Lazy Dog Tavern

Cute place right by the Stratford train station.
Had lunch on a Saturday afternoon and we were pretty happy!
I had: eggplant parmigiana — so good, huge serving that came with penne
he had: sirloin steak — came out overcooked but he still enjoyed it
Ok beer selection — not a big selection but a few favorite craft IPA’s so that was nice
Service went from good to ok to waitress on her cell phone outside and back again… lol
I would come back for the eggplant!

Last month when my husband and I were in town, we were driving down Main Street with the windows open and couldn’t get over the intoxicating smells coming from Lazy Dog! We knew that the next time we were in town we had to stop by.
On Saturday night around 9pm we met one of our friends for a drink.
When you walk into the restaurant, you walk directly into the bar, and it looks like there is a doorway that leads into the restaurant.
We had anticipated sitting at a table in the bar, so grabbed one at the far end away from the door. It was a really nice atmosphere and both bartenders were really friendly.
Shortly after arriving, a two-​piece band set up and started playing. If it was just my husband and I, we would have stayed in the bar for the rest of the evening listening to them play, but we wanted to catch up with our friend, and we would have been yelling over the music, so we asked if we could move to a table outside since it was still so nice out.
I was happily surprised to see most of the tables were occupied with people eating and having a few drinks.
I ordered the blueberry martini and it was great and perfect for the weather.
When it came to the menu, so many things sounded good, but I ended up ordering the pierogies (tossed with bacon, onion, olive oil, and served with a side of sour cream) and my husband ordered the crab cakes (served over julienned mango, papaya, and cucumber salad with tartar sauce).
I have to note that our server was so great. Since we hadn’t seen our friend in a while we got to chatting as soon as he came so it took us a minute to even look at the menu, then once we did look, it took us a while to make up our minds. She was so not invasive and kept coming over to check and make sure that we had everything we needed.
I have never had pierogies before, so I didn’t have anything to compare them to, but these were so amazing that any future pierogi I have will be compared to these. The onions were perfectly sauteed, and the addition of bacon made them perfect. It will be hard for me to come here in the future and not order these!
My husband completely devoured his crab cakes, so I think it’s safe to say that he loved them.
I am really looking forward to coming back and trying more items from the menu

Basic, but good. Very good burger, some good apps, good beer, wine & cocktail selection. Good fit for Stratford. I wish them luck!

Service was fine. Parking is good. Food is ok. Ambiance is ok. I wouldn’t make this a regular stop. Nothing turned me off and nothing turned me on. We had a jumbo shrimp cocktail, Perogies, Tacos and the Dania burger. Shrimp may have been slightly overcooked but was fine. Tacos were just average as was the burger and perogies. Beer selection was ok but not as many selections as many other places in town. The place was loud and crowded and not very comfortable; partly owing to its popularity, so you can’t hold that against them. Probably the best thing about the place is the staff. Nothing else would make me want to choose this place over others in the area. If you’re planning to visit, I’m sure everything will be fine.

Our new place to go. Everything that we have had to eat has been fresh and yummy. Some different choices to eat, not the same old stuff like most places in Stratford. Good craft beer selection. Can’t wait to go back.

I can’t wait to go back!!!
Great food, staff was excellent.
We met some friends from out of of town.
The staff was very attentive but let’s us catch up on old times.
The restaurant has a great atmosphere. Friendly and fun.
The menu has something for everyone. The owner walking around talking to customers adds a personal touch that you just can’t find anywhere
Well done!

This place was refreshingly great. After a sub par experience nearby, I left to try one more place. Always the optimist. Thank goodness I stopped here. Many great food and drink options. Ice cold martinis, craft beer, wine etc. I had fried mozzarella which sound so plebeian but tastes so good bc it’s fresh and delish. The peanut butter pie did not disappoint. I will be back next week.

