The original Pettibone’s Tavern, on Hartford Road in Simsbury, was built in 1780 for Jonathan Pettibone Jr., whose father, Jonathan Pettibone, had been killed in the fighting around New York in 1776. The Tavern served as a stagecoach stop on the Boston to Albany Turnpike and was also a meeting place where Capt. Elisha Phelps met with Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys to plan the capture of Fort Ticonderoga. The original tavern was burned to the ground by Indians in 1800, but was soon rebuilt and reopened in 1803. In more recent times, the tavern has been a restaurant. It was purchased by the Chart House chain in the 1970s, but under new ownership became known as Pettibone’s Tavern again. In January, the building was damaged after a fire activated the sprinkler system. Today, Abigail's has been completely restored and the restaurant has reopened under new ownership. Come and enjoy our extensive menu of creative continental cuisine and a welcoming New England atmosphere.
"Abigail's is truly a "find" and worthy of a drive, should you not be in the immediate location. Situated in a charming "old" house, located at easily found crossroads, Abigail's Grille and Wine Bar fits so many occasions. Whether it is lunch with a friend, a personal celebration, a business lunch, a dinner celebration, Abigail's is an excellent choice. The food is wonderfully diverse, delicately and artistically plated, and simply delicious. Add the attentive and expert waitstaff and you have the formula for an truly wonderful dining experience."
Dined on 5/14/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, notable wine list, neighborhood gem, great for lunch, special occasion
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"We have been to Abigail's several times and always enjoyed our dining experience. We had a late in the day reservation on Mother's Day, and it was pretty clear the restaurant and staff we're interested in getting out of there (reservation at 7:30, closing time 8:00). Service felt rushed. Not at all the fault of the wait staff, which was pleasant and accomodating. Food was as usual very good. Would go back, but probably would avoid major "Hallmark Card" type days."
Dined on 5/12/2013
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"Abigail's is a Nice restaurant with good food but great service staff. Everyone is friendly and accommodating. The service is a bit too fast for my liking but some people like the prompt, but not rushed, service."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, kid-friendly, great for lunch, special occasion
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"Saturday night before Mother's Day - very busy. Servers pushy, reaching over diners, and dropping glasses, silverware. Cleary not staffed for such a busy night. One of our tables chairs (occupied!) kept getting bumped into by servers! Food was fine, meaning just okay. We usually have a MUCH BETTER experience at Abigails. Disappointed."
Dined on 5/11/2013
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"My husband and I returned once again to this fabulous restaurant . The food was awesome, services superior . The noise level was very high,we sat out on the side that use to be the patio. This is the second time....I think the next time Im going to request a table ,"inside" where it may be better insulated (sound proofed) ?"
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion
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"We went to Abigail's to enjoy a warm evening eating outside. We received a table on the terrace which was our desire. However we were greeted with a waitress that just wanted to rush us though our dining, not even offering up the specials for the night until I asked about them. I was looking to have a nice dish of grilled fish and vegetables. They all proved to each be over $27!! This is ridiculous! The special was bass, a widely available fish this time of year. What is wrong with these Farmington Valley restaurants that feel they have to over charge for simple food options! Will think again before going to Abigail's,"
Dined on 5/10/2013
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"I do like Abigail's . Overall it is very good and reliable which probably explains its popularity. Nothing on the menu will amaze you but it is comprised of solid dishes with good quality ingredients and usually well executed. The rooms to the left of the bar which was the porch in the old Pettibone and Chart House days, has high ceilings and hard surfaces and can be noisy. The older portion to the right as you come in is quieter and maintains some of the old charm. Service is good but can be a bit spotty and timing can be a bit odd particularly coordinating wine with food. If you want a certain glass with a certain course, order the wine early. I will avoid the oysters here in the future , tired on 2 occasions."
Dined on 1/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, hot spot
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"Abagail's is a perfect spot for girls night or a romantic night out! The lighting creates a wonderful ambiance and the space itself is partitioned expertly to have just enough tables in an area so that you do not feel like you are the only diners, but also just enough that it feels small and charming. The wine list was solid quality - good selections without weeding through a wine list that is hundreds of names long. The food was A-MAZ-ING! Really. Melt in your mouth steak with customized toppings and pairings. I look forward to returning to Abagail's and working my way through other selections on the menu!"
