Came here in the late morning cause I kept seeing posts about their partnership with the Harlem Biscuit company. Our visit did not disappoint! I'm sure the vibe and experience is completely different during their normal evening dinner hours, but we appreciated our private quiet booth Feasting on these truly yummy biscuits. The food was quality at an affordable price. Planning to check out their regular menu at night in the near future. read more

Anchor Spa - Egg and cheese biscuit - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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One word comes to mind: SPECTACULAR! It is never a dull moment at Anchor. From the delicious food, to the amazing bartenders (hey Eddy & Coco), and the musical selections, you're bound to have an experience like no other. read more

Anchor Spa - An Eddy creation! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Fantastic bar. I didn't have food but the drinks were made with a lot of attention to detail. The vibe was intimate and romantic.

Great place. Delicious and strong cocktails. Great small bar up front. Not many people eating in the back half which is a shame as the food is killer good. Curried chickpea stew was delicious. Shark and bake fish sandwich was excellent, with a nice slaw on top. The jerk fries were way spicy but way tasty. Decor is decades old and beat up - which you can either see as authentic and nostalgic or old and beat up. I prefer to see it as the former and rare in a restaurant. read more

This spot is hit or miss. The drinks are usually great, the bartenders are always pleasant, but the food is subpar. I'll continue to go with my fingers crossed that that particular day is a hit. read more

Anchor Spa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

There was no one behind the bar. There was a man sitting at the bar playing music on speaker on his phone and singing along with it. In addition to the music over the speakers, which I guess he wasn't a fan of. We waited for 10 minutes in the obnoxious setting, still no one behind the bar... this place needs management. read more

Best drinks in new haven - hands down!! They have some of the best bartenders. Love the color purple for something sweet and hayman's tea for something well balanced, Love the all's pear in thyme!!! In short a lot of great selection of drinks. I prefer the drinks at Anchor Spa to Ordinary, hands down!! Plus the hip hop music is always blasting here for a good time. Can't say much about the food but happy hour is great. The jerk sliders are flavorful and yum! read more

Anchor Spa is a great spot if you are in the mood for Caribbean fare, bomb cocktails & a relaxed spot. Located in the heart of New Haven, this gem will be sure to quench your thirst...if you know what I mean. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this spot has some of the best cocktails in the area! I would say the cocktails are the star of the show but the food is no slouch either. My fiancé and I feasted. We had the salt fish fritter sliders, sexy wings & plantain chips to start. I really like the sexy wings. I'm a huge wing guy...so much that a few years back I ate them 13 days straight, no cap. And I can tell you that these wings are the real deal. The sexy sauce is incredible. It brings the heat but the sweetness comes through at the end & hasthe perfect balance. I finished off the meal with the Rasta pasta & I was way too stuffed at this point to give it a comprehensive review. Overall, I'll be back because I'm a sucker for jerk chicken and fantastic cocktails. read more

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I have nothing but good things to say about Anchor Spa. It is truly a gem in New Haven. It is the only place that truly reminds us of spots we've frequented back in NYC. We have had so many good times here. I have posted many photos of the amazing drinks available. The bartenders are very creative and Steve the chef always comes up with great menu ideas. There aren't a lot of food items as it is not meant to be a restaurant per se, more of a speakeasy vibe. Everyone loves the wings tho! If I had one critique it would be to come up with more vegetarian items. I also love when they have live music to support local bands. Come thru, enjoy and have a great time! read more

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I came here for the first time thinking it would be a good experience but NO. We waited over an hour for an order of fries while the table next to us got served their appetizer 10 mins after they sat down. I will NEVER visit here again. read more