Overall the food here is delicious. However, my two girlfriends and I left with a bad taste in our mouths due to poor customer service…
We literally had no complaints with anything up until we were asked to «wrap it up» by the owner after we received our check two minutes prior because other people were waiting for a table.
We ordered two appetizers, drinks, 3 entrees and dessert. You’d think that was enough to justify us being at the table for so long. Clearly, it was not. Even the people next to us were shocked by what the owner did after overhearing him at our table.
We will not be going back which is a shame because the food was actually good…

Very good salad and wings but if you don’t like salad and wings this is probably not the place for you because that’s pretty much the entire menu however they run periodic specials and nightly specials as well. Not bad at all for what it is I would not hesitate to come back as long as I was in the mood for salad and wings. I happen to love salad and wings… And the price was competitive

Came here on a Monday afternoon and had a great time. I sat at the bar which is a very intimate area with lots of bright light spilling through the big front windows which face the train station across the street. The ambiance is a mix of rustic and modern and overall very inviting and upbeat. Bulky railroad ties along the ceiling, broad white marble bar-​top, and multiple TV’s for the sports fans.
The bar manager Brandon made the experience special– introduced himself right off the bat and asked what our names were. He was friendly and fun and literally greeted every single person who walked through the front door. Even though the place was very busy we never felt forgotten about.
The food was great– we had 3 courses and each one deserved 5 stars. The nachos were prob the best we ever had– fried tostada-​like chips topped with cheese, tomatoes, peppers, olives, and beef chili/​beans. The «chubby love» salad with salmon was awesome– one of the most tender and tasty pieces of salmon I’ve ever had (and yes it is actually customary to ask people how they want their salmon cooked– I prefer medium!) My fiancé had the house-​made guacamole burger which he ate in about five minutes because it was so good. The french fries are extra crispy, just the way I like them. Even though we didn’t have much room left, we splurged for dessert and had a slice of the carrot cake which was also out of this world — sweet gold raisins and rich cream cheese frosting — we outdid ourselves! The portions were giant and had to pack up half the entrees.
We will totally go back. Highly recommended. Happy hour 2−7pm daily and each day has a diff food special offered. Check it out!

I would have given this place a solid 5 stars, but there are 2 things that caused me to knock it down a star; neither are food or service-​related however.
I will say that the menu is very enticing. They had quite a few unique items that I would have loved to try, but I wanted to keep it light tonight and opted for the shrimp and mango salad. It came with the most amazing berry balsamic dressing that the waiter was kind enough to get the ingredients for us because I could have just drank the stuff.
The ambiance and décor is great; tables were tight but we were tucked perfectly into a corner so it was nice; the service was wonderful and food was tasty.
So my two issues, which again, are pretty minor when you consider how good everything else was:
1. We couldn’t get into the place. The main entrance by the bar was locked so we walked around all the other doors, which were obviously not entrances as they had tables in front of them. So many doors! Finally a server opened a door in the dining room and let us scoot in. So awkward!
2. Main entrance. Only entrance. Right into the bar. No hallway or little area, right into people standing, drinking, blocking the door. You have to elbow through people to make your way to the hostess stand in the back. Same when leaving, and there was a very drunk guy blocking the door hollering to his buddy still sitting at the bar. I had to say excuse me a few times before he’d move. I was with my boyfriend thankfully otherwise I would have felt intimidated if I was alone or with my girlfriends or daughter.
Will definitely try this place again, maybe when I’m hungrier and can try one of the heartier dishes. Nice to have a place like this in Stratford.

Growing up just down the street, I had my very first job at this location back when it was Lotus Thai restaurant…
I live in Boston now and whenever I am home feel like something different is there! Same with the Stratford center spots. Always changing. Nothing consistent anymore.
This time. The cool, inviting wood exterior caught our eyes. We decided to give it a whirl!
Everything was on point. Staff introduced themselves — Brandon I believe was our bartender. And also asked for our names in return to make customer service outstanding.
The Asian wings. Very delicious. Gorgonzola Burger was done perfectly, and the fat boy wrap. also a great meal. They killed the music (on Valentine’s Day) the day we dined. Which is always a plus
Thanks Lazy dog! We hope you get to stick around there for a very long time!
And we will certainly be back :)

So here’s the deal. Not a bad time. But not a good time. Server seemed over worked. Tight spot for so many tables I felt in the way in my seat. Ordered the pierogi app and I’m about 90% sure they were Mrs. T’s brand. Also was a little strange when my girlfriend ordered salmon and they asked her «how she’d like it cooked» since I’ve never been asked that. Generally as long as it isn’t sushi, you’d like your fish cooked, no? I could be off base and every other restaurant could be wrong and asking for salmon’s temp could be right but I have a feeling that’s not the case.
Update– after googling and reading some salmon forums, the jury is out. Is it the same as asking how I want my chicken done, some believe yes. I’m with that some. If I want to order raw chicken it’s up to me to offer that up, it’s not needed to ask me.
Yet some others think it’s fine dining etiquette which is great. But lazy dog tavern isn’t fine dining so that’s not their mindset.
But thank you to the people who complimented this post and got me to do some actual research on the subject.

