Elicit Brewing Company—with its dozens of craft beers on tap, separate cocktail lounge, shuffleboard and cornhole bar games, and elevated pub fare—feels like bar-hopping to several different places in one night.
The Danbury location, which opened in July, is the third Elicit in Connecticut. Parent company Eli’s Restaurant Group owns and operates six locations across the state. Eli’s on Whitney opened in Hamden more than 30 years ago, followed by Eli’s Brick Oven Pizza and Eli’s on the Hill in Branford.
Elicit—a nod to “Eli”—first opened in November 2019 inside a former paper mill in Manchester. The concept was unique for the area: an “adult playground” where craft brews and margaritas are both on tap, friends can gather to cheer on their favorite sports teams, and families might meet for an al fresco afternoon in an effort to stave off the Sunday Scaries.
“I started with Elicit when we opened that November,” Emily Sands tells us. “My first day as the event role salesperson was on March 1, 2020. When the world shut down, we tried to stay afloat, like everyone else, offering beer takeout.”
Sands, now Director of Marketing and Branding for Elicit, says that once Covid slowed, people felt safe coming back to Elicit—especially with the brewery’s wide-open spaces and high ceilings.
“We came back really, really strong,” she says. Strong enough for the company to expand.
When the Danbury Barnes & Noble relocated to the mall in 2023, followed quickly by the closure of the Christmas Tree Shops store, a large swath of real estate was left desolate in Regency Center’s Danbury Square. Eli’s Restaurant Group saw an opportunity.
Elicit’s second location opened in Fairfield in 2024, followed by Danbury one year later.
Elicit has transformed the shopping area. A brand-new patio, expansive and inviting, greets guests to the brewery. Strung with fairy lights and shaded by umbrellas, it’s a draw both day and night.
Inside, the massive space is vibrant and electric, with something for everyone. The beer hall, with its warm wood finishes, earthy tones, and metal chairs offers a comfortable atmosphere. A long bar with large screens lists the day’s craft beer lineup and other drinks on tap. Clusters of TVs hang from the ceiling so sports fans can catch the game from any seat. A stage in the center of the room hosts live bands and DJs on weekends.
Walking past the three-barrel brewing system, guests enter into the Barrel Bar—a speakeasy-style bar with plush leather chairs and artwork by Connecticut muralist Ben Keller (including Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter, a cheeky wink to Danbury’s hatmaking history). Warm brown and green tones, industrial lighting, and wood accents give the whole place a sleek, modern-meets-vintage, sporty-meets-stylish vibe.
The food counter is in the main hall and is self-service. Guests order at the counter, grab a buzzer, and pick it up when it’s ready. The menu—updated quarterly by Elicit’s in-house chef—features shareables like hot honey crunch cauliflower, chicken empanadas, and a twisted pretzel tower.
From the dips section, you’ll find fan-favorite Buffalo chicken, piquillo hummus, and guacamole with pico. Handheld options range from chicken guisado tacos to crabcake sliders to the popular All American Smashburger (cheddar and American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, house sauce) and the fiery Spicy Hatter (ghost pepper Jack cheese, sriracha aioli, crispy onions, lettuce, tomato, pickled jalapeños).
There’s a pizza oven with an extensive build-your-own menu (including gluten-free cauliflower crust), plus a dedicated kids’ menu.
Elicit has nearly 50 beers on tap. Half are brewed in-house and have names like Helicopter Dad (IPA), Tree-Like Symptoms (pale ale), and That Traks (Kölsch). Sands says that, at the beginning, there was a hidden “Eli” in each of the names—but that eventually became tricky to maintain.
“We brew our standard favorites onsite,” Sands explains. “In Manchester, the water is mineral-rich, great for sours and lagers. Fairfield’s water is softer, perfect for IPAs. Our master brewer is still working to figure out what works best with Danbury’s water.”
Regardless of location, Elicit ensures a hyper-local experience—customers sip beers brewed just steps away, from the very tanks on display in the beer hall.
The dozens of taps pour out more than just beer, though. Cocktails are flowing—espresso martinis, mojitos, and more—alongside a selection of wines.
In the mood for something a bit more fancy? Elicit boasts an impressive 100-plus bottle collection, complete with all the essentials for mixing up hand-crafted cocktails like Mad Hatter Punch (Paris Tea infused Planteray Dark Rum, lemon juice, pineapple, coconut, Angostura bitters), Naked and Famous (Ojo de Tigre Mezcal, Aperol, Nonino Amaro, lemon juice), and Aviation (Litchfield Distillers Gin, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, Creme de Violette, blueberry syrup, lemon juice).
Elicit is not shy about featuring beers from other breweries.
“We are friends to other breweries. We do an excellent job with our own beer, but if you want to try others, we have those too,” Sands says.
That spirit of generosity extends far beyond the taps. Every new Elicit location kicks off with a charity event, donating 100% of ticket sales—Danbury’s opening raised $16,000 for Ann’s Place. They also select a charity each month and donate $1 from every 16-ounce Friends With Benefits draft sold. If 1,200 pints are sold, that’s $1,200 donated.
“From a consumer perspective, I love it,” Sands says. “You just buy a beer, and you’re helping raise money for a charity. I think both the ticketed event before each opening and donating a portion of Friends with Benefits sales help us be a better member of the community. That’s very important to me personally.”
Entertainment is nightly and varies widely. On Mondays, there is Jukebox Bingo. Tuesdays are for Trivia. Thursdays bring Line Dancing, a high-energy evening led by an experienced instructor who will walk you through all the moves—no partner (or experience) necessary. Fridays and Saturdays are for bands and DJs, while Sundays are reserved for acoustic sets. Sporting events pop up weekly depending on the season.
Wednesdays are wild card nights with various offerings—anything from a sushi-making class to a paint night or a one-off arts and crafts evening.
“There's something for everyone, all ages, all the time,” Sands says.
That includes private events. Elicit offers a wide range of spaces for hosting everything from corporate gatherings and birthday parties to wedding receptions, working closely with customers to bring their vision for the perfect celebration to life.
Each space offers a different capacity—from intimate gatherings to large parties of up to 100. Once guests choose their location—options range from the Hops Room, a private dining room for up to 85; the Ale Alcove, which accommodates 35; or the Barrel Bar, which holds 65—they can customize every detail.
First choose from a dedicated catering menu, featuring favorites like wings, lemon-roasted salmon, and penne alla vodka. Or go all out with a full taco bar or pizza table. Then select the bar service that works best—whether it’s a tab, a cash bar, or drink tickets.
Elicit’s event coordinator can also assist with vendor selection if needed, connecting you with DJs, florists, balloon artists, and more.
Elicit Brewing Company truly has it all. It’s also one of few locations in the area that offers late night hours. They are open until 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, midnight on Thursdays, and 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Whether it’s families on the patio, kids playing shuffleboard, football fans on Sunday, or friends grabbing a late-night bite, Elicit’s “bar-hopping under one roof” vibe makes it a go-to for all kinds of days—and nights—out.
Visit Elicit Danbury at 15 Backus Avenue. Follow on Instagram @elicitdanbury and Facebook at facebook.com/ElicitDanbury, and check elicitbrewing.com/danbury for upcoming events and to see what’s on tap.
“We brew our standard favorites onsite. In Manchester, the water is mineral-rich, great for sours and lagers. Fairfield’s water is softer, perfect for IPAs. Our master brewer is working to figure out what works best with Danbury’s water.”