Look. The food here is pretty good. I ordered scallops with string beans and some rice. Beans were sub-par and rice quantity was too small. The scallops...spot on and the sauce was great. The only problem was the price. $30 and I'm not even full. 4 scallops. You gotta be kidding me. The service and all that is great and the view is great but it just wasn't worth it. I don't think it actually costs $30 dollars for 4 scallops, less than half a cup of rice, and some beans. P.S. We waited like 15 minutes for drinks to come. Then appetizers came 30 minutes later. 1 hour more and we finally have entrees. read more

Atrocious host & owners service; will never step foot in this restaurant again. The food has always been mediocre too.

Went with friends who made the reservation based on reviews. When we arrived at 7:30 on a saturday evening and there were only a handful of cars in the parking lot, I knew it was going to be trouble. I was embarrassed to say we had a reservation, when there were only 2 tables occupied at the time. The view is nice, but the decor is out of the 70's. There was a funky smell in the air (kinda like the smell in your old Great Aunt's house.) I ordered a crabcake appetizer, which was mediocre at best. I ordered a coke, which was flat. I told the busboy about it. 20 minutes later (after I had the mediocre crabcake with no beverage to wash it down) the waitress resurfaced. I told her abut the soda being flat (figuring the busboy forgot to tell her) and she responded "TWe checked it out and there's nothing wrong with it." Sorry, but I would have expected and apology and a statement that they fixed it, or that they couldn't find the issue and an offer of another beverage instead. (the soda was on the bill when we were done and we had to ask them to remove it.) I ordered the lobster & shrimp risotto. The rice was CRUNCHY. The shrimp smelled fishy. If it were fresh, it should not have that fishy smell. The rest of the mush was bland. I couldn't eat it. Never again. read more

Amazing food; amazing staff, my experience was all out amazing! Had my daughter's bridal shower at Harbor Lights/Norwalk. From the onset of deciding to have the shower there; the owners were so helpful with the planning stages and the final product...was magnificent! Everyone that attended the shower also raved about the same thing; the food, the helpful staff and the beautiful location! An AAA+ in our book; can't wait to go back there! If you have not gone there - give it a try; if you have - go back - you can't go wrong here! read more

I had the honor of dining at this wonderful restaurant and honestly it was absolutely superb! I highly recommend it.

I normally am very generous and fair when it comes to reviewing a place, but I must say thoroughly disappointed in this place. We seldom get a chance to go out (have an adorable but tyrant 3 year old) read some mixed but most positive reviews online. So decided to give this place a shot. Should had suspected due to their huge availability on valentine's day that it should of raised a red flag, figured let me give them a try. Reservations for 8:30, arrived at 8:25. Place was not packed. We wait....2 couples with later reservations come in, immediately seated...we wait....again place is not packed. We're asked if we want to go to the bar, I politely decline as I didn't think it would take that long...we wait...At about 9pm, we are finally seated. By now I'm pissed but again, still keep my manners. No apologies, no complimentary drink, nada...I'm like ok, it's valentine's let's make the best of it. About 10 min later Waiter comes, nice guy, but that's what they are paid for. Gives me the pre fix menu (thought we had the option of ordering from the norm) and the wine list. Excuses himself. We wait. 15 min later, (no bread no water, nada) comes back, brings water, I ask for bread, his eyes open as if I'm speaking in tongues. 3 slices of cold bread and cold butter come about 7 min later. Offered EVOO...sure why not. Take orders my wife has the stuffed calamari app, swordfish entree and lava cake desert. I ordered lollipop lamb medium app, lobster ravioli, entree, creme brulee desert. Again prefix so it's not rocket science and precooked to move. No lie 20 min pass he comes ask if I ordered the lamb medium I'm like yea but if there is an issue I'll get something else, he's like no problem at all...and where is the EVOO (that's extra Virgin olive oil) probably still being cold pressed with the next cold bread order, cause it never came and didn't want to bother asking. 90 minutes and $200 later, disappointed (and still hungry) we leave. If you like city island (and not the good restaurants, hell not even the ones in the end were the good fried shrimp live) and you are young and trying to impress your date or old and don't care what you do but to get out the house, then this place is for you. Straight up, place wants to be classy but ashy. Can be a goldmine as the location is right by the water, but the food tastes like costco samples and red lobster makes a better imitation ravioli. read more

