We stopped in for apps on a Saturday afternoon. We ordered a glass of wine, ceviche, and skewers…read more We sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly, full of energy, and efficient. The ceviche was excellent, everything was cooked throughout by the citrus. The portion size is small for $19 and it could have used a side of bread or tortillas to soak up the delicious citrus based broth. The skewers were also excellent. They were cooked perfectly, super tender, juicy and flavorful. They cooked them with a seasoning and had a delicious chimi on top.

On a recent visit to New Haven to see an exhibition at the Yale Center for British Art, we hoped to…read morehave dinner at one of our favorite restaurants (Barcelona Wine Bar), but they were fully booked with a Yale event. In a display of restaurant solidarity , they recommended that we try Vinas Wine & Tapas. As it turned out, we have a NEW favorite in New Haven! We arrived a bit early and were cheerfully greeted by Mike G, our server. The atmosphere was welcoming and relatively quiet, since their musical offering does not start as early as our 5:00-7:00 PM time slot on a Tuesday. We had asked for the waiter Christian because he had been mentioned in several of the Yelp reviews, but Mike proved that the service compliments should go to everyone. First, the tapas: We enjoyed all five of the tapas we chose. The "Calamares" were lightly battered and crispy. The Vinas salad was fresh, with tomatoes, cheese, corn, and croutons. The pork belly was delicious and more meaty than expected . The oyster mushrooms were presented with onion crisps. The baked birria empanada was stuffed with brisket style beef. Each of these "courses" was a unique delight to the palate, and for me and my partner, it was completely satisfying. In keeping with the spirit of a "wine bar," Vinas offered a flight of 4 wines in 3 ounce glasses, and after hearing about our food choices and wine preferences, Mike chose the wines for us, giving us a chance to taste some less familiar offerings. We had the Felino Malbec 2024 (Argentina), which became our favorite for its full-bodied and deep flavor. Our second wine was a unique Don Abel (private label) from Wallingford CT, made by one of the relatives of the owner, specially for Vinas. This one reminded us of the local wines one might receive in a B&B in the Loire Valley in France. The final two wines were both from Chile: Reserva Carmenere 2023 and Cabernet Sauvignon Marques de Casa Concha 2022. Both were excellent wines. It was great fun to have Mike choose the wines for us, and we really enjoyed the variety that the flight offerings gave to us. Of course, we had to try a dessert, and Mike recommended the Toffee Cake. We had heard that the owner claimed that some people cried with joy after eating it. Although we restrained ourselves, we had to agree that this was an extraordinary conclusion to a fabulous meal. Overall, this was a great experience for us, and we heartily recommend Vinas Wine Bar and Tapas for a relaxing and welcoming dinner. Some reviews I had read suggested that the portions were too small for the price. I have to disagree. My partner and I love food, and this was plenty. And the price was reasonable. Including tip and tax, we spent about $75 each.

This is a very delayed review as I visited over the summer. Our party of 4 visited on an early…read moreSaturday evening and was able to be seated right away. The vibe is very much dark and moody. They were setting up for what looked like a guest DJ of sorts? Once the DJ started their music, it was VERY loud which was a little disappointing. We didn't try any of the food. We did try some of the cocktails though and they were all great. Also tried the paper bag beer because we couldn't resist the mystery. The beers were 16oz cans of craft beers. not bad! Overall, really liked the place!

Very moody, vibey lounge, restaurant, and bar in downtown New Haven. Stopped in before a late…read moredinner nearby on a Wednesday night around 6. There are couches in corners, tables, and bar seating. Only the bar tender seemed to be serving so service was very slow. I liked the aesthetic and Dj Kamakaze provided tunes or else I'd give a lower rating. Would return for an evening outing, good place to get lost.

My wife and I were in New Haven for a concert. We had tried the Stamford location previously and…read moreloved it. This location felt larger but was still an intimate setting for a date night. Our waitress Diana was pleasant and professional and made helpful recommendations. My wife enjoyed a wine flight of sparkling wine, Chardonnay, and Malbec. We selected two cheeses and a sausage for a light start. High quality, enjoyed the cheese with the flowers on the rind. I probably should have slowed the pace of ordering but everything was so tempting. Chickpeas, broccoli, spicy meatballs, honey nut squash, and patatas bravas were all awesome! The "half" paella was huge and we probably should have went with a lighter choice, that said it was still excellent and we finished the rice the next day as leftovers. I would have had the olive oil cake because it's outstanding but was too full and went with an excellent double espresso instead. Glad we went to Barcelona Wine Bar!