Anchor Spa - Anchor Spa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

The ambience here is delightful - wonderful for an intimate date night or catching up with a small group of friends. I was there for a happy hour (goes from 4 to 7pm Mon - Fri) with two friends celebrating a birthday. The drinks were $5 - pretty strong for happy hour specials. The Bumboclaat daiquiri was particularly intriguing - a little sour and had an interesting spice blend. The happy hour fries basket was a little soggy but their buffalo chicken slider definitely made up for it. The bread used was unexpected and really good - very light and toasted on the outside but soft on the inside. Highly recommended. Some things to keep in kind: -mostly rum based drinks on the menu - the kitchen was not ready to serve food from the regular menu until happy hour was over. This was a little difficult because we had arrived at 5:30 and couldn't order substantial food until past 7 -they don't always have dessert available BUT are happy to let you bring in baked goods from other places when celebrating an event Overall it was a good experience. Visit for the drinks and the cozy ambience! read more

Anchor Spa - The signature rum punch! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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Fantastic food, drink and service Great music lively, friendly DELIGHTFUL! Loved everything about Anchor Spa read more

Great people Nice spot to come through with friends and family from outta and Sow case a side of New Haven that they won't experience anywhere in Connecticut read more

Love this spot, definitely a staple in the New Haven community. However I've been going to this spot after work actively and everytime I order this specific drink they give me trouble about how it's not available. It's been on their menu for about three months and n/a for a while so I suggest them taking it off the menu but they're real reluctant to do so. Service is 3.5/5 drinks are 4.3/5 read more

Anchor Spa has a nice location and good outdoor seating, but the menu is tragically printed, like whoever designed and printed it made it on Microsoft PowerPoint and blew it up to fit a regular sized sheet of paper. It is granulated and sad. We ordered a pink G&T that was supposed to have strawberry, mint, and black pepper. The first sip tasted like straight gin and pepper -- where is the strawberry? where is the mint? The vodka beverage we tried made no mention on the menu that it would have egg white in it so *ASK QUESTIONS!* It also was extremely booze heavy with barely a whisper of the flavor components. We didn't finish our drinks before bailing out, unfortunately. I'm not sure I would go back! read more

I went here with my boyfriend for the first time tonight. I got "the color purple" for my drink and he got the "anchor mule." Both were excellent! We also got the sexy wings, shark sandwich, and shrimp & grits. The food is unbelievable. We will come back again and again! Such a great spot with awesome vibes. read more

Anchor Spa - Sexy Wings - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Excellent. We ordered the Manhattan after dark and had a great chat with the bartenders. Come here for a well made cocktail and expect an experience. Definitely a spot for cocktail enthusiasts who appreciate the art behind the drinks. read more

A true and proper cocktail bar. Came here on a Thursday night and had three of the cocktails on their menu. All of them 10 out of 10. The food was also delicious. A perfect date spot!! read more

The biscuits are delish! Soft, warm, flaky basically everything you would want in a biscuit. The egg was perfectly cooked, and they use quality cheddar and bacon. The honey butter and chili honey are great compliments. First time ordering, nice surprise and will be ordering again. read more

I went in expecting to love this place because the reviews are so amazing & their website looks professionally done with a good food & drink menu that made my mouth water. Upon arrival, I was immediately disappointed. We awkwardly stood at the door while being ignored by the only two people that seemed to be working there. They were the bartenders/waiters for the entire place (though it's not big it's still a little weird). After standing there for a few minutes unsure what to do, one of the bartenders shouted over to us "ladies take a seat wherever your asses land". Okay so I guess it's self seating, maybe it would be nice if there was a sign or something that actually said to seat yourself. After sitting down for 10 minutes we were finally approached & given water. Another 10 minutes goes by before our waiter/the bartender comes over to give us the drink menu. Immediately I realized this is not the menu I saw online. It was handwritten in blue pen on a piece of computer paper & had very limited options. It was absolutely nothing like the drink menu listed on their site. We made our drink orders anyway. Our drinks came out & they were awful, really. After drinking almost half of our drinks, our waiter finally made another appearance from out behind the bar & we asked for a food menu. When we got the food menu we finally saw the drink menu that we had seen online! We were so happy at first because we thought we would be able to order the drinks that made us choose to come to this restaurant in the first place. I asked our waiter if these drinks were available to order to which he replied no. He said they are in between management right now & they can't make those drinks. Okay...well now we are even more disappointed. A table next to us got their food long before we did & they ordered after us. The person serving their food must have seen our confused looks because on his way back to the kitchen he stopped & asks us if we ordered food as well. We tell him yes & he asks us what we ordered. So we pretty much repeat our order to him. A while passes & finally comes out our food. I'm not sure if they originally forgot about us or what. Also, I'm not sure if it was a busboy or cook or what who asked us about our food but he smelt AWFUL like B.O. A little concerning when the person who is in the kitchen smells so bad. The food was probably the only redeeming thing about this place. I read that the chef has won awards & I can see why. Although I thought it was a little strange that they they just use regular chicken wings for the chicken & waffles. The wings were really good anyway & the corn bread was delicious too. I have to mention too that there was an awful sewage smell coming from downstairs where the bathroom is. I really wanted to like this place but unfortunately it just really missed the mark for us. read more