This used to one of our favorite restaurants back 18yrs ago. Slowly stopped going since we had three little kids and it was a bit pricey for our budget and not too kid friendly. Last night we returned, sans kids for a date night. The atmosphere and restaurant is lovely. Dining room was not crowded or noisy (maybe that should have tipped us off). We got to watch the storm rolling in with a fabulous display of lightning and thunder. The octopus appetizer was yummy. Spontaneously my husband ordered some oysters which were fresh and tasty. Since we ordered the oysters, I asked the waiter if he can put our main course on hold for a bit while we digested. The waiter assured me it was not too late, that our food was not fired up. My salmon entree arrived and it was clearly under a heat lamp for quite some time. Salmon was dry, hard and flavorless, the pineapple topping did nothing. The spinach and sweet mashed potatoes sides were just so-so. The composition and presentation was kind of amateurish. I could have made this better at home. My husband's bass was good he said, but better at another restaurant we usually go to. Would I go back? Probably not. Too bad because it is a lovely restaurant with a great location and I have fond memories of past meals years ago. read more

came here when a wedding party was going on - service was very slow and the food came out lukewarm - would probably not go again

Loved our table to the far right with the window opened. Great lobster and filet min! read more

Harbor Lights - Great presentation and tasted great too! - Seafood Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Raw bar is great. Clams tasted as if they came straight from the ocean. From there, it went flat. Everything seemed as if it were prepared far in advance. Bread was tasty but cold, not room temperature, refrigerator cold. Caesar salad was run of the mill and pear/gorgonzola unimpressive and lacked flavors because of how cold the ingredients were from being refrigerated instead of being prepared fresh. Calamari didn't taste fresh, rather like pub-style calamari. Was excited for the grilled octopus, but whatever they drown it in killed any flavor and it didn't taste grilled, nor did it taste like other Mediterranean-style octopus I've had. I ended up leaving most of it behind. We didn't order entrees. Dessert menu is boring. Lava cake, creme brulee, and assorted ice cream desserts. Staff was very nice and it is a beautiful room. read more

went there for first time on Mothers day 5/11... Food was absolutely terrible. Cold, not cooked.... Sewrvice was slow due to Holiday I am told...One table was a personal friend of the Owner so they ordered lobster..Our table was not permitted to order lobster....I should have walked out right then.... After dinner waitress approached me and said that she had made enough money and to not leave her a tip.But she did give me a bill for $138.62 for twenty dollars worth of food.......NEVER again will I go to this restaurant..... Way OVER priced.... Service was terrible, because of the Holiday I am told.... read more

Harbor Lights ruined my fathers day surprise from my family. The lack of care from this place is incredible. 6 of us went for fathers day. They had a "special" menu for the occasion at $49.99 per person. We were able to order a seafood tower ahead of time, and it was delicious. However that would be the best part of our afternoon. I ordered the Ribeye, rare. It came out WELL DONE. After having to cut the center of the steak open for our waitress to prove that the whole steak was overcooked, she took it back. I politely asked to just cancel my meal as everyone else was already eating (or trying to). Wifey and cousin had the sole special over couscous. Both were inedible and evident as thier plates were barely touched. My daughter had a "kids" burger. This was one of the biggest burgers I've ever seen, and the price reflected it. Good kids menu option (sigh). The waitress asked me to allow them to make another steak as the restaurant wasnt busy and it would only take 5 minutes. 20 minutes later, and everone waiting for dessert, my 2nd steak came out. And it was cooked perfectly! However everyone was done (except for the people who ordered the inedible fish). When asked how the meal was, we explained that the fish was tastless and they couldnt eat it. The response was "its a fixed menu so we can't do anything for you". I asked to have my steak, potatoes and asparagus meal wrapped as I would just eat eat for dinner. Here is the real kicker....I get home, open the bag and it is ONLY part of my steak, no potatoes and no asparagus. This place is a total rip off. We ar disputing the $500 charges on our credit card because this was without a doubt the WORST experience ever in the area and they didnt give us what we paid for. The only thing I look forward to regarding this restaurant is the announcement that it is closing, which should be soon in my opinion. read more