Came here for the first time for my brother and sister-in-law's rehearsal dinner, and WOW. 10/10…read moreacross the board! Every dish was phenomenal, but the standouts were the mussels (that chorizo-sofrito broth is insane; dip the bread), ham croquetas, meatballs, flank steak, chicken thigh, potatoes with salsa and a garlic aioli( patatas bravas) corn ribs, and crispy broccoli (super spicy). Wash it all down with their sangria; legitimately one of the best in CT.

Yummy restaurant with a great patio. They have heat lamps outside, but it is so hot in the summer…read morethat we did not want to use them. The patio area is very pretty and set off the street so that you don't have people bugging you while you eat The brussels sprout salad was amazing as people say. Lots of truffle goodness and the risotto cake. The mushroom pappardelle was good, I got it without the chicken. The bread and butter here is also very delicious. And I enjoyed a mocktail on a hot day. The coconut Mojito tasted like the real thing. Definitely a great little escape the hectic of New Haven!

I hadn't been to Harvest Wine Bar & Restaurant in New Haven in quite a while, so it was nice…read morestopping back in before seeing a play at Yale Repertory Theatre. We went around 7 PM and were seated immediately without reservations, which was a pleasant surprise for a Friday evening. It wasn't quite warm enough for the patio, but the inside still had a cozy atmosphere that worked perfectly for a pre-theater bite. My cousin ordered the crab cake, and I went with the Brussels sprouts and risotto Parmesan tater tots. We were really just looking for a few appetizers before the show, but everything hit the spot. The Brussels sprouts were flavorful and paired with thick savory slices of bacon, while the risotto Parmesan tater tots were crispy, cheesy, and hard to stop eating with the dipping sauce. Service was friendly, food came out quickly, and overall it was a relaxed and enjoyable experience before heading over to Yale Rep. Definitely reminded me why Harvest has been a longtime New Haven favorite.

We were on our way back home and wanted to give New Haven spots another try…read more The usual spots had a line of people. We laughed at them and moved on. We don't do lines. Found this spot and were glad we did. Pizza was absolute perfect. We tried 3 different pies.

Delicious FRESH food! 4.5/5.0. I wish Yelp would allow for the .5 in reviews! Went here yesterday…read moreto meet up with an old friend. We had the ricotta and honey on toast, meatballs, prosciutto/mozzarella to start, some white wine and of course PIZZA! The pizza was light and cooked perfectly. We had the Dolce Salato and the Diavolina. We loved the Dolce Salato! The Diavolina was good, but I think some more spicy salami or maybe an additional spicy component would have been a good addition to the pizza. It needed just a little bit more on the flavor side. But still everything here is high quality and I would recommend! Service was excellent. We were immediately seated and had the option to sit inside or outside. I first sat inside, then we moved to a larger table outside. What I really appreciated as a new mom, was their openness and flexibility for coming in with a stroller. I was nervous to be a burden to the restaurant, but they were super accommodating. Thank you On room for improvement, I think on a hot day, having the inside space being much much cooler, than the outdoor seating (especially for newborns/really young kids/elderly) would be beneficial. Yesterday it was cool inside to start (and remember I chose to move outside), but they started to leave the front door open to allow for easy movement of staff and guests between inside and outside, which made the indoor space get warmer over time. And I totally get that for the ease of movement for staff/guests, but maybe consider keeping it super cool on the inside, so that kiddos/elderly have a cool space on a really hot day to not overheat. The vibe here is great. Chill, warm and light! Come with family and/or friends and enjoy!

Dined at Skappo to celebrate our anniversary. Genuinely one of the most memorable dining…read moreexperiences of our lives. The ambiance is so cozy and makes you feel like you're in an Italian home. We had the stuffed fig dish, momma's Sunday sauce, The lasagna, and risotto with pistachio. Everything was simply perfect, full of flavor, and brought me straight back to my travels in Italy. The stuffed fig dish especially should win awards. This place is truly a gem that's owned by a kind and passionate family, and that's evident from the moment you walk in. The service isn't just great, it's literally like being invited into an Italian home for Sunday dinner. During our meal, the grandmother came out from the kitchen to introduce her adorable grandson (~8 years old?) who was helping out tonight around the restaurant and to thank everyone for coming. We've never felt this much love at a restaurant ever before, and we cannot wait to come back to try the rest of the menu (and the fig dish again), and keep coming back for more. Thank you Skappo for a wonderful dinner and evening! Please keep doing what you're doing - the world needs more of places like Skappo.