Hubby and I are literally still sitting in our booth here at this bar. The ambience is absolutely amazing for a mellow date night and is one definitely the pleasant surprise of New Haven. Bluesy R&B live music on a Sunday(!) night and shrimp and grits to absolutely DIE for (in New England of all places!). Forget all the other bars around the downtown. Spend your night at the Anchor Spa. read more

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This has become my best restaurant in New Haven. The chef is fantastic. So is the Bartender . You must this a stop. I now go there once a week! read more

I've only had cocktails here so I'll comment on just that. Roger the bartender is a wizard with an extensive knowledge of alcoholic libations and sick mixing skills.. I'm not familiar with the old Anchor so I can't compare it as others here have. It's pleasant inside, often with a lively atmosphere. Great place for imaginative and quite delicious cocktails. read more

We ate literally every bite. Drinks are delicious, food is just as good. This was a great break from routine.

Under new management! Apparently the new thing is to wait one hour before serving any food you ordered. The new rum punch is admittedly fine, but I'm not sure it's worth the two dollar jump in price. No one brought me popcorn, apparently this is a self-serve gas station. AND this is no movie theater popcorn- definitely lacking in the butter department. I came all the way from California for the famous "sexy wings," which I know from experience to be TO DIE FOR. But alas, the new management nixed the community favorite. The replacement was TERRIBLY underwhelming, especially considering the Jack Black lookalike bartender claimed they were far superior. The new fries were nothing to write home about either, barely worth the $2 they cost. I mean, potatoes or only 50 cents at Shop Rite, amirite? Overall, the new Anchor Spa is trying to be something it's not; it can't compete with actual bougie places. The place is now a little more Yale and a little less New Haven, AND the quality has gone DOWN. Very disappointing to say the least. A local favorite is now a local non-favorite. Sorry not sorry. You did this to yourself. read more

I went to this place a few times before and really enjoyed it, so I don't know what happened. I reserved a table and went with three friends. We were seated for 1 hour and 45 minutes and only managed to receive one round of drinks. We put in an order for food which we never received (when we got the bill it wasn't on the check). The kitchen was definitely open and it wasn't super crowded. Honestly, we felt like we were bothering them by being there. I can't recommend. It's a shame because we planned on getting food, at least two rounds of drinks, and dessert! Instead, we went to another bar. read more

Anchor Spa is the alternate timeline version of the old Anchor Bar in which the bar is in front and the vodka gummy bears have been replaced with grilled pineapple. One can only assume that the "Spa" comes from some New Haven sign junkyard where one might find the "hut" from "Pizza Empire" and the article from "Bar." This alternate timeline Anchor has good, slightly sweet, slightly, but not absurdly, Caribbean themed drinks that are decently priced for the area. There is no more mermaid room for whatever you used to do there. read more

Drinks are pretty good, crab cake sandwich was tasty. Friendly staff. The place has a nice decor. read more

