I was meeting a friend who I'd never met in person before, and I was looking for somewhere sort of "in the middle" where we could meet, had a diverse enough menu, and would not put us in the poor house. I've never actually been there before, but the menu looked like it had a diverse number of options for anyone's tastes, was not wildly overpriced, and to be honest, as a walker as opposed to a frequent driver, I've always been fascinated by the "tables for ladies" ad on the window. Hey, I'm a lady - and so is she - so there will certainly be a table for us! We chose to eat outside, which was perhaps not the best decision, as it is just loud there in the middle of the day, which is no fault of the restaurant's, but my friend did ask the waiter if they could possibly lower the music being piped into the outdoor seating area more than once, as it was already loud enough from the street traffic, and that request was not accommodated. Meh, I can let it slide, even though he could have just said, "no, we can't do that" instead of saying, "yes, of course" each time. Honesty is always the best policy, right? I ordered the veggie wrap with fries - which is a rare splurge for me - and it was perfectly cooked with a well-balanced flavors, properly grilled, marinated just enough, not overstuffed and everything stayed together through the whole meal - which is an A+ right there. It was large and I reheated the other half the next day, and same thing - it was just as good as it was when it was fresh from the kitchen. I've kind of been craving it since I had it. I am usually not a mayo fan at all, notoriously so, but their pesto mayo knocked it out of the park -- and I absolutely love that they serve it on the side, as I find , by default, many restaurants over-sauce anything - and even order burgers with ketchup on the side, as I prefer to taste the sandwich not the sauce, which is meant to complement, not overpower. The fries were shoestring, and yet perfectly cooked and not overly, nor under salted - and not a burnt one was in sight. Just based on this dish, it is clear they take care and pay attention to detail in their kitchen and I definitely would go back. My dining partner also had a wrap she loved, and had cole slaw with hers. We shared the fries and cole slaw. I loved the addition of cilantro to the slaw, but that was the one dish I found to be somewhat lacking -- it was a bit dry. I took the leftovers home, added a little extra mayo, a dab of ground mustard, and the tiniest bit of white vinegar (proportionate to the amount left) and served it as a side with a burrito I made my husband for dinner. He loved it. As those ingredients are the basic core of my cole slaw recipe, I think they gave me a new recipe to work with when I am making a slaw to go with Mexican food, as it worked SO well. (I also tied it together with a squeeze of lime - because what goes better with cilantro than lime?) Nonetheless, it was inspired of their chef(s) to add cilantro to cole slaw -- and I wish I had thought of it. Thank you for that inspiration to wow my Mexican relatives! I will be back and can't wait to see what other treasures are on their menu. I most unfortunately have an allergy to all fish and shellfish, so there are things I cannot try -- which is a running issue for me anywhere I go -- but I know there are many great meals there ahead of me. read more

Well what a great burger and Rueben sandwich this evening. Haven't been here in years, good beer and service. They do it well!!

Walking around Norwalk and we decided to stop in for a bite to eat and enjoy the sunset. The server was attentive and friendly. The New England clam chowder was one of the best that we've ever had. Crab cake, rice and veggies was very good and a big portion. My husband really liked his burger. Everything was delish. Would definitely stopping again based on this visit. Only wish there was more lighting on the patio. We couldn't really even see our food read more

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SONO! So Yes! Donovan's has been around for a very long ass time! Yup! What I write here won't make a difference BUT I am being honest. 1. The staff: smiles, warmth and energetic. Our waitress Melissa was everything you want. Attentive,,smiles and friendly. 2. The Food: My burger was cooked just the way I asked: medium. The taste was great! I did have blue cheese and the burger flavor was not diminished and shined. The blue cheese was authentic, real and vieny! My wife had the salmon burger and thought it was very good. Gave it a 88. 3. The cost: decent! 16 for blue cheese burger. My only dissatisfaction was the lemonade: it tasted like. powdered mix concoction. They should use real lemonade made from lemons. Add 1.09 to price. would be worth it. When in SONO, don't forget to go to the little train museum on the same street. "Sono Switchtower Museum". Free and well worth the visit if you have kids who like or love trains. Adults too! Fascinating! would be a 5 stars if real lemonade read more

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Service was good. Ordered Philly Cheesesteak sliders, Pulled Pork sliders and our third friend ordered some meat wrap. All of them consisted of meat that was tough and inedible.... Almost like it was the end of the supply, over cooked, dried out, etc.... Like tough jerky....: I gave up after one of my four sliders, friends dismantled theirs to find soft enough meat to eat, without success. Found it strange that the server never questioned why so much of the meal was left on the plates... Beer was good and fries were excellent. Will definitely not be returning. read more