The view is not worth the terrible food, they serve. No flavor. Gummy Bisques, high prices... I have given this place way to many chances. They need to sell it to someone who cares about the food and the quality there of and focus more on returning customers. I can go to the water , anytime. They can't be serious. It' clear to me that they are just to cheap and lazy to get a good team in the kitchen... No more for me, never again.... I only gave them a 1 star rating because I couldn't give them a minus 1. Zagat , is a joke too... read more

As we walked in I immediately should have walked out. The entry way and bar area have the smell of a NYC subway corridor after a frigid winter, and a few residents departed. We were seated by the windows and quickly attended to by a friendly waiter. We ordered the Lobster bisque as apps which were extremely salty and rather fishy for lobster. We also had fish which was over cooked and extremely fishy. All in all I was rather surprised by the horrible food and smelly atmosphere. Stay clear! read more

Cool harbor location with good food. A bit pricey for the quality in the off-season, but other than that, I would definetly go there again. Good wine list and a very attentive wait staff. We had no issues getting a table, I'm not sure if reservations were needed or not, read more

Awesome awesome awesome. Jimmy and the entire staff are amazing. Really puts the customer first to make sure they get an amazing experience. Food is outstanding. I had an event there in the back room and it was perfect. Very nice view. They really took care of us. The best venue to host an event in Fairfield County. I will be doing dinner there often! read more

Went here today with family for a dinner brunch. The burgers were way overcooked. The chicken sandwiches were so tough they couldn't be eaten. We told the waiter and he brought it to the cook's attention, but the cook only said we should've sent the back. They didn't offer any discount on the bill and the manager was nowhere to be found. I guess this is why we were only 1 of 2 parties in the entire restaurant. We won't be coming back here and advise others to find another location as well so they won't experience the same disappointment. read more

Went last nite for second time and found the ambiance and menu very dated. Nothing creative and not a scallop to be had. Food is just ok. Not great. And it is definitely overpriced especially when compared to the good restaurants in SoNo. We will not be returning. read more

We had a very unpleasant experience, due mainly to the Manager who clearly does not know how to manage a restaurant. Our waitress was great, but when the salmon we ordered wasn't cooked at all, we sent it back. It came back a full 15 min later (after most of us were done eating) and it was once again raw. Our friend had lost his appetite by now and no one seemed to care. After 15 min of sending the 2nd dish back, the Manager came back and said "I heard you wanted to talk to me." My response? "No, you should want to talk to us!" He was completely clueless. Should've said "let me bring dessert and coffee for everyone right now" but did nothing. Food was meh, the best part is the view of the water. read more

It was a beautiful Saturday, early evening, we had a great table next to an open window overlooking all the marina activity. The staff is totally welcoming and attentive to your needs. They have great specialty cocktails and a full wine list, including many by the glass. I had the special Icelandic Cod Casino, fluffy cod with a delish bacon and breadcrumb topping set in fresh spinach and complemented with jasmine rice. Excellent. My partner had salmon sliders accompanied by the cutest curled fries you have ever seen. Again, all of the staff is excellent, they are enthusiastic about the food and about your being satisfied as their guests. read more

We went there for dinner on Mothers Day 5/11 and the decor was a bit garish. We should have seen it coming. The hostess couldn't find our reservation so we had to wait by the bar until it was straightened out. Our waitress was either mousy, inexperienced or clueless. She never gave us her name but told us right off the bat the kitchen ran out of crème brulee and that her feet are killing her...not my problem. The menu, consisting of meat and seafood dishes, was fixed and we were told we couldn't deviate from it even though someone from our party was a vegetarian. The waitress wasn't willing to talk to the manager about substitution. We wanted to speak to the manager and she was reluctant to call him over. He never came to our table to listen to our concerns. Finally, after going back and forth, the chef made a risotto. Another party member ordered his steak medium rare and was given a steak WELL done. Our waitress didn't immediately address his concern either but came back 5 minutes later with a beer as compensation and again for not complaining to the manager. Didn't the waitress say the menu was fixed? Why was the table next to us, friends of the owner, feasting on lobster which wasn't on the menu? Service was horrendous and the food was mediocre at best. We left her a 20% tip on a $400 bill even though we weren't impressed with the ambiance, the service or the meal. Definitely not returning to this establishment! First impression, LASTING impression! read more

