Always has a great nightlife scene especially in the summer with back outdoor area. Reasonable prices, great bands, friendly staff, and the food is best at this location. read more

Stop there to see friends band that played in the back. Great facilities. Good service and I walked up front. Was pretty much like a hard hat sports bar. My kind of place shots and beer. read more

Hard Hat Cafe - The best live music at a sports bar - Cafes Near Me - North Haven, Connecticut

I have visited many times and usually its decent. I recently visited and we ordered quite a few apps and some meals. The fried mozz was actually cold and so was the sauce...how do you mess that up? Doob wings had fat inside them, weird texture. Turkey open face was terrible and alas the service wasn't great. Took me 20 mins to tell them the food came out cold. read more

Try the steak salad. 85 characters... ok Yelp. It's a steak salad, its good. I'm not much for the sports bar environment but I'm told the wings are excellent as well. read more

Came here for lunch with my work team today (12/22/2025). The food was decent, but that's where the positives end. The service was flat-out unacceptable. There was only one bartender trying to handle everything, which resulted in extremely long wait times. It took nearly an hour for our food to arrive, and getting drink refills required repeatedly waving down the only employee in sight. With Christmas just days away, this level of understaffing is inexcusable and shows poor management and lack of planning. If you value your time, do not come here expecting a timely meal. Plan on waiting an hour or more before even seeing an appetizer. read more

My BFF, her mom and daughter and I recently went to Hard Hat to satisfy a wing craving as wanted a different place other than the usual. We started with fried pickles which were delicious. My BFF and her mom and I shared Doob wings and lemon pepper wings. My friends daughter had honey bbq wings along with a side salad, which her grandma had too. My friend and I also split a Cobb salad. Let me tell you the Doob wings are where it is at. Perfect. Love the smokiness the grill brings to them. Our lemon pepper wings were fantastic as well. Crispy and great sauce! Service was good but mixed. We had two people waiting on us and one was great and the other just seemed annoyed.... But maybe having an off day. We will def be back for the wings! read more

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Don't let the surrounding area fool you; this is definitely a hidden gem. Initially, we wanted to do the patio - Once we walked in and sit down, we notice the outside area isn't available since the patio chairs are put away, so we didn't ask about it. The menu offers plenty of options. We chose the Korean chicken sandwich, Nashville hot chicken sandwich, and clam chowder. I also added fries and some wings as sides. Everything we ordered tasted amazing! Our server was super friendly and kept checking in with us to make sure everything was good! Great experience, for some TASTY bar food!!! read more

Well, there is a first and last time for everything and my first experience there today was definitely my last. Before I ordered my spinach dip I asked them if it was creamy and the waitress said yes, it was not creamy at all... It was so incredibly dry and disgusting. Clearly it had been reheated under the broiler. We had a reservation when we walked in. They told us we could pick a table, there was only one table available because the employees were sitting at the other tables with their laptops out doing work in the little dining room of the restaurant. They were busy too. You'd think that the employees would go into a back office or something, so that customers didn't have to wait and instead they could sit down and eat. The only thing positive about the experience there was the company I had with me and the IBC root beer in the bottle. Oh, and the waitress kept on holding the door open that leads to outside, so it was freezing cold. Not just opening it for a second so she could walk out, but holding it open for some reason, I'm standing there holding it like that. It was 4° outside. read more

One of our go to happy hour spots. They renovated in the recent years and the place looks great. They have a front bar area and a back restaurant room. They also have a huge outside space in the back. Their food is truly great bar food. I would be remised if I didn't talk about the main attraction...the Doob wings. These beautiful wings are prepared traditionally and then thrown on the grill. The only tough decision I make is if I want to eat them like that or get them second sauced. Either way...you can't go wrong. They have TV's in the front bar area that are perfect for watching games or gathering with friends. Love this spot. @thesidedishers read more

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Fire the Cook, we returned to give this place another try. The first time we went the Mac & Cheese was so bad they took it off the bill, we tried it again (ordering different items) and it was the final straw. The nachos,fried mozz, and the meatloaf were burned and flavorless. What a disappointment, this place has a really nice layout but the food is terrible. DEFINATELY NOT WORTH THE MONEY. :( read more

I ordered through Uber Eats no complaints there. I normally order bourbon sirloin tips. Instead I got a steak salad. The lettuce was guilty. The meat was good. I also ordered mozzarella triangles as an appetizer. They were burnt way overcooked. I will stick to the bourbon tips next time read more

I was not impressed with this establishment. I ordered a chicken sandwich and it was cold with no flavor and the fries were cold as well. Will not order again read more

Been to the Wallingford location for a burger and fries for lunch takeout.Though the bartender who gave me my order seemed put out about it, the food was delicious! Nice big. Juicy burger and crispy on the outside, soft in the inside sweet potato fries! Would recommend. read more