Dined on 5/04/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for brunch, romantic, hot spot, special occasion
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"We had friends in from out of state and brought them here for dinner on a Thursday night. The restaurant was quite busy and it was a little loud at first but all plates throughout the meal ended up spotless."
Dined on 5/02/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"Nice atmosphere with good sized outdoor seating area. Decent wine and beer selection. Oysters were great. Very good Caesar and spinach salads. I had the special; lobster with linguini in a wine sauce. A little too creamy but nice flavor."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, romantic
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"Erin and Michael are excellent Bartenders and servers, they have outstanding personality's, they always make you feel welcome, and go out of there way to make sure you get everything you want and need. They stuff olives with gorgonzola cheese for my Martini's Oitstanding!!! Thank you guy's!!!"
Dined on 04/26/2013
2007
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch, hot spot
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"Lovely restaurant with attentive staff. I had dinner. The duck with red cabbage is quite nice as is the wine list and the desserts. Outdoor dining is pleasant and attractive although along a busy roadway. I would definitely go back."
Dined on 04/27/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, special occasion
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"The restaurant was beautiful as ever and the food excellent. Rachel provided friendly, efficient and professional service. The noise made it difficult to have a conversation until the table behind us turned. Why is it necessary to yell?"
Dined on 04/20/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch
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"Loved the atmosphere....food was wonderful. There were six of us, each ordering something different and everyone was pleased! The service was exceptional.
We are returning soon to bring members of our family."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2009
Special Features: good for groups, special occasion
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"Always a hit for every meal. Prices a little high for the portions, but food is delicious. . Menu had changed from previous visits and was lacking a "lighter" dinner option. A great selection of entrees, yet few for those who would prefer a dinner salad."
Dined on 04/18/2013
2012
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch, hot spot
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"We went for our 30th Wedding Anniversary. My husband had the big eye tuna which he enjoyed very much. I had the veal which was tough and overcooked and the mussels which seemed under cooked and a lot of them were unopened. I have had dinner and lunch here before and enjoyed it very much. I should have sent the meal back, I am sure they would have replaced it, my fault."
Dined on 04/16/2013
2013
Special Features: notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"reservations got made for main area downstairs, when I specified upstairs. (we still got seating upstairs). Brought wrong meals to our table; when "right" meals came, burgers not as people had ordered (1 had bacon, was not supposed to, other to have mushrms. on the side-none at all.) cup of soup that was ordered was not the one that came - they took it off the bill."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2007
Special Features: great for outdoor dining
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"We have been going to Abigail's for about 3 years now consistently. We have always been pleased with the response we get from the staff for any request (as we have a family member with special dietary needs). There is a new chef in town and they seem to have spruced up the menu a bit. Everything we had was excellent. The pork tenderloin medallions were amazing!"
Dined on 04/13/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, romantic
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"Too much noise. Voices carry due to no fabric in room.we had a nice corner table, but voices from other tables carried over. We felt people were staring at us when the four of us had a conversation. We are older, and do not have loud voices by any means, Salmon was very good with purée and spinach...different."
Dined on 04/06/2013
2013
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"We were seated immediately. Waitress appeared as soon as we sat down. Food appeared quickly and was very good. Waitress was attentive throughout the eal and we were not rushed. Enjoyable evening."
Dined on 04/05/2013
2011
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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"Hadn't been here for a while but was a little disapoinrted. Not as good as usual. Food was served very cold and then the re-heat was over done so they comped it. Could of been the Easter weekend but had a higher expectation of what the esperience turned out to be. We went in having this restaurant comparable to Flemmings or J. Gilberts but now whould rank Abigails last to those two. Overall this was not completely bad but just that we expected better."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2007
Special Features: neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"Unfortunately, my friend's meal was not up to the usual standards. She asked to have her ham prepared without the fruit glaze. She was then given end pieces that were excessively salty. This was an anomaly, as the food is always excellent."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2012
Special Features: great for brunch, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion
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"eating dinner at Abigails on a Friday night is a mistake. Service was poor and waitress did not attend to our needs. Additionally, food was cold, fish had bones in it and all that was comped was a dessert."
Dined on 03/29/2013
2013
Special Features: special occasion
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"Service was excellent. We were seated right away and our waiter was very professional. Our food was excellent. I had the rack of lamb which was cooked as requested and the best I've ever had. My husband had pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon and he really liked it. It was a little noisy but the restaurant was very busy and that's a good sign."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2011
Special Features: special occasion, great for lunch
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"We were skeptical at first because of the rumored price, but when we arrived we were seated immediately via an online reservation. Once seated we were served quickly. Kristen was fabulous. The food is to die for. Wife was talking about it for two days after. This came as a recommendation from a friend as a place to try, and he was right. We are planning on making it a regular visiting to eat. Definitely a gem of Simsbury, CT."