I really want to give this place more stars. The owner/​manager is always there and really trying. Most of the waitstaff is very good. The restaurant looks nice and is comfortable to be in.
Here’s the but, it’s not consistent with the food quality. I’ve been to this place 3 times.
The first was very good and everything was cooked to my liking. I ordered a breakfast burger rare and french onion soup. The soup is very very good with excellent rich flavor. The burger was cooked rare and as I like it. I decided then if I ever ordered that particular burger again I would ask for the egg on top to be cooked over easy, it was a bit overdone but not a meal breaker. The restaurant was busy this night
The second time I ordered the steak salad and wings for sharing. The wings were good, cooked nicely. The salad had a nice amount of steak and cooked rare as I like it but there was not much else on the salad, just a lot greens and the steak. Our waiter this time was my favorite, fun, chatty but not in our face. It was very very busy this night.
Today we went for the third time. The whole thing sort of fell flat. I ordered the onion soup again and the cheese was barely melted, the soup itself was again very very good. The wings were way over cooked and not really edible, I left most untouched. My spouse ordered chili and a burger. The burger was way overcooked. He ate half and didn’t bring the other half home. The waitperson today was lovely but new and it showed.
I will go back and see if it is better. I will try other things on the menu. How many times do you give a place a chance before you finally stop going? We’ll see when I hit my limit.

This restaurant is a welcome addition to the Stratford food scene. Excellent food, courteous service and lovely ambience. Best restaurant in Stratford! Had the fish tacos and it was well presented, flavorful and creative. Will be back soon!

Excellent staff wonderful bar tender chef :) good cannot be compared their New England clam chowder has an excellent twist on a classic; definitely worth the trip

Stopped in for a bite and a couple of beers. The ambiance is nice, bar is cool, staff is nice engaging and cares. Food is a above pub fare and good to Very good. Kitchen cook was a touch off his mar but the owner seemed to care and ask all the patrons how things were.

The food is great and priced correctly. I have eaten here now several times and the food is consistently good.
The staff is friendly and welcoming. Always checking on you and making sure you stay hydrated. Lol
The design gets an A+
Definitely coming back!

I grew up in Stratford and until now, I’ve found the offerings in town a bit underwhelming. Earlier today, however, a friend told me that he and his family had enjoyed dinner at the Lazy Dog. So, when a friend texted for an impromptu holiday lunch, it was my pick.
I am happy to report that there is now a good place to meet up in Stratford.
We sat at the bar for drinks and food. I was a bit surprised when the bartender said they didn’t have a drinks menu, but maybe that’s a good thing since specialty cocktails always sound better than they taste. Instead, they have a full bar along with plenty of beer and wine choices. Our wine and beer did the trick just fine.
As someone of Polish descent, it was a nice surprise to see pierogies on the menu. They were cooked and served with bacon and onions and I’d say even my immigrant great grandparents would be pleased. Nothing too fancy, as it should be: comfort food, Polish style.
I had the chubby salad with the walnuts and craisins. I had them hold the Gorgonzola and add salmon. It came with a hearty serving of salmon, which was perfectly cooked. The dressing was so good that I asked for more.
The bar staff was friendly and it looks like they gave the old Thai place a nice facelift. I look forward to more visits to the Lazy Dog soon.

After driving by for weeks watching the remodel it was a pleasure to see the Lazy Dog open. So my wife and I dropped in for lunch.
Nice ambiance. Small bar but bright and lots of windows.
We sat in dining room. Black tablecloths, white linen, comfortable spacing.
Ok. Now to the food. I ordered the Darla Burger (12.99) and my wife ordered Mango Salad (13.99). Since it was lunch we just had H2O to drink.
My burger was perfectly cooked, medium rare, and very tasty. My confusion was that the item described as having bacon, onion, mushrooms, garlic, herbs and special sauce came with all the ingredients IN the burger not ON the burger… So the size/​value seemed a little pricey. It came with a small basket of fries which were hot and good.
My wife’s salad was advertised with black beans but no beans were in the salad. The overall size was slightly smaller than expected for 14 bucks.
Overall the experience was good. The value just fair. We will return but will opt for the special nights. (Monday — Burgers, Tuesday — Tacos, Ect)
Support Stratford Businesses! Give the Lazy Dog a try.