With yellow wood walls and green trim, Mahaney’s gives visitors the impression of being an old-fashioned corner store. Eric Mahaney opened the restaurant that bears his name in 2007, following an "ambition to be his own boss."
Mahaney said he is in the restaurant business because “I’ve been doing it my whole life.”
He started working at Bart’s in Windsor when he was sixteen and continued to work there through high school and college. After the business changed hands, Mahaney left and worked several jobs until deciding to open a restaurant of his own.
“Unfortunately, I opened a restaurant at the worst time, economically” he said. “The first couple of years were not easy.”
Soon, however, Windsor residents began to appreciate Mahaney’s homemade corn beef hash and hand-made burgers, among other delicacies.
Orders are taken at the front counter, and diners can either take their food with them or eat it in the quaint dining room in the back. There is also self-serve coffee, tea, and hot chocolate as well as a wide selection of beverages.
“I’ve been here long enough to be established. Word of mouth is the best publicity around,” Mahaney.
The business has developed a solid base of “regulars,” Mahaney said. “We’re all pretty good around here at remembering what our regulars get from day to day. People will call me in the morning and I’ll know what they’re getting because I recognize their voice.”
Mahaney recently updated his menu, and said the specialty omelets have “really taken off.” He recommends first time diners try his special corn beef hash, which he makes with sweet potatoes as well as regular potatoes. He also recommends the Italian sausage that the restaurant puts in one of its many omelets. For lunch, one might try the Barbecue Cheddar Bacon hamburger or one of the new crispy chicken sandwiches.
“We have friendly service, fresh food, and a quick turnover time,” Mahaney said.
The restaurant is located at 1775 Poquonock Avenue, in Windsor and is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Prices: $2.59-6.79 for breakfast, $3.35-8.75 for lunch.
Website: http://www.eatatmahaneys.com/
