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    Duffy's Tavern

    4.4 (102 reviews)
    ModerateIrish Pub
    Open 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Duffy's Tavern Photos

    DUFFY'S TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Duffy's Tavern

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    Melissa C.

    Fun night out with friends! I ordered the Guinness whip and it didn't disappoint. It was sort of like a fluffier version of an Irish car bomb and super tasty! After some coaxing from my friends I ordered the Thanksgiving quesadilla special. The reaction of our super friendly and attentive waitress was priceless! I could tell her opinion without her saying it, and it was accurate. This was absolutely delicious. Well done!

    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

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    7 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.

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    4 years ago

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

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    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

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    Ordinary

    4.1
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    This place is great. Stumbled across it via the InKind app, and have been back multiple times,…read moreincluding making a special detour via New Haven on our last night before leaving Connecticut. The Ordinary is one of the oldest purpose build bars, with lovely dark gothic wood. A wacky gothic humor and excellent staff, who really care about the clients and the drinks. Good selection of gins. Outstanding cocktails on the list, at fair prices (especially happy hour). Or better yet, ask the expert staff to recommend and invent one for you. The bacon is a thick, crunchy, sugary must. Add it to your burger. And an egg. Get the shishito peppers. And the chocolate chip cookies. And if you're lucky and hungry, the coffin-full of sliders is a delicious bargain (with plenty for the next day).

    I've been to Ordinary perhaps 3-4 times. Being a New Haven native, I've been to about every bar,…read morerestaurant, or eatery in the city, and Ordinary has been no exception. First few times I went was during covid, and they were one of the few that allowed folks to just be. They resembled a real speakeasy during lockdown because you had to ring a bell and be let in. My most recent visit was with two of my long time friends on a rainy Wednesday night. We got seated by the "fireplace" and browsed the menu. I landed on a mocktail old fashion, my friend got the bee's knees and we got the big pretzel and the candied bacon. Pretzel was great, old fashion could have been better but the ambience was just what we needed. You really get a feel of old school New Haven being at Ordinary. The staff was great so I'll be back.

    Photos
    Cool pictures hanging up
    Cool pictures hanging up
    Cheese & Meat Board
    Cheese & Meat Board
    Vampire decor

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    Vampire decor
    BAR

    BAR

    3.9
    (1.5k reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    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!

    Based on a recommendation, four friends and I visited for an earlier dinner on Cinco de Mayo (yes,…read morewrong type of cuisine, but we were in town and this restaurant was on our list.) BAR is an interesting restaurant: open air, picnic tables, open space, paper plates, no utensils unless you ask for them, etc. We were greeted right away by a less than friendly waiter who seemed peeved we didn't have a drink to order right away. Strike one. After a few minutes, everyone put their drink order in and I asked if the bartender could make me a mojito since it wasn't on the menu. The waiter said yes, so I waited. Then came the mojito. It was the worst "mojito" I've tasted in my life. I'm not one to send a drink back because of an "I don't taste any alcohol" excuse, but this was BAD. It tasted like margarita mix with lime and mint sprigs thrown in. It was absolutely terrible. When I double checked with the waiter if the drink was an original mojito he simply said yes, not "is something wrong with the drink?" or "would you like to send it back?" The drink was so bad I told him I couldn't drink it. He was peeved again. Strike two. I asked for a soft drink instead and the soda was flat (strike 3), but at this point I just needed something to drink... because who wants to have water with their pizza? Then came the time to make a dinner choice. My mission was to try the mashed potato pizza. It was hands down AMAZING!! Mashed potatoes and bacon on a pizza. Yes, please!! This was the only saving grace from my experience. I would return to BAR again if only for that pizza! Two of my friends had the clam pizza and the pepperoni/mushroom. Both enjoyed their own! Warming: New Haven pizza is thin crust. I got two meals out of a small, so if you visit with a group, consider ordering a few small pizzas so you can taste a few. I would've given BAR 4 or 5 stars, but the unpleasant waiter, the "mojito," and the flat sofa made for a trifecta, so I'm giving my visit 3 stars. If I find myself in New Haven again, I'll be back! Hopefully my next update will be 5 stars!

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

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    32 oz can (very silly looking)

    Duffy's Tavern - irish_pubs - Updated August 2026

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