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The Helmsman, Groton, CT

The Helmsman

4.2
4.2
66 Reviews
$30 and under
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 6 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Great for brunch
  • Good for business meals
  • Good for groups
Rooted in the cultivated craftsmanship tradition of its New England locality, The Helmsman Kitchen & Bar opens its doors to bring a sure-fire culinary experience.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 6:30 am–11:00 am Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat, Sun 7:00 am–12:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (860) 326-0360
  • Website
    https://helmsmankitchen.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Location
    625 N Rd, Groton, CT 06340-3212
  • Neighborhood
    Groton
  • Parking details
    Hotel Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • CELEBRATE NEW YEAR’S EVE at Helmsman Kitchen & Bar

    $85.00 per person

    Dec 31, 2024 only
    Celebrate the start of a new year with a memorable, prix-fixe dinner in the heart of the bountiful New England Coast. Enjoy a special, 3-course menu with choice of appetizer, entrée and dessert, plus one glass of house wine. Settle into our inviting restaurant for an evening of celebration. To reserve your table, please contact us at (860) 326-0360 or reserve online via OpenTable. 5pm-10pm Reserve now. Space is limited.
    CELEBRATE NEW YEAR’S EVE at Helmsman Kitchen & Bar Photo

  • Varietal Wines Of The Prisoner Wine Company

    $70.00 per person

    Feb 27, 2025 only
    Join us for a multi-course culinary journey where every course is accompanied by a perfectly paired wine selection. Enjoy coastal inspired cuisine alongside the finest wines, with each menu crafted to compliment the flavor profile of the pairing. Each presentation will be led by a special wine curator from the featured vineyard or distributor. Starts at 5pm Sharp! Reserve now spots are limited. Check out the exciting Menu at www.helmsmankitchen.com/menus

  • Varietal Wines of Oregon & Washington State

    $70.00 per person

    Jan 30, 2025 only
    Join us for a multi-course culinary journey where every course is accompanied by a perfectly paired wine selection. Enjoy coastal inspired cuisine alongside the finest wines, with each menu crafted to compliment the flavor profile of the pairing. Each presentation will be led by a special wine curator from the featured vineyard or distributor. Starts at 5pm Sharp! Reserve now spots are limited. Check out the exciting Menu at www.helmsmankitchen.com/menus

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 66 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2
4.2 based on recent ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 3.9Ambience
  • 3.8Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Connecticut

    Great for brunch

  • New London

    Great for brunch

  • New London

    Kid-friendly

  • New London

    Good for groups

  • New London

    Healthy

  • New London

    Great for fine wines

  • New London

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Helmsman offers an exceptional dining experience with "fantastic food" and "outstanding service." Guests rave about the wine pairing dinners and diverse menu options like swordfish, scallops, and New England clam chowder. While some reviews mention noise and occasional inconsistency, the overall atmosphere and culinary expertise are highly praised, making it a must-visit.

66 Reviews

  1. Mari

    Connecticut

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on December 15, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    I had the braised short ribs with mushroom polenta. It was very good. My husband had the chicken over creamy potatoes, and it was great. For dessert, we had a piece of chocolate torte(gluten-free) .Wonderfu way to end the meal. l

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  2. Marife

    VIP

    Fort Lauderdale

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on December 13, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The place has delicious food!! The service is superb and with attentive staffing. I selected 3 stars for the ambiance bc it can be drafty, we played musical chairs to settle into a cozy spot. The bar gives decent pours together with a serving of chocolate torte for dessert! I highly recommend trying this place out. 💫

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  3. Jennifer

    Orlando

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 25, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 1
    Very disappointed in menu options for Gluten free and shellfish allergies. Although the waitress tried to accommodate, they slathered the food in butter to make up for poor taste. Waste of good food and nutrition.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Paul

    VIP

    New York City

    22 reviews

    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined on November 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great experience and value! wines chosen were great pairings with our meal, the Somm presenting was outstanding - just the right amount of information and then walked around the room answering deeper questions from the audience. Meal was very good and for the price great value!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Susan

    New York City

    37 reviews

    2.0

    37 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    My husband ordered a steak and it was tough and Chewy considering it was $42 definitely not worth that price

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  6. Christine

    New York City

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was okay, not spectacular. Cocktails mediocre. Service was terrible. Our waitress barely smiled, menus were left in the middle of our table the entire meal rather than being taken away once we ordered. There is no bread service. Cocktails came in the middle of our entree and we were left with water to drink during our appetizer course. Water was refilled quickly but we had to ask twice when we were getting our cocktails. I would understand if it was busy but it was pretty slow, only a few other tables with guests. I asked if they could make a spicy margarita with jalapeño infused tequila and was told yes. I received a mediocre margarita with no spice at all...certainly zero jalapeño in it. The waitress never asked us if we wanted a dessert. We will not be back. Very disappointed.

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  7. Christin

    Charleston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 8, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service was great and appreciate how nice everyone was to our family.

    Is this helpful?

  8. barbara

    VIP

    New York City

    27 reviews

    5.0

    27 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was excellent, service wonderful - we love the Helmsman

    Is this helpful?

  9. Paula

    Chicago

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 3, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was really bad as well as the service. No flavor for the food, undercooked veggies, over salted fish.

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  10. MarthaL

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 24, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a great evening. We absolutely enjoyed the food and wine pairing, and the service was welcoming and professional. We would recommend offering a dessert wine, a port wine or similar.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Helmsman offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (860) 326-0360.

The Helmsman is rated 4.2 stars by 66 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 6 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Helmsman

625 N Rd, Groton, CT 06340-3212

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Groton
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Fri 6:30 am–11:00 am Daily 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat, Sun 7:00 am–12:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Hotel Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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