Clams on pizza...this sounded interesting enough to try. So we ventured out to the long venerated…read more(or so I understand) joint (some lady's name Pizza) only to find the line around the block. Clam pizza? Interesting but not that interesting. I had scoured Eater's New Haven section earlier that day and seen BAR mentioned for where to get apizza. We traveled into the quaint-ish New Haven core and parked on the street. Luckily, they had just opened, so we were seated upon arrival. We got two pies: the Clam Casino and the Portrait of New Haven. The PoNH was good. The ricotta was a nice contrast to the sausage and red peppers. The Clam Casino was worth the journey by itself, however. It turns out clams on a pizza is a great idea. Large whole clams and bacon with cherry peppers? Damned right. I wasn't familiar with New Haven brand ("apizza" as I've now been told), but the char on the bottom from the wood-fired oven is crucial at holding some topping combinations to a higher echelon than others (where it deflates others): see the other-worldly good Clam Casino versus this-could-be-better-without Portrait of New Haven. Regardless, the Clam Casino would be a go-to if I lived anywhere near here. The inside is huge. We sat in the main barroom. It was warehousey, but a pool table and picnic tables for large parties gave it a cool vibe. I enjoyed watching the bar staff have to hunch under the bar opening, which doesn't hinge up, as we waited for our discs 'o dough.

Food: three stars We got two specialty pizzas a mashed…read morepotato and a New Haven. Both tasted okay and don't expect too much if you're visiting from New York. The portion was big considering the price (~$25 each). Service: one star Service was bad. The staff didn't introduce the food for us they just put the pizza on our table and walked away. Ambiance: one star We visited during Friday afternoon and there's no wait. The table was sticky and shaky. Menus were dirty with spills from drinks or sauce. Would give higher stars if service is better. The pizza itself was not bad.

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.

I loveeeedddddd the amount of games in this barcade. They have multiple player games as well as…read moreindividual player games. If you like the classic pinball, pacman and old gun slinger games this is the bar for you. I also loved the large selection of beers, but I'd also love if there was a selection of non-alcoholic drinks like sodas.

Decent spot. Beer selection includes a lot of local beers…read morewith many options I feel like everyone could find something here they like. Most of the games are kind of old, a bit of a weird and grungy vibe . Music very low and constant button mashing. We came for games but decided to just hang out , outside. Tables were old and hard to have a drink at considering the giant slits. the bartender was kind though, so that was nice. Got corn fritters that were very good and easy to share between two.

A fun dive bar with great vibes all around. I came to see Squints perform and Cafe Nine was a great…read morevenue for them to play. We also caught a few other bands performs like Seepie and Shortwave too. The volume of the mics were just right, and the crowd was energetic from start to finish. It was a packed house! We love to see it. The bar staff was also very friendly. We will be back!

Stopped in for an On & On Radio DJ night. The bar is pretty divey but I loved the set up and they…read morehave stools outside too. The bathroom is really small, I wasn't a fan of that. The stage is a pretty decent size, I'm intrigued to come back another night and see the vibes. There's a parking lot right next to the Crown St entrance which is convenient. I only got one mixed drink. It wasn't full of ice so I feel like it was pretty fair price wise. The bartender and security listened to me yap so they were cool in my book.

We had a great night at the owl bar. Chadwick was our bartender and had all great suggestions for…read moredrinks and cigars. The prices aren't bad and the drinks were excellent. Highly recommended: THE LEGIONNAIRE $13 Vanilla Vodka, Pineapple Jalapeno Shrub, Dry Sherry, Lemon, Cassis - a F r e n c h M a r t i n i w i t h a t w i s t - The old school hip hop music was on and everyone seemed to be having a great night. There was no dress code and there was a mix of age levels.

This spot is rumored for having some of the best espresso martinis in downtown New Haven -- and I'd…read moresay they live up to the hype with a solid 7 out of 10. I was a little surprised that outside water bottles weren't allowed inside, especially on such a hot day, which definitely took away from the experience a bit. Also, if you're sensitive to the smell of smoke, you might want to skip this one -- it's pretty noticeable throughout the space.

Have been to Roli twice and it's one of our new favorite spots in New Haven. Consistently great,…read moreinventive menu that's actually really reasonably priced for the quality level. Excellent service and atmosphere too. All in probably a top 5 restaurant in the city for us.

After a few spoiled years of Brooklyn dining (where even the dive bars have opinions about…read morefermentation), my husband and I have been trying to fall back in love with the New Haven food scene. We've already done the full circuit and were starting to run out of steam. Then he spotted this place on Yelp and somehow grabbed a same-day 9 pm Friday reservation. Walking in, it was buzzing. Packed, energetic, not a sleepy student crowd in sight. The space has that semi-upscale vibe that could lean sterile if not for the open kitchen and movie-theater-style board listing the specials -- quirky touch, and it works. We were seated elbow-to-elbow with two other tables (so maybe not your candlelit-date choice), but given the packed house it wasn't as loud as I thought. We ordered the burrata, beet salad, octopus, and cod. Everything had personality -- creative but balanced. The cod was steamed perfectly with a sauce that somehow managed to be both rich and delicate, and the beet salad with citrus was just so smartly done. Honestly, this is what Tavern on State wants to be: food that's actually good and inventive without tipping into try-hard territory. Hope they keep it up -- it's easily our new favorite spot. Parking's your usual parallel-street adventure, but we found a space nearby and rolled right in.