Anchor Spa - Bell Pepper in my drink, so original, luv it - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Quickly becoming one of my favorite spots in downtown New Haven. The drinks, especially the Manhattan After Dark, the food, the music, ambience, bartenders, specifically Tiffany and Bootleg Greg, the manager, Steve, all wonderful guys and skilled in their craft. It's a real feel good spot with 90s, 2000s, and current grooves. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Anchor Spa is a really cool chill spot to eat at. I haven't been to the"infamous" happy hour but I did have a chance to do dinner. I ordered the "the standard" which included the Creole Roasted chicken, smoked turkey collard greens and a three -cheese macaroni. It was AWESOME! The creole chicken was a bit spicy but who doesn't like spicy food? The manager was also super cool, he offered free cheesecake that I devoured lol it was rich and tasty. Overall great experience great music and great vibes... would definitely recommend read more

Anchor Spa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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It was a terrible experience a Group of friends and I waited at a table for more than 20 minutes on a water and drinks and a white couple walked in and received water within moments. They had no food in stock and gave one of my peers small chicken nugget patties with regular size buns as sliders . A complete joke of a bar for it to be located down town new haven among other such great establishments I was very surprised. read more

$15 for two tiny, shitty sliders with absolutely no redeeming qualities? The closest comparison I can come up with is McDonald's cheeseburgers. Maybe it's my mistake expecting quality food from a bar but places like Rudy's, Prime 16, Beer Collective and Elm City Social all do it fine. The fries were also depressingly limp and tasteless compared to those served at the above locations. The cocktail I got was fine (too sweet, but that's personal preference so I can't complain) but I'm so shocked by the abysmal quality of the food that I can't give anything other than one star. Quite possibly the most disappointed I've been at a New Haven restaurant, will not be coming back. Alright, the staff were nice and they provided a water pitcher without asking, which is nice. But seriously, you can easily do better in New Haven. read more

I ordered the Bag of Fried Chicken Skillet Fried Chicken with Pickled Tomato-All Spice Condiment. This was the best fried chicken I've had in a long time! read more

Saturday night at 845pm, and the most clueless bartender and staff completely unaware of any customer interaction, and no tap beers! Bartender stayed on his phone, for over 10 minutes laughing and interacting with his smart device! In addition to this, he was shaking a cocktail, that wasn't closed properly and it sprayed over all customers at the bar including the ceiling. He never apologized or offered any comments! The other bartender had no facial expressions and looked like the manager, walking around fixing this and that! The lady bartender was the only one working, and we left the bar, it was like a twilight zone episode! read more

Anchor Spa - Our clueless bartender enthralled with his smart device while neglecting customers and spraying them with drinks! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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I wish I could continue raving about this place, but I felt obligated to update my review since it's no longer the Anchor Spa I once knew. The fries and wings were a disappointment. They have limited seasoning options to choose from regarding their fries. In their attempt to revamp their menu, they threw the baby out with the bathwater. But, I still love the vibe, decor, music and people so I will be back. Unfortunately, with lower expectations. It's still a great place to meet up with friends or go on a date. read more

This bar has a very laid back vibe with a 1940s theme inside, it reminds me of the East Village in NYC. Cool decor throughout with tealight candles around the bar and tables. It's a nice spot to have a drink and relax. Anchor Spa has a very unique list of drinks along with an impressive menu of small plates. Cocktails are priced at $13 it's a bit high but well worth it. I can't wait to go back and try the food. read more

We had a great night at Anchor Spa! The bar staff was friendly and very personable, recommending great wine and having a great chat with us. It is comfortable and worth every penny. Highly recommend! read more

These guys are awesome. They make fantastic cocktails. I held an engagement party here and they took amazing care of us. I can't recommend them highly enough!! read more

If you want to get a drink where love and care was put in it then go here. Their drinks are so creative and have a nice balance of alcohol and flavor. I really enjoyed the service as well and the music. Overall a good vibe. Plus its black owned read more

Their version of the moscow mule is the best I've tried.. they use real ginger so it packs a punch! If I'm ever in the area again, I'd stop by for more of their cocktails! read more