and plenty of unique drink options. The menu is comprised of basic latin and caribbean dishes with an upscale flare. My friends and I ordered the picadillo, curried chicken, guacamole, kale salad w/​shrimp, and colombian chicken empanadas. Every dish was tasty and we all left satisfied. I plan on returning to check out Happy Hour and to try a few other items on the menu. I will update my review if i need to but at the moment I think this place has great potential.