Can't stop thinking about this place, the food!! Best pasta I've ever had. Very authentic and warm…read morefamily running the place. Live in NJ but want to make trip to go back

After a garbage week of snow, freezing cold and work stress we wanted to try somewhere new for…read morehappy hour. I've been wanting to try Manjares for drinks and a bite since I already know how good their baked goods are for breakfast. Tonight was our chance despite traffic jams on the Parkway and snow drifts that makes parking everywhere in New Haven a treasure hunt. Decor is beautiful, ambiance is chill and relaxing. Very reminiscent of Olea without the downtown hustle and bustle. Menu is small yet carefully curated with something for everyone. We came specifically for potatoes bravas, one of our favorites. Saw it on the menu online but was told it was no longer available. Our server, Tabitha, suggested some Yucca fries which was not on the menu but she made a request to the kitchen for us. They were delicious and honestly if they were in the menu we would've ordered that as well. Fried calamari was seasoned and fried to absolutely tender perfection. The coating was light and crispy. My wife loved the aioli and picked onion combo on it. I preferred the lemon. Both of us decided to get a pasta course, bolognese and carbonara. For a non-Italian place to cook both of these dishes with such perfection blew us away. Flavorful bolognese that wasn't drenched in tomato sauce coated the al dente rigatoni perfectly. The carbonara was rich and savory with a little pepper accented by the guanciale. My wife had issues finishing ir and I suggested taking it home. She then finished it out of spite I believe. For $25 each, the pasta dishes were both satisfying without making you feel so full and bloated that you needed a wheelbarrow to get you back to the car. Plenty of food for even the biggest eater. Well worth the money. The attention to depth of flavors was evident. These were not some thrown together pasta dishes. Our compliments to the chef. Tabitha was great. Her cocktails were fantastic. She was attentive without being intrusive and has a great sense of humor. We are definitely coming back.

What a lovely evening! It felt like being in someone's warm home, surrounded by beautiful artwork…read morecreated by Miguel Trelles, one of the owners. He and his lovely wife Ana have created a little haven in the neighborhood. The food was excellent-- my friends and I enjoyed the fried artichoke salad, grilled octopus, crispy calamari, the branzino and the carbonara. Everything came out either with a bright sauce, perfect vegetables or out of the ordinary accompaniments (like pickled onions with the calamari!). Delicious! And our server Tabitha took such good care of us to top it all off! A great start to the weekend.

We've eaten here before so it was a known "great place" to go to celebrate an early Father's Day…read moredinner. I'll try to keep this short: the appetizers, the main courses, the drinks and the service were all exceptional! Not a bad plate in the bunch. Our server, Brendan, was knowledgeable and explained the items we had questions about. The octopus and salad appetizers were tasty and served separately so our table wasn't overcrowded with food and dishes. The main courses (a very large burger, a mushroom and ravioli dish and a spicy porgy and rice offering) were cooked to perfection and looked very enticing on each plate. We had booked for a table in the outdoor garden area which was a little misleading in that our table ended up being in the little alleyway exiting into the street but that was okay as the night was comfortable weather-wise. Dessert was a shared tiramisu served in a ramekin. Thought it might have been a little small for the cost but it was tasty and devoured in very short order. At no point did we feel rushed or forgotten which is no mean feat considering the size of the crowd both inside and out last night. Kudos to the chef and staff for a very enjoyable meal and evening out. Definitely worth a visit, highly recommend this place for ambience, food quality, and attentiveness of service. Stop reading, make a reservation, and just go!

I really don't want to write this review. I've been here twice in the last 4 months. I'm allergic…read moreto seafood and fish and it seems as if so many entrees, including a steak dish, contain seafood. Overall, the food was fine, a bit pretentious but fine. The dining room was so loud esp when the bartenders were shaking drinks as if they were starring with Tom Hanks in "cocktail" We had the pea salad which was very fibrous and chewy (a 10 second Blanche wouldn't hurt) and the burger was tasty but served with frozen French fries, and way too much of them. Considering the style of menu, frozen fries don't belong on the menu. The fish was overcooked and dry. Overall, it's an inconsistent experience. Dinner for 3 was $200 with 1 shared app, 2 burgers and the fish course plus 3 drinks.

Food was incredible. We had a reservation but we showed up a little early and were seated…read moreimmediatel. Our server Hannah was warm and pleasant. This was our first time coming here on a friends recommendation and I will 100% come back again.

Went here for brunch with a party of 10 and got there right when they opened. We tried a lot of…read moredifferent plates at our table and everything was delicious. They have some unique brunch options. The breakfast risotto was my personal favorite. The breakfast pizzas were good but definitely heavy on the salt. One negative is that there was no kids menu so I wouldn't consider the place very kid friendly. Server was on top of everything. Service: 9.5/10 Food: 8.9/10

Bambi was incredible, great service and so knowledgeable about the beer selection. She made our…read moreexperience really special!

Perfect dining experience. The ECS flight was super fun, shareable plates were great, and our…read moreserver Sam was very accommodating when I forgot to mention a discount we had. Will visit again.