Crème brûlée cheesecake = cheesecake with grape jelly, this is not giving crème brûlée at all. -_- read more

Donovan's - Crème brûlée cheesecake = cheesecake with grape jelly - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Got there a little early for lunch. They were still setting up and they were forward and said that they just needed 30min to be ready. But they still got us drinks and took our order. Nice kitchen was ready food came right out and we were served! No issues. We all got burgers of various degree of "cookness" ha ha ha. All were actually on point. Hats off to the chef on this one. I wanted med rare and the other two were Med and well. I was worried that mine would be overcooked!! So I asked for Rare. And guess what. We all actually got what we asked for. Ha ha ha. Fries and onion rings. Yummy! Service was friendly and prices were fine. I will continue to visit this place!!! Yes!!!! Two thumbs up!!! read more

Is it wrong of me to assume lettuce and tomato should be expected on a sandwich?? I was shocked to see that each item (LTO) was $0.50 extra. When the sandwich came out, it had a jet black eyelash on the side of the plate, and my shirley temple that I ordered tasted like static with one drop of old tasting grenadine. I know this is an irish pub but wow. Disappointed is an understatement. read more

So in SoNo the best place for a full meal at a reasonable price. Local crowd with pleasant servers that all have a great attitude. Sam at the bar is the best. I would recommend going on Fridays and Sundays to sit at the bar because Sam is personable, pleasant, and attentive. I would recommend not sitting at the bar on Thursday or Saturday nights as the bar tender seems to want to berate and abuse all his customers. Not a friendly server....this guy doesn't need tips, I guess... So come for the food but sit at a table so you can enjoy the wonderful food and local interactions. read more

Absolutely great local bar with very solid food. Servers are warm and it's an overall easy place to spend some time. Quite a few TVs so whatever game you want to catch is likely on and the crowd is fun but not obnoxious. My go to's are the sliders, blacked fish sandwich or any of the soups. Go check this place out. read more

Better than your average Irish pub (by a little). Solid burger, NE clam chowder, etc. Have a couple of brewskys and it's all good!

The food was really good. We got a burger, chili, clam chowder, and kids sliders. My kids said their sliders were the best they've ever had. Haha. Staff was super nice. And location was great. read more

Cozy pub, super friendly staff, & open for lunch ! Their "famous clam chowder" is also rightly so - one of the best I have ever had - now in my top 10! read more

I wanted to have a Lobster Roll before leaving Ct and Donovan's did not disappoint! I had it cold with a side of coleslaw and just finished the entire meal! Fantastic!!! The lobster was seasoned perfectly where it did not overpowered by supporting ingredients like the chopped onions. The coleslaw was equally constructed well, balanced flavors with a hint of cilantro which I loved! I wish I took a photo, lol, didn't make it! Highly recommended! read more

Loved! The atmosphere was cozy and authentic, with great vibe. The food was tasty and comforting. The staff made us feel right at home. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

I called and made a reservation for 6pm on a Saturday night for the only low table in this place for 6pm for a large group of 10 people. That afternoon I found out that 2 people were not going to make it, so trying to do the right thing I called and said to reduce the party to 8. Two of us arrived a little early (5:35pm) and were told that they had just sat a party of 4 within the our total table need but that they would be done "shortly". At 5:57 all members of our party arrived. Yet the party of 4 had not yet been served their food... So at 6:12pm I approached the manager, with my voice a little too loud for his liking and was asked if I wanted to take it outside and there was no need to raise my voice. Well this just infuriated me more so I started to walk outside, but the coward changed his tune and didn't follow me... hummm??? So don't bother wasting your time or energy to make a reservation at the place it won't be honored and you will be made out to be in the wrong. Very disappointing and would never recommend this place read more

Donovan's quality is still high! The NE clam.chowder is still delicious. The crab cakes we ordered were a bit bland, but had a lot of crab in them. The mussels in white wine were very good. No bread came with it though and the dish came with a soup spoon (?). Our waitress bought over a plate of toasted bread upon request and I was happy as could be sopping up the yummy broth with it. DH and I had drinks and his Donovans 1/2 tea and 1/2 lemonade was very weak and my Bacardi Rum Punch was so strong I asked for.more fruit juice. Maybe 2 different bartenders made our drinks? Overall, we will.definity go back again this summer. read more