This was a suggested restaurant to check out while visiting New Haven. We entered on Wednesday…read moreevening. It was very dark and empty which was surprising. We sat inside and waited for someone to greet us. They did not have a large amount of options so we stuck to their offerings. We ordered a large tray of nachos with chicken and several appetizers. The nachos were okay but I had better. The appetizers were the better option to go with. Maybe it was a quiet night but I would have preferred some more light and better food options. The place was okay but I don't know if I will come back here on a weeknight.

Yesterday after work, I decided to head to Trinity for a late St. Patrick's Day lunch. I pulled up…read morea seat by the bar and ordered the "Corned Beef Reuben" (w/ sauerkraut & Swiss on rye bread, served w/ hand-cut fries & thousand island dressing) with a draught pour of Guinness. The sandwich was so delicious and the beer was so refreshing. There was a festive crowd and the staff were very helpful; it was a sea of green apparel and flat caps. Before leaving, I also enjoyed a "Black Velvet" (Guinness mixed with Magner's Cider) and a "Guinness 0.0". Trinity is an Elm City treasure and I hope it is around for many more years to come! Sláinte!

The food was excellent! Not what I. Would expect from a bar/restaurant…read more The menu is Southern influenced. The Fried Green Tomatoes is large enough to share. And the Corned Beef was so tender and delicious. Definitely recommend for the food and the staff was attentive. And, the price was right!!!

Rude staff and mediocre food. The food is expensive for what…read moreyou get. $14.95 for a smash burger whose toppings included Kraft cheese, mayo, and onions. It wasn't horrible, but it was small nothing special. The waitress didn't tell me switching to fries, yes fries, which should be the basic side, would cost an extra $3. The fries weren't anything special either. Waitress rolled her eyes and went to the back to whisper in her coworker's ear. I don't plan on returning any time soon.

Excellent service, excellent burgers, and excellent cocktails! A great experience over lunch,…read morewithout any wait time. We definitely recommend the burgers on english muffins, phenomenal! 100% recommended!

I was on Google Maps looking for a fun place to eat in New Haven. This place had great reviews for…read morefood choices like fried chicken and waffles. That got me interested and wanted to check it out. I saw they had a huge duck sign outside which was even more intriguing. I came in for lunch and the waitress guided me to the back. There is a wonderful dining room in the back to relax in. They have the IG section where you could take pictures in. They had wings on one side and funny neon signs on the other. There is a comic strip with a duck in the prohibition era and bringing alcohol to New Haven which was very clever. I liked the silliness vibe of the restaurant. This place must be a hit during the weekends. The waitress came by and gave me the local tips on what everything was about. There is a lot of history to this place. To order of course I got the fried chicken and waffle bites. It was $15 for two pieces. I didn't want a big meal so this did the job. To drink they had a large menu of beverages with funny names. I loved the "Unusual Ducks-pect" or the "Mango Noir." I needed something nonalcoholic for the lunch hour. There was a drink called Dubai Dusk which intrigued me. It had fresh espresso, pistachio syrup, chocolate syrup, strawberry puree, and milk. I did not know if these things would all go together but it was wonderful. It had the right mix of sweetness and caffine. It also was a good mix with the chicken and waffles. I had a great meal here and will definitely come back again when I am in New Haven!

I must say that the Hosts Keith has maintained the title hostess with the mostes! very welcoming…read morewarm and friendly. always make sure your seating is to your comfort! in addition, Carissa our Amazing waitress was out of this world!! she is so kind and attentive. made sure that we had everything to our liking , with consistent check-in's and recommendation. she also makes the perfect Margarita!! Our family always looks forward to seeing her when we attend Brunch or Happy Hour! 80 proof is the place to be! Huge shout out to the owner Sonia For her hospitality and creating an atmosphere of comfort and jo!

Another great happy hour at 80 Proof!! The wings, spinach artichoke dip, Barracuda Mac & Cheese,…read moreNachos, short rib tacos, and chicken tacos were all great, as usual!! Sonia knows how to pick top notch staff!! We were happy to see Keith, the host with the most, back for a cameo!! He's only back for the next three weekends, so get there soon before he heads back to Europe. When you go, ask for Carissa as she's the best!! She waitresses and bartends, so either way, she takes care of you with exceptional service!! The restaurant can get extremely busy and vibrant on the weekend, so it's best to make a reservation.