The family restaurant in downtown Ware, located at 91 Main St., features American-style cuisine, offers gluten-free dishes, and can seat up to 99 in the spacious, newly refurbished setting.
WARE — The newest eatery in town was hopping with customers who praised the food, service, ambience and wide selection of draught beer, wine, and liquor at Hanna Devine’s Restaurant & Bar, which opened over the weekend.
The family restaurant in downtown Ware, located at 91 Main St., features American-style cuisine, offers gluten-free dishes and can seat up to 99 in the spacious, newly refurbished setting.
It is owned and operated by Dennis Craig, his wife Gail and their daughters Stephanie and Kimberly, the head chef, who convinced her family to name the restaurant after her great-grandmother, Hanna Devine.
“We’re very happy Ware is receiving us so well,” Dennis Craig said on Saturday night as customers continued to arrive after 8 p.m. The restaurant is open noon to 10 p.m. on Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursdays and 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
“I had the scallops, it was delicious. The people here are very nice,” said Kenny Higney, who was enjoying a Ketel One on the rocks.
Suzanne Higney, who was sipping from a glass of cabernet sauvignon, had high praise for her steak tips. “It was fantastic,” she said. She and Kenny Higney have been married 43 years.
Dylan Swistak, 24, of Ware, and Samantha Dickson, 23, of Warren, have been seeing each other for more than two years. The couple said their Saturday night date at Hanna’s was enjoyable.
“I really like it here, the atmosphere’s great,” Swistak said between bites on a fresh lobster roll. Dickson described her bowl of French onion soup as “amazing.”
“We love Ware,” said April Childs, as her two children, McKenna, 10, and Aubrey, 8, and her husband Denis Childs were leaving following what the quartet said was a good meal.
“The spaghetti was really good,” said Aubrey.
“I had the steak tips with onion rings and baked potato, and for dessert, I had chocolate truffles,” McKenna said.
The family said they plan on coming back.
“We hope they do well,” Denis Childs said.
“The food is great tonight. We will definitely come back, and we are glad to see another restaurant in Ware,” said Ron Pelski, who was dining with his wife Jean, their daughter Lauren, and friends Michael and Susan Barbiasz, who are all from Ware, although Lauren now resides in Boston.
She said that her gluten-free quinona was “really good. It was very fresh and healthy.”
“Our waitress, Sarah, was excellent,” added Susan Barbiasz.
Jean Pelski said she is impressed by the “amazing” wine selection available at Hanna Devine’s.