Donovan's - Clam.chowder still awesome.after all these years! - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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Girlfriend and I spent a couple days Around Norwalk and surrounding town. Stumbled on to Donovan's. I had the shepherds pie, which was delicious. Girlfriend Had the fish and chips. Also said they was delicious. Service was great. Staff was very friendly went back. The next day sat outside. Had a couple drinks,highly recommend this place. read more

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I love this place I am a local. A hard local to this place as I never really see feel denying great vibes in a restaurant setting anymore. Great food great spot excellent staff:) read more

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Best rims in the world. I hope the Roadsmary's baby keg never kicks, the Oktoberfest wienerschnitzel never sells out. read more

Donovan's - BEER - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Had an okay meal here. The service was super super slow. I was one of only two customers. I had Potato cakes for Oktoberfest and they lacked seasoning. They were piping hot and once I added salt they improved. I had the Santa Fe salad with blackened salmon. It was very good and the greens tasted very fresh the salmon was blackened very well with a nice flavor. read more

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It's a nice old school tavern ambiance. The service was great.The food at Donovan's was good, especially the calm chowder. I also ordered the Shepard's pie, which was good, but there was no pie crust, rather it was replaced with mashed potato. Overall, it was nice, I would invite a friend over to try out the food here in South Norwalk. read more

Donovan's - Shepherd 's Pie - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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Setting the scene: The establishment was clean. They sat people social distant, which was appreciated. The music was a mixture of 90's hits. Well lit, lots of mirrors for anyone wanting to have a nice selfie setting. To bE fair for my order, I was looking for something light and heathy and that's exactly what it was. The cob salad was solid. I didn't need to order the dressing on the side, it came that way, which also I was thankful for. It was twice as much as I would have needed. Very much what was advertised and came out quickly. The service was very helpful. They cleared anything within a couple minutes of finishing plates and were there to refill water and beverages as soon as those were downed as well. We went during a slow time, which is very my speed, but walked by during dinner and it was both bumping and smelled delicious. Weather permitting I'd highly recommend sitting outside! read more

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I have been craving Donovan's clam chowder for a few weeks so my wife, son and I went tonight. Got a table with no problem, wasn't always the case in the past but now with outdoor seating there is plenty of space. I ordered a bowl of clam chowder and the Maryland crab cake appy, my wife had the bowl of mussels in white wine sauce (red wine, fra diavolo were the other choices) and a side of fries, my son had Buffalo wings and mac&cheese balls. My clam chowder did not live up to my memories and those memories go back to '94. It had plenty of clams and potatoes and consistency was the same but it was lacking something. Even after adding black pepper it was still lacking something. Maybe just a bad day. The Maryland crab cakes had plenty of crab and seasoning but it was overprocessed so the crab was broken down and the crab flavor wasn't there. My son said the wings are still one of the best around. He ranks them as #2 in Norwalk. He also saidvThe mac&cheese balls were bland. If not for using them to mop up the Buffalo sauce he would not have finished them. My wife enjoyed her mussels but had to ask for bread to mop up all the sauce. The waitress was very attentive and checked multiple times on us but the busboy and runners were disruptive. Reaching across everyone to put the food down and constantly asking if we were done with a plate. Overall it was ok but now need to search out another go to place for chowder. read more

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This place has Amazing food, high end, quality pub food. wings excellent. Chili was spectacular. Reuben excellent as well! read more

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Enjoyed a late Saturday dinner at Donovan's at their outdoor patio. The staff was able to accommodate our party of two almost immediately. Their menu does not disappoint with an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. For seafood lovers, they have an additional menu of summer seafood specials. The cucumber cooler was a much needed refresher with a splash of lime and mint for extra flavor. My burger was cooked perfectly with a side Caesar salad. We topped off our dinner with the limoncello layer cake which was light and flavorful. The staff was very kind and attentive with multiple staff members checking in on us to ensure our needs were met throughout the night. Can't wait to go back! read more

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I tried this little spot today with my father. We loved it. It was lunch time so it was a little bit busy but it was all right. The food was delicious. The ambiance was really cool and had like old time boxers on the walls. I would definitely go back again. read more

