Black Dog Bar and Grille

What Black Dog Bar and Grille does

Black Dog Bar and Grille is a privately-held, single-location restaurant and event venue operating from 146 Park Rd in Putnam, Connecticut, serving local diners and event clients across Northeast Connecticut. The core business comprises a full-service American comfort food restaurant with a full bar featuring 16 rotating craft beer draft lines, complemented by a wood-fired pizza sub-concept called Marley's Pub that uses a custom Italian-imported oven (Cupra Marittima) operating at 800 degrees with rotating floor technology. The venue also operates an 18-hour slow-smoked BBQ pit as a signature capability, producing brisket, pulled pork, burnt ends, ribs, and smoked kielbasa for both dine-in service and bulk by-the-pound sales.

The company generates revenue through nine distinct streams: dine-in restaurant and bar sales, take-out and curbside orders, on-site private event venue rentals across four rooms accommodating 40-120 guests with food minimums ranging from $750 to $5,000, full-service off-site catering with a $650 base fee, BBQ and sides by-the-pound bulk sales, mobile pizza truck catering for 20-100+ person events, branded merchandise, gift cards via Toasttab, and the Black Card loyalty rewards program. Customer segments span local community diners, event planners hosting weddings and corporate functions, off-site catering clients, and families.

Black Dog has expanded into a multi-venue hospitality ecosystem through sister properties The Barns at Black Dog (a dedicated banquet and wedding venue) and a referral partnership with Stonehurst at Hampton Valley. Technology integration is limited to OpenTable for reservations and Toasttab for gift card commerce, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Distribution is primarily regional via dine-in, take-out phone orders, off-site catering with full staff or drop-off options, and the mobile pizza truck subject to distance permitting. The business is independently owned with no disclosed parent company, funding rounds, or institutional investors.

Name

Black Dog Bar and Grille

Legal name

Black Dog Bar & Grille

Website

https://blackdogbarandgrille.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Dog Bar and Grille is a privately-held restaurant, bar, and event venue in Putnam, Connecticut, serving local diners and event clients across Northeast Connecticut with American comfort food, 18-hour smoked BBQ, wood-fired pizza, and on-site/off-site catering including mobile pizza truck services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurant and Event Venue

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Family-Style Restaurants (THAFACAC)

Keywords

• Casual dining restaurant
• Smoked BBQ meats
• Wood-fired pizza
• Private event venue
• Off-site catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Putnam

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Food & Beverage Sales: Dine-in and take-out restaurant sales including appetizers, entrees, burgers, steaks, seafood, BBQ, wood-fired pizzas, sides, and desserts.
2. Bar Sales: Full bar with 16 rotating draft lines, extensive wine list, craft cocktails, margaritas, bourbon, scotch, and after-dinner drinks.
3. On-Site Event Venue Rental: Rental of four private event rooms with capacities from 40-120 guests, including Ball Room, Cathedral, Fire Place Banquet, Quiet Corner, and Four Seasons spaces.
4. Off-Site Catering Services: Full-service catering with $650 fee including disposable plates, linens, chafing dishes, serving staff, and supervisor. Buffet pricing subject to 20% service fee and applicable taxes.
5. Pizza Truck Catering: Mobile pizza catering for events with pizza packages ranging from 20-100+ pizzas, priced per package.
6. BBQ Meat and Sides by the Pound: Take-home BBQ meats and sides sold by the pound with 5 lb minimum per item, requires 7-day advance notice for large orders.
7. Black Card Loyalty Program: Loyalty rewards program where members earn points on dining. Every 500 points converts to $30 credit. Birthday gift of $15 off entree plus brownie sundae.
8. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including t-shirts ($21.99), hoodies ($39.99), shot glasses ($4), jewelry, caps, beanies, and tote bags.
9. Gift Cards: Gift card sales through Toasttab platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Black Dog Bar and Grille operates a multi-concept casual dining restaurant, full bar, and private event venue in Putnam, Connecticut. Its core offerings are American comfort food, an 18-hour slow-smoked BBQ program (Pit Master Corner), wood-fired pizzas from an Italian-imported rotating oven (Marley's Pub), premium steaks, seafood, and a full bar with 16 rotating craft beer draft lines. The venue also rents four private event rooms (40-120 guests), provides off-site catering with full-service staff, operates a mobile pizza truck, and sells bulk BBQ meats by the pound along with branded merchandise.

Product overview

Black Dog Bar and Grille is a restaurant and event venue offering American comfort food, BBQ, steaks, seafood, and craft cocktails. The core product is the main restaurant featuring dine-in service, a full bar with 16 rotating draft lines, and happy hour specials. Supporting offerings include Marley's Pub (wood-fired pizza venue with Italian-imported oven), Pit Master Corner (slow-smoked BBQ), the Black Dog Rewards loyalty program, and on-site/off-site catering services including the Black Dog Pizza Truck. Event capabilities encompass the Black Dog Ball Room with multiple private spaces, with sister venues at The Barns at Black Dog and Stonehurst at Hampton Valley. The business also sells branded merchandise and offers live entertainment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marley's Pub: Wood-fired pizza and sandwich venue featuring a custom-made wood-fired oven imported from Italy that cooks at 800 degrees, featuring rotating floor technology
• Black Dog Pizza Truck
• The Barns at Black Dog
• Black Dog Rewards / The Black Card
• Pit Master Corner