Sorry.. wasn't a fan. Came here with a small group for lunch. The wings were so incredibly salty, and the burger you could tell had been frozen and cooked straight from the freezer. It was a hockey puck. Not sure if they were having a bad day, but probably better to stick to somewhere else for food. read more

Hard Hat Cafe - the dining room with a flat screen tv - Cafes Near Me - North Haven, Connecticut

First time coming here. They do Karaoke! Super fun but loud, it fits though. And they people singing were amazing! Anyways, we had a really kind server and she gave great drink recommendations. I ended up with the Bay Breeze, was very good. For food I had the chicken Buffalo wrap, and that was also really good. The waffle fries were super crispy and just super great. We had a really good time! read more

Hard Hat Cafe - Buffalo chicken wrap and waffle fries - Cafes Near Me - North Haven, Connecticut

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Great local spot! Drinks are priced well and prepared nicely with a good selection. Draft beers served very cold in frosted glasses! My son goes to school at a nearby University and I stop into the HHC on each of my visits. The staff is friendly and attentive as well. I recommend! read more

Stopped by for a little day drinking. Enjoyed this Sam Adam's Octoberfest with a few friends. Also you have got to try the Big Mac egg rolls...extremely yummy ! read more

Hard Hat Cafe - Winterfest - Cafes Near Me - North Haven, Connecticut

I recommend.. totally delicious . I could eat that everyday !! I'm really speaking with a garden salad with scallops wrapped in bacon on top how delicious !! Dreaming about it the next day !! read more

Hard Hat Cafe - Cafes Near Me - North Haven, Connecticut

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Standing Ovation, Applause, and Kudos to Chef Al !!! Keep turning out fresh, delicious, flavorful food! My family and I sat down thinking we were going to get a quick bite but instead we turned into chef judges on a cooking show talking about the flavors, the textures, the richness, the crispness! We each said it was the best we'd ever tasted! We savored, enjoyed, and commented on our food so much we joked we were gonna go into a coma! Christina, our server, also gets a Huge Shout Out for being super sweet and attentive, and making us feel like we were right at home around the kitchen table. We didn't get to take note of the ambience because we got caught up in the great food and service! Next time! HIGHLY RECOMMEND HARD HAT CAFE in North Haven!!! We Ordered: Fried Mozzarella, Spinach Artichoke Dip, NE Clam Chowder, Wings (Honey BBQ, Maple Bacon); Crispy Korean Chicken Sandwich w/ Onion Rings, Nashville Hot Honey Chicken w/ Sweet Potato Fries, Cowboy Burger read more

Met up with some friends and the Wings were awesome along with the buff chicken dip! Good vibe and a small gem

nice local bar. hosted my parents anniversary party. excellent food. great service team. good beer & cider selection. very friendly & helpful. read more

The Doob Style wings are the best wings you'll ever have! Seriously, one of my favorite food items at any restaurant... all time!! They recently remodeled the bar area and it looks great. The rest of the food is also really good in quality and taste. Service isn't the best but it's exactly what you would expect from a bar. You don't go for the service, you go for the Doobs read more

Hard Hat Cafe - Best wings ever, just Doob it! - Cafes Near Me - North Haven, Connecticut

Burger was raw, the panini bread was not grilled and far too much pesto, we requested no veg on burger and there was raw onion

I came in during Happy Hour I asked the bartender for drink specials she directed me to a menu with themed cocktails however my drink didn't look anything like the picture it was watered down and tasteless ... I was highly disappointed, I went to the bathroom to come back to my table and a check ticket was thrown on the table she never asked me if I needed another drink or how was my drink... she was focused on the locals that came in after me. It was a disappointment. I don't recommend this place if you're not part of the establishment demographic. I was passing through town and deserved the same treatment as the locals...I paid $10 for a glass of water...with a splash of cranberry juice. I was able to charge my phone, use the bathroom and wait in a warm place for my train. If that's all you need it might be worth checking out. read more

I've read some reviews here on YELP and I scratch my head. I have come here several times, and I've ordered so many different items from the menu - which is always changing, in a good way, and I have NEVER ONCE, had a bad meal. From burgers to pasta, from the doob wings to beef stew, everything I've ever ordered here, was fantastic. I consider myself an expert because I'm happily overweight for a good reason. lol... I LOVE GREAT FOOD... Hard Hat North Haven is the place you recommend to those who you like and care about. The staff is so welcoming, and attentive every time I'm there. Inside, TV's display all sorts of sports. Outside, that pavilion is so comfortable and enjoyable. If you read a poor review, please visit yourself and judge for yourself. I'm sure everyone can have a bad day here and there but for me, I'm like 20 for 20 as far as a great experience and really awesome food. Try it, you'll like it. (Mikey) lol read more