The scenery was beautiful. I really enjoyed our seat location was we had a view of the water. The menu was a bit pricey, but it was a holiday so that is to be expected.The salad was delicious- very tasty dressing. I ordered shrimp stuffed with crab-meat with veggies and rice. The dish was ok, nothing over the top. The crème brûlée was very good. I have no desire to come back here unless it is for a holiday or a birthday celebration. read more

This place must be avoided. I am allergic to lobster and my shrimp salad came with a piece of lobster in it - so I sent it back. Then as we were leaving, the owners came out and started yelling at my elderly father to move his car more quickly out of their parking lot (it was unbelievable). I explained to the owner and his wife that my salad had lobster in it and that I am allergic (in an effort to explain to them that we had a difficult lunch and to try and enliven some kindness) and the wife's response was "you seem fine to me and I have you on camera" - referring to the security video cameras in the parking lot. I explained that if I eat lobster I get violently ill after a few hours, and she scoffed. Seriously? That is how an owner of a restaurant speaks to its customers? I have never experienced anything like it. We got into our car to leave and I burst into tears. It was supposed to be a special lunch, as we have not seen my father for months because of Covid. If I could give it negative stars I would. read more

Don't even know where to begin... I'm writing this review as we speak at the restaurant. Very disappointed considering I had a pretty good experience last time. We arrived at 7:20pm as the sun was setting. We ordered 15 minutes in and still no bread, after asking for bread twice, we got bread that was eaten and the butter was used! Not cool!!! Food took forever to come out, our main course came at 8:55pm. I understand restaurants get busy but an hour and 35 min of waiting for your main course is not acceptable! read more

I went to Harbor Lights yesterday because my friend and I discovered the nearby place we'd planned on going was closed that day. I'd been to HL one other time where the food was outstanding but both my friend and I were worried about prices. We decided to go anyway and just get a few things that seemed reasonable. I got the pasta with vongole (clams) that I remembered being outstanding when I'd been there a year ago; my friend got the cold octopus and a "side" of pasta. The pasta dish was mediocre. I ate it all because I was hungry, but it certainly wasn't the incredible pasta dish I told my friend tasted like the same dish "if you go to Italy." Maybe there was a new chef? Anyway, the bread was just "meh," not anything to write home about. Then we got the bill and I thought my friend would explode. She was charged a child's portion, which was $12 for her side of pasta, a dish that consisted of nothing but rigatoni with oil and garlic. $12!!!! I said she should say something but she didn't think it would make a difference. So I'm writing about it here. I really hope that place reads these reviews. read more

Had a business lunch at Harbor Lights today. Pros: Reasonably priced Excellent service Beautiful Views Excellent food Presentation Not crazy packed at lunch time Cons: Food taste was average (crab cakes nothing to brag about) Looks Dumpy on outside but very nice and classy inside read more

My wife and I went for lunch. We started with clams casino. My wife had Sea Bass, I had Lobster Sandwich. Clams and Sea Bass tasted like they were prepared at Costco, reheated and served (No offense to Costco). Lobster sandwich was bits of Lobster tossed with bacon and mayonnaise. Very bland. All and all edible, forgettable and way overpriced! Save your money and go elsewhere. read more