Products and services

• Black Dog Bar & Grille Restaurant and Bar Main dine-in restaurant and full bar venue offering American comfort food, BBQ, steaks, seafood, burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads, sides, and desserts to local diners and visitors in Putnam, CT. Hours: Mon-Wed 3pm-9pm, Thu until 9:30pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-10pm, Sun 11:30am-9pm (grille) and until 11pm (bar).
• Marley's Pub (Wood-Fired Pizza and Sandwiches) Dedicated wood-fired pizza and sandwich venue featuring artisanal pizzas and breads cooked in a custom Italian-imported oven with rotating floor technology, served in a separate pub-style atmosphere within the Black Dog facility.
• Pit Master Corner (18-Hour Slow-Smoked BBQ) Signature 18-hour slow-smoked BBQ menu section featuring house-smoked meats prepared using traditional pit master methods, available both as dine-in entrees and as bulk takeaway purchases by the pound.
• Black Dog Ball Room On-Site Event Venue Private on-site event venue offering four distinct rooms (40-120 guest capacities) for weddings, corporate events, rehearsal dinners, showers, and celebrations. Rental fees range $99-$399 depending on room and day, with food minimums up to $5,000, and includes white linens, napkins, and floral centerpieces.
• Off-Site Catered Events Service Off-site full-service catering service with serving staff, bartender, catering supervisor, linens, chafing dishes, and customizable buffet menus (appetizer, BBQ, dinner, lunch, brunch, Italian) for corporate events, family cookouts, weddings, and private parties at external venues.
• Black Dog Pizza Truck Mobile Catering Mobile pizza catering truck that travels to event locations (home, office, or venue) to prepare fresh wood-fired pizzas on-site. Packages range from 20 to 100+ pizzas with custom pricing based on guest count and time slot (10AM-12AM availability, distance permitting).
• Pick Up and Drop Off Bulk BBQ Service Bulk pickup and drop-off service for smoked BBQ meats and sides sold by the pound (four 4-ounce portions per pound, 5 lb minimum per item, 7-day advance notice for large orders). Drop-off option includes equipment rental (chafing dishes, sterno, serving utensils) for $250.
• Black Dog Branded Merchandise Retail branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, shot glasses, jewelry, tote bags, hats, beanies, stickers, and a children's book, sold at the restaurant and online for fans and gift buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1.2 million pounds (614+ tons) of smoked meats produced since opening through 2023
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• ToasttabcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline ordering and gift card sales platform integration through Toasttab. Customers can purchase Black Dog gift cards directly through the Toasttab website.
• The Barns at Black DogflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister event venue operated under the Black Dog brand. Separate banquet, event and wedding venue now open for bookings. Located in Putnam, CT area.
• Stonehurst at Hampton ValleyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister event venue promoted alongside Black Dog catering services. Located in the Hampton Valley area. Available for catering event requests.
• Local Craft BreweriesminorOthersRotating craft beer selection sourced from local Connecticut breweries including Beer'd, Elysian, Lawson's, Grey Sail, Black Pond, East Rock, and Wormtown. Featured on 16 rotating draft lines.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wood-n-Tap Bar & Grill: Connecticut-based casual restaurant and bar chain offering American comfort food, steaks, and BBQ-style fare with a strong local craft beer program. Highly comparable given shared Connecticut footprint, bar-forward concept, and casual dining model.
• J. Timothy's Taverne: Plainville, CT tavern and restaurant serving American fare with a strong bar, event accommodations, and loyal local following. Directly comparable as a Connecticut tavern/restaurant hybrid targeting similar local community and event clientele.
• Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana: Iconic Connecticut pizzeria known for coal-fired/wood-fired oven pizzas. Comparable as a Connecticut-based operator leveraging a distinctive imported oven and artisanal pizza positioning, similar to Marley's Pub.
• 99 Restaurant & Pub: New England-based full-service restaurant and pub chain serving American comfort food, burgers, steaks, and a broad bar program across similar suburban and small-market locations. Comparable in menu breadth, bar-centric positioning, and casual family dining experience.
• Billy Tee's: Connecticut-based casual restaurant offering burgers, steaks, and American comfort food with full bar service. Comparable as a CT regional casual dining operator with similar menu structure and price positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Mission BBQ: National BBQ-focused fast-casual chain emphasizing smoked meats. Comparable on the BBQ/smokehouse product dimension that defines the Pit Master Corner of Black Dog, though distributed across many locations nationwide.
• Outback Steakhouse: National casual steakhouse chain competing in the same $20-$40 steak and casual dining price band. Comparable as a broad incumbent targeting similar occasion-based family and casual dining occasions.
• Famous Dave's: National BBQ restaurant chain with catering and to-go business. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the smoked-meat and catering categories that overlap with Black Dog's Pit Master Corner and off-site catering operations.
• Texas Roadhouse: National casual steakhouse chain with strong BBQ-adjacent menu. Comparable on the steakhouse and American comfort food dimensions of Black Dog's menu, though operates at national scale with significantly lower per-unit food cost.

Regional players

• The Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station: Connecticut wedding and event venue offering on-site catering and banquet services. Comparable on the private event venue and on-site catering dimensions that drive a meaningful share of Black Dog's event-room revenue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-dog-bar-and-grille

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Dog Bar and Grille