We have ordered take out from here twice and have not been disappointed. The doob and honey bbq wings are our favorite. The nachos were a close second and the portion was huge. We didn't care for the Philly cheesesteak egg rolls as they were very dry. I'm looking forward to trying more items off the menu. read more

Absolutely the worse. Not only can you not delete their emails. The food was disappointing The atmosphere is lacking. Don't go pick another place. Don't waste your time I wish I didn't have to leave one star on the review read more

Great bar, awesome live music sometimes. Multiple TVs for sports. Food is lacking but outdoor and indoor areas are great. Great selection of drinks read more

The music was so freaking loud, I thought my head was going to split. The servers sing karaoke at the top of their lungs. Its a very small place with zero atmosphere -the quintessential dive bar. But........ The wings were absolutely tremendous. The bar menu was pretty extensive. My Grilled Shrimp Caesar Wrap was pretty good. The service was very friendly. They have a dining room in the back away from the bar volume. I have to say I saw a ton of happy folks really enjoying themselves and having a blast. Look, this place isn't for everybody. It's just not my cup of tea. read more

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Great food!! Hard Hard is known for their wings, and they have a great bar too. This is a fun "watering hole" and restaurant.

Love it here great drinks, atmosphere and renovated too! Bartenders are personable and drinks are tasty

The wings were amazing. And I'm still thinking about them almost a week later. The reason I gave 4 stars is because the price online was not correct, when I picked up the food it was about 4 dollars more than online. read more

You can see by the picture that these wings are on steroids!!! They are called doob style which are fried, then dredged in buffalo sauce then grilled to perfection. Hands down the best wings I have ever had and there meaty! The French dip was a disappointment Lots of cheese and nice crunchy fries. But not real prime rib just roast beef. I'll be back for the wings. Wings were a 5, French dip a 2, which equals a 3 read more

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This is definitely a "local" "dive type" bar. That being said it is loud with TVs with the games on, but it's always packed...why the food is great! And the bartenders are friendly, and did I say the food is great? Wings are double sauced & double fried producing the "doob" - paninis are good like small uppity cafe good. And nachos are great, as are the sweet potato tots with warm maple syrup, the philly egg rolls. The bar has Naughty Nurse on tap & Yuengling. They have an outside area for nice summer evenings. The place does a crazy mad business for Super Bowl, so ordering early if you're taking them to go is a must. read more

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A coworker raved about this place so on a recent trip to Wallingford we stopped here for lunch. Was kinda surprised by the spot. It was a bar and was packed on a Saturday afternoon with only a couple small tables for eating in the back room. Wasn't 100% sure what they were but I had the Doob style wings since they were the signature item. The are a dry buffalo wing that was then grilled. They were decent enough but not earth shattering. My wife got some honey bbq chicken tenders which were pretty generic. I'm glad I checked a place off my list but wouldn't go back. read more

Great food and doob wings! Will be coming back for those! Service could have been a little quicker but other than that excellent experience.

Went for Lunch on a Thursday sat at the bar. The bar was fairly filled up but the dining room was pretty much empty. They had a bartender and a single server for the dining area, so of course we got immediate service. Both young ladies were nice and the beer was nice and cold. (They had my favorite double IPA on tap. which is a big plus for me.) I had the DOOP wings and my buddy had the Tuna Melt with fries. The wings though pricey (where are they not thanks to Bidenflation?) they were meaty and delicious. I presume the Tuna Melt was good as well since my buddy cleaned his plate. Funny thing is that I live about a mile as the crow flies away and I never bothered to try Hart Hat. I'll be back more often. Now. read more

One of the most friendly places to eat. The may not be too fancy, yet always delicious. Burgers a huge with many topping to choose from. It feels like home. read more

Looking for a not so quiet dive in North Haven? Come here. The food is very good. Their clam chowder is spot on as is all of their burgers, I love the couch potato burger. You cant go wrong ordering the steak and cheese egg rolls. Their NY style fried calamari is always great with a beer. The bartenders are great and always have a smile. The bar area is a little small and when all the tables are full and it is hard to move. Their claim to fame, Doob Wings! Grilled and fried, absolutely delicious. There is a larger dining room in the rear and a large outside dining area. The outside area is like a school cafeteria with long rows of tables, but if it is a nice night out, its a great place to sit. There are specials that change regularly and they offer take out which is very convenient. Cash and credit are both welcome. read more

Been here twice, once to go and once to dine in, wings are really good and big, atmosphere is great, don't expect a seat anywhere near the bar so head towards the back or outside, it's hidden and looks like a biker spot but their food is not a joke. read more