Dined on 03/22/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"Historic venue at the gateway to Simsbury, Abigails is in the site of the original Petitbons Tavern which predates the Revolutionary War. This is the place we go when our little family has a special event or just wants to celebrate being a family. The wait staff is friendly and knowledgable ( ask them about the ghosts),, the setting is beatiful, the food is great, and prices fair. Good wine list Our dinner last night was perfect."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"Took daughters to dinner before Father-Daughter Dance - food was good and and server was great.Asked hostess for a pub menu when seated, she said, no. (Doesn't make sense from the customer's perspective.)We mostly ordered from the dining room menu, but one daughter asked for pizza from the pub. The server didn't hestitate to say, yes. Good for her. We expressed our appreciation verbally and in the gratuity."
Dined on 03/16/2013
2011
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"My husband and I were very impressed. Im so glad there was no problem in switching things around for him as he is very picky. I fell so in love with your beet salad!!"
Dined on 03/16/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, late-night find, notable wine list, special occasion
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"It's a good thing we don't live closer or we'd eat here every night! The Gorgonzola pork chop was out of this world!!! We had a loud table with children next to us, but the quality of the food and our excellent service from Dave overpowered that! We'll certainly make the hour drive to come back."
Dined on 03/15/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"Have been to Abigail's before. The food is consistently good and the place is comfy and inviting. This time, we went on a whim and could only get in early. We ordered from a special promo menu for a fixed price. I had flank steak done rare (done correctly) and my wife had a duck ragout that she felt was light on the duck though tasty. However, it was a lower priced promo in which a number of area restaurants participated. You got a choice of appetizer and a choice of dessert. We both had clam chowder to start and strawberry shortcake to finish. We didn't mind waiting for the biscuits to come out of the oven for the shortcak--they were quite good."
Dined on 03/09/2013
2011
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"I love this restaurant from the historical ambiance and foodie perspective. The service is good and one waiter we have had a few times is outstanding.(forgot name sorry) The food is absolutely delicious. My fiance is a vegetarian and loves it as much as I do. It is our new "place"."
Dined on 02/16/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, special occasion
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"This is our 4th time going to Abigails for dinner and we were not disappointed! The food was incredible (I had the halibut and my hubby had the rotisserie chicken), the service was outstanding (our waitress was so helpful and very friendly) and we were seated in a booth so we were able to have a little privacy! We have date night once a month so we really try to make sure we go places we know that will not disappoint and Abigail's is definitely a favourite :)"
Dined on 02/23/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, special occasion
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"We discovered this place 3 Valentines day ago and have made it a tradition to go every year after. This is our all time favorite restaurant and we go to Abigails everytime we want to celebrate. Wine is crazy expensive and the menu doesn't vary much, but we have our go to favorites that we order every time and we LOVE it."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2011
Special Features: neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"We've been there 3 times recently, loved it each time and will certainly go in the future. The menu offers something for everyone. There are 2 bars, one upstairs and one downstairs. The upstairs bar has comfortable, living room type seating. The atmosphere overall is inviting and attractive and condusive to a great evening."
Dined on 02/21/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, romantic
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"Good night overall. We were seated in an alcove that was part of a side room cozy and romantic. Day before Valentine's day. Nice. Only problem was out of sight out of mind.Waitress would disappear for long periods then apologize cause she forgot about us. I even got up and stepped out of the alcove to get her attention. As I mentioned all in all a good night. Food as always fantastic..."
Dined on 02/13/2013
2012
Special Features: great for brunch, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"This was not my first visit to Abigail's. When we were sitted we were not giving menus. When our waitress came to our table she didn't mention there was a special menu for Valentines Day. My husband had to ask for his glass of wine a 2 times and received it right before dinner. Our waitress was the bartender and my husband ordered Tuna and asked the waitress what she would recommend for a wine with his meal and with all the wines Abigail's has to offer she suggested a plain pinot. Just not what I would expect from a bartender. We ordered the red velvet cake for dessert and there were parts of the cake that were very much over cooked and hard. This was not how I planned to spend my Valentines Day evening."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2013
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