Bad experience. I asked at 5:15 to sit by the window but were told only a party of 5 was allowed, (we were a party of 4) dining room at the time empty, Only to see that table empty for an hour and a half than be seated with a party of 4. Our server rarely came by, ordered appetizers our server never came back to see if we would like dinner. We asked if we could have the remaining of our dinner outside, he said no. They were not seating outside, yet a party of 3 were outside. Our meals came only to be passed around 2 other tables before coming to us. We sent the meals back, told they would make new ones(5 min later), same meals. We ended up not eating either meal, waiter argued saying it was a completely new dish. we decided to leave (outside patio full of patrons). Spoke to manager(bartender on duty, said she was the manager). Apologized and stated she understood our frustration but offered no solution. I will never come back again. read more

http://harborlightsrestaurant-ct.com/ This is their website and their menu is Deceiving and Misleading. For anyone that thinks this is Harbor Lights menu- It is not. I Spoke to the manager and he stated many people have come in asking for the food on the menu listed on that website and that he's had to tell them someone made a mistake and that it hasn't been corrected "yet." As a matter of fact, it hasn't been corrected in a while. The service was not all it's cracked up to be. My partner and I had to wait a long time to order beverages. The food on their menu (presented at the restaurant) is over priced for food that is not all that. You get better seafood in Maine, New Hampshire , Rhode Island,Stamford, City Island, and New York City (to name a few) for the money you would pay at Harbor Lights . There's limited parking, the service is not great, but the view is Okay-- A view of a "marina." You get Excellent and more Pristine views in Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. read more

Defiantly not a very good place to eat .Except the nice view of Norwalk.The service is bad and always changing .The forks ,knifes,and drinking glasses poorly cleand .You will find many times food left over's read more

It's all about the view. So awesome. Great ambiance too if you like the standards and italian fare (which I do.) Nice italian/seafood options, for the price you can probably find better (maybe a 22 out of 30) but still very nice. Staff is great and like I said the view is awesome. read more

Very nice environment. Decent wine selection the food however could be much memorable to match the rest. My wife and I had trout]. It was not bad, but we were not impressed. You can come here for the views; not so much for food. read more

Had dinner again here. My son and I shared the grilled octopus starter - properly grilled, tender, nice sauce. We also each had the soft shell crab - fantastic. These May have been the meatiest s.s.crabs I have ever had. And the lemon butter sauce was perfect . Barbara had the salmon and it was just right. Great job Jimmy and team. read more

Good ambience, good water views. Seafood was very fresh. Service was on point too. Tight parking lot though. My biggest COMPLAINT is the sound factor. We sat inside. Very, very noisy! This might be because of the high vaulted ceiling. But whatever it is, makes me give it only three stars. My table of five literally struggled to hear each other. We had to strain all night. I didn't like that. You go out to dinner with friends not only to eat, but to have conversations and to catch up with each other. We couldn't do this. Don't think I'll return. read more

This place is truly a gem! Great service, excellent food, pleasant atmosphere, fabulous water views and even the music is tasteful! I cannot recommend it highly enough, it is my FAVORITE restaurant in all of Fairfield County! read more

One of the top restaurant in the area. Great view, service and good. Excellent wine list.

It was 20 minutes before we were finally brought stale bread and USED butter (literally half eaten butter). Upon pointing this out to our waiter, we were given a new basket which we quickly gobbled down. After another 20 minutes, we gave in and asked for another basket of bread while our food was apparently being grown/harvested/prepared... this time I saw our waiter take the uneaten bread basket from another waiter who JUST cleared it off ANOTHER PATRON'S TABLE! 0__________0 In total, waited 1.5 hours for my main course ... which was RAW oysters, RAW clams and a cold poached lobster much smaller than the advertised 1&1/2 lb. Oh and, the acoustics in the main dining area basically amplify noise. Be prepared to shout across your table for 4. read more

The location is beautiful but the food was average at best and the service was slow. We won't be returning.

Great view of the water, excellent service, delicious fresh food, reasonably priced. What more can you ask for? A favorite for date night with the wife. Try the lobster santorini or if you are not in the mood for seafood, the braised short ribs. read more

The Sole Franchaise was the best I've ever had. Perfectly cooked and delicate texture. The shrimp cocktail was phenomenal and the key lime pie was to die for. My sister and I took my dad here for Father's Day and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for some phenomenal seafood and a beautiful view of the sound. read more