Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Duffy's Tavern

    4.4 (101 reviews)
    ModerateIrish Pub
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Duffy's Tavern Photos

    DUFFY'S TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    Recommended Reviews - Duffy's Tavern

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Handsome atmosphere!
    Michael P.

    A+ for atmosphere and service! Duffy's is an attractive venue, with little Tiffany-style lights on the tables and the requisite Red Sox pictures you'd expect in an East Coast Irish-style pub-restaurant. We ordered two apps: The Thai sweet and hot chicken fingers and the nachos with an extra of seasoned ground beef. They came out right away. Our server was friendly and attentive. The chicken was delicious. It was perfectly fried and crispy, and the Thai sweet pepper sauce was extraordinary. The nachos were a letdown. The chips were a store-bought variety, and not even a name brand. Think Walmart "Great Value" chips. Little care was taken in assembling the dish. Only about 50% of chips had any cheese or meat on them; the rest were naked. The "seasoned" ground beef, an extra $5, tasted entirely unseasoned. And the whole thing was topped with a generous helping of WTF shredded lettuce. Back to the drawing board on those nachos, Duffy. I will say the best thing about the nachos dish was the house salsa, which was rich in garlic. We'll go back. It's a welcoming, friendly place with great service and an attractive atmosphere. Ain't gonna order those nachos again, though.

    Happy Hour food
    Matthew L.

    Duffy's Tavern is an Irish pub that opened in West Haven, Connecticut in 1983. It was founded by restaurateur John Walsh. Although the pub has only been open since the 1980s, it seems like it is much older. That has to do with the fact that Walsh collected several antiques and historic bar memorabilia to decorate the interior of the pub. There's a refrigerator carved entirely out of wood, thick wooden booths, stained glass lamps, and several framed photos from West Haven's history (especially of the former Savin Rock Amusement Park: Connecticut's answer to Coney Island). Duffy's offers a variety of bar appetizers, burgers & sandwiches, soups, salads, and old-school tavern dishes like Fish & Chips, Meatloaf, Hot Roast Beef, and Shepherd's Pie. Walsh retired in 2002 and since then Duffy's has been run by his son Chris: a successful restaurateur in his own right. I have worked in West Haven for 15 years and I have visited Duffy's several times during that time period. It's a great place to go for lunch, dinner, or happy hour (not to mention St. Patrick's Day). Some of my favorite bites to order include their Irish Nachos, Wings, Quesadillas, or one of their many delicious burgers and sandwiches. Of course I always have to pair their food with a nice cold pint of Guinness to wash everything down. My most recent visit there was for a Happy Hour that my job sponsored. Some of the bites that everyone was treated to included a charcuterie platter, Buffalo chicken tenders, Penne ala Vodka, and Pub House Meatballs. Between the historic decor, the friendly staff, the cold beer, and the great food, it's always a good time at Duffy's!

    Pumpkin martini
    Stacey A.

    We just couldn't pass through without a stop at Duffy's. Today was all about the Pumpkin Martini. It's only around for a short time. Honestly the best I've had anywhere, and that is a huge compliment. I am an everything pumpkin girl. Chris infuses the vodka himself. Perfect blend of spices and the cream makes it a delectable treat. I wish this was on the menu all year round. We stopped for 1 but who am I kidding one was just not enough. So while my boyfriend was busying talking to some of the other patrons I ordered a second one. Shhh don't tell him. Lol I should have bought the premade ones to go home. He bottles and sells them for you to take. We already are planning on coming back for Black Friday for a couple more. Fingers crossed he doesn't run out. And thinking this time I'm definitely going to purchase the ones to go. Run don't walk if your a pumpkin spice lover you must try the martini.

    the outside of the restaurant
    Chris G.

    What a find in West Haven. The place looks amazing with plenty of seating and en extremely friendly staff, all of whom welcome you as you enter. We sit at the bar for an early dinner and the bartender (and owner) Chris takes care of us. Great bar with great selection on tap and in the fridge and, of course everything else in between. There are more specials tonight than there are items on the regular menu. The regulars and one of the staff throw out their top picks....Stuffed Clams (which look amazing), meatloaf and more. We shared a burger and the fish and chips. Both amazing. Plenty of off street parking, great service, great food...a winner in West Haven.

    Jen C.

    This was my first trip to Duffy's to check out their Corned Beef and Cabbage. We started out with some Guinness and Irish Mules and nachos. For dinner, we had Duffy dogs and corned beef and cabbage. Everything was delicious and well seasoned. Their booths are high so it felt pretty safe in there for my first experience in a restaurant since COVID. We finished it off with a Rockside Brownie in which the ice cream and whipped cream were cold and the brownie was perfectly warm. I will definitely come back!

    Lunch with my friend

    See all

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Michael P.
    110
    11
    14

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alexis G.
    103
    26
    6

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ron N.
    67
    7
    0

    5 months ago

    Food was amazing. Especially the chowder. Great drinks as well. Exactly what you're looking for in an Irish bar in New England.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jan B.
    2776
    500
    1176

    6 years ago

    Helpful 21
    Thanks 0
    Love this 15
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tom S.
    0
    10
    1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    I love Duffys. Great people. Food and drink is consistently good. Great neighborhood spot

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Doug F.
    21
    42
    5

    17 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    18 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Duffy's Tavern

    Review Highlights - Duffy's Tavern

    I tried the "Duffy Burger" during my first visit and can unequivocally state that Duffy's knows how to make a good burger.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    BAR

    BAR

    3.9
    (1.5k reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    Pizza is decent, just dont try to modify it. Asked and paid for extra cheese and pepperoni on a…read moretake out pie. Got home no extra cheese or pepperoni. Paid for the extra toppings in good faith that I would not get ripped off, and... got ripped off. Expect to do the staffs job and verify you got what you paid for.

    Between Frank Pepe's and BAR, my friend, a Yale student, prefers the latter, and as a mere tourist,…read moreI deferred the decision to her. Man, so glad I did. We arrived on a Monday around peak dinner time, but there was essentially no wait (apparently uncommon according to my friend -- just a delightful consequence of dining at a college town during the summer). We split a medium pizza (1/2 elote mexican street corn and 1/2 bbq brisket), proving to be more than enough for two plus a more than ample amount of leftovers. Recently, I've gravitated toward thinner pizzas, a far cry from the typical Detroit (foccacia-esque) style pizzas I used to prefer, and BAR's pizza is akin to a flatbread yet very thin, another fallen angel to the GLP's. The undercarriage boasts a brilliant crust, almost cracker-like. However, it should be noted that the pizza is indulgent all the same. The elote pizza is quite possibly the most memorable, unique pizza I've ever had; it arrives almost crimson-red with a generous layer of corn and takis atop. It's still incredibly well balanced despite the hodgepodge of varied toppings. It's hard to pick a favorite between this and the bbq brisket though; while one is incredibly unique the other is simply sumptuous, nothing pedestrian about either of the two. The service is also impeccable, almost rivaling that of southern hospitality. I always thought Californians were friendly but something is in the air every time I visit New Haven. Incredible!

    Photos
    Back bar
    Back bar
    BAR
    32 oz can (very silly looking)

    See all

    32 oz can (very silly looking)

    Duffy's Tavern - irish_pubs - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...