This was the worst restaurant I think I've ever been too. 1. Waiter didn't understand a word I said. I asked for 24 wings, he said we have 16 or 24 not 34. 2. Wings were overpriced, overcooked, dry and cheap. The meat was brown, the bones cracked, and way way over cooked. 3. The calamari. Soggy, flavorless, and extremely small portion for the price. 4. We were sat down, then a child screaming while his mother was playing on her phone, was next to us. Made sure they had their food and drinks and catered to them. 5. No drink specials with prices listed. 6. Manager I believe it was, licked her hand and didn't wash her hands. 7. Costed $87 and didn't even want to eat this food. 8. Asked for bacon cheeseburger, medium rare. Got a plain cheeseburger well done. Complete garbage. Never again. Currently sitting in my car because a screaming brat was more entitled to service than paying customers. I usually tip the bill, this was the worst service and food I've ever had. read more

Donovan's - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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I came here specifically to try the shepherds pie as it's not a common item on many menus. The mashed potatoes were buttery, and the meat was flavorful. The peas, carrots, and corn added nice texture. The weight staff was friendly and responsive. They also have good taste in music, and the ambience is nice. It seems like a great place to come with friends. My only critique is that I wished the shepherds pie came with more mashed potatoes, and crispier on top. read more

Donovan's - Shepherd 's Pie - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Second time coming here after visiting the aquarium with our family and they have great pub food and beers. The wings were crisp and had a flavorful Buffalo sauce. The service was very friendly and accommodating. Nothing like a good meal and drink after a day out with the kids! read more

Donovan's - Meat The Reubens Sandwich - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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Came here for a Sunday afternoon. It wasn't busy when we got there maybe only 2 more tables. Nice little spot. Irish pub vibes. Clean. Our server (who I think may have also been our bartender) was nice and he even accommodated a request after we already had our food. Chicken ceased wrap wasn't bad. French onion soup was REALLY GOOD. Got a cup and wish I had gotten the bigger size. Prices are good. Drinks were okay. Simple read more

Donovan's - Inside - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Service was good. Food was great. I ordered the the chili and corn beef sandwich. It was very good. I did over hear though a woman that works there talking about removing door dash and another delivery service because they don't get commission for it. That is a big mistake. Door dash and Uber you don't give you commission but you do get an increase of business we're you didn't have it before because you never offered delivery. Coming from the restaurant business myself her way of thinking is not good for business. These services only allow the driver to pick up 2 orders at a time which means you get your food faster and it's warmer. If they delivered themselves their driver would take up to 4 orders and not make it on time to the destination and the food would be cold. Please rethink what you are trying to do. read more

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Solid long established pub in SoNo. Food ( wings, chowder, burgers plus Santa Fey salad) all delicious! Service was perfect along w/ a nice draft selection completes the a entertaining meal. Ck it OUT! read more

I used to like the clam chowder but I recently got a quart for 21.00 and it was sour!! The soup had already separated and was very liquidity in consistency. How could you serve that to someone knowing it was not any good!!! read more

The food was amazing. I substituted chips and had the mixed veggies with garlic! Awesome!! Hubby had the chips. Everything was fresh and delicious. I also had the side salad which was huge! We delivered a boat up the road... this was a good fine!! Thank you for a delicious meal and nice relaxing time! Team Redmond read more

Donovan's - Fish and mixed veggies - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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We were there for a late lunch on a Tuesday. The sun put a glow in the front windows and illuminated the wood and Irish pub interior. It was quiet (probably very unlike later in the day) and the server and bartender were friendly and relaxed. Food was good and reasonably priced. We had clam chowder and lobster roll (which had a toasted potato roll, warm lobster salad lightly dressed with thinly sliced celery and purple onion). So was the red ale. Nice lunch break for us before walking in Veterans Park. read more

Great service. The bar is nice and the servers are nice and prompt! The place has a nice vibe. I got the mussels, well cooked but the sauce lacked flavor. read more

Amazing! Great bar food taken to another level! Had steamers (so fresh) and a lobster roll stuffed to the brim with fresh lobster. Service was spot-on, as well. read more

Donovan's - OH MY GOODNESS!!!! Such a great meal outside in the sunshine! Food, beer and awesome service. - American Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

12 of us off a Senior bus showed up 1 hour early for a lunch reservation. Although busy they seated us all and 4 of us opted to eat at the bar. Great personality by the owner/bartender. Got a cup of the clam chowder- very good and the steamers- great portion. Took a corned beef Reuben home for dinner - also great. Would go again if ever in downtown Norwalk. (We also received a 10% discount by showing our Maritime Museum wrist bands) read more

Two thumbs up for the fish and chips. So tasty and light (fish) Oh the clam chowder is top notch! Great bartenders and service