We recently hosted an event here and couldn't be happier with the experience. From the initial…read moreplanning stages to the day of the event, the staff was absolutely fantastic to work with. They were incredibly accommodating, professional, and went above and beyond to ensure everything ran smoothly while staying strictly within our budget. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere provided the perfect backdrop for our gathering. If you are looking for a venue that offers great service, delicious food, and a seamless planning process, I highly recommend them for any event. We will definitely be back!

Came back two years later and I was also able to swing by during their happy hour where they had $1…read moreoysters. It was unfortunately very slow to get the order in. The waitress took about 20 mins to get to our table right before happy hour ended, even though it was not busy at all. The oysters were big and tasted really good! The main dish came out in another 25 mins and it was good, but not as good as I last remembered. Overall the happy hour oysters are a great deal. The mains dishes were a little more overpriced for what you get. Staff and service was unfortunately very slow. Not disappointed with the experience, but expected a little bit more from this place. Food(50%): 7.7 Staff/service(25%): 4.0 Value(25%): 5.0 Overall: 6.1/10

I am absolutely obsessed with everything here. I made reservations for 5:45 pm on a Monday night…read more We actually came a little before 5:15 pm, because I was absolutely starving, and they were so kind/accommodating. They seated us right away! I love the vibes of the place, it's beautiful and inviting, but not pretentious. Our waitress was the best. She knew it was our anniversary and gave us a little bubbly to toast to. We also made it for happy hour (5 pm - 6 pm on weekdays, and 5 pm - 6 pm on weekends only at the bar)! All the small plates on the left side of the menu were half off! We immediately ordered drinks (the $10 happy hour cocktail - a blackberry bourbon smash for my husband, and a mocktail for me). We then ordered the shishito peppers, 2 of the pickled beet deviled eggs, and the roasted oysters with chili oil. They came out super fast, and it was delicious. The shishitos had that great char flavor along with a great dipping sauce. You can never go wrong with deviled eggs. Then we decided to order the fried oysters and the bread with corn butter. The fried oysters were the star of the small plates. Cooked so well. Freshly fried, you bite into it and it was juicy and delicious on the inside. Just so good. The bread and butter? Ugh, my dream butter and bread. Just so delicious. The butter was slightly sweet from the corn and had flakes of sea salt on tip, making it the perfect sweet and salty combo. We also got the salad (local produce!), and our waitress knew we were sharing ao she had the kitchen put it on 2 plates. Such a great touch. The salad was fantastic. After eating lobster rolls for a day, this was a much needed salad. It was refreshing, bright, and light! For our main entrees, we got the seared local squid and the strip steak. It was INCREDIBLE. Everything had so much flavor. The squid was cooked well, wasnt chewy. Just delicious. The crispy rice was the BEST THING I HAVE EVER EATEN. I wish we could order bowls of it. My husband finished it, couldn't get enough of it. The steak was fantastic as well. The potato with the bearnise sauce was so dreamy. The little onions on the steak, all the little touches were so well done. We knew we had to get dessert. We got a scoop of the black raspberry ice cream, a scoop of corn and blueberry swirl ice cream, and the lavender honey panna cotta. Guys. You 100% must get dessert. The corn blueberry ice cream was unreal. I dont know how you get all that flavor into ice cream. They dont skimp on the honey on the panna cotta. And it went so well with the more mild panna cotta. The black raspberry was a little icy because they froze whole blackberries in it, but at least you know they were trying to make sure you got blackberries in there. With happy hour, the bill wasn't too bad. This was hands down our favorite meal of our week long road trip. I can't wait to come back. I would 100% make a detour to eat here. Parking is pretty difficult around here. I would probably just Uber if I was coming here on a weekend. I need to come here for breakfast at some point.

I really didn't want to write this review, but potential patrons should know what they can expect…read morewhen working with the event staff at Shipwright's Daughter - if they plan to have a private dining experience and event there. My husband and I got married last December. We decided we would hold off on celebrating with our family and invite everyone out from California to join us for a weekend full of activities in Connecticut and a special dinner at Shipwright's Daughter during Memorial Day weekend. We contacted the restaurant's events team to work out high level details starting in late January - to book a private room and hold a date and time. From the get go, the communication we received from the event staff was dismal to say the least. Not only did the events manager misquote the estimate for the room reservation, she came back and asked for a much higher price (up charging by an additional 30% of the original minimum fee) two months after we confirmed and discussed the date. She then explained it was due to the holiday weekend. Our date had never changed from the moment we inquired, so we would have appreciated knowing this upfront. Over the course of several months (and an absurd number of emails and a few calls), we tried to solidify the menu and wine selection and made multiple attempts before hearing back from the team. It was about two weeks before the big event when we were able to confirm a menu. It was about four days before the event that we heard back from the beverage director, but by then, my husband and I had already decided we would bring our own wine bottles, not wanting to leave it to chance with this team. I won't go into further details about the frustration we felt regarding their system for communications (they use an internal system that doesn't make it easy for guests to know who is copied on emails and who sees what). That is something I hope they will work out. When the big day came, I walked into the room and noticed there were a number of chairs missing, so I counted the chairs. They had an incorrect number of chairs for adults and not enough high chairs for the toddlers. We had requested a specific number of these chairs (weeks prior and mentioned it multiple times in writing), and I thought it was safe to assume that this was a basic checklist item for events set up. I was dumbfounded in the moment. I couldn't help but wonder what else they were going to miss or mess up that evening. It was disappointing to have our family members wait while the staff scrambled to pull other chairs into the room. From the time it took to take everyone's order from the set menu, the time between courses being served, and the attentiveness for pouring water and wine - all of it was a miss. The level of hospitality that we expected from a restaurant so recognized for its incredible food and approach to sustainable sourcing was completely overshadowed by the lack of attention and care by its staff - since day one of planning this event. Even a few of our family members commented on this during the dinner. At the end of the day, we felt like an obligation rather than welcomed guests, and that is mainly why I'm leaving this review. We had been patrons of Shipwright's a couple of times prior to this event, which is why we chose this establishment - to represent the best that Connecticut has to offer, when it comes to a dining experience we could vouch for. We no longer feel that we can recommend this restaurant. If you care about hospitality, I would recommend looking elsewhere.

This place was absolutely amazing. The atmosphere right from the time we walked in to the time we…read morefinished was amazing. The food was out of this world. I had a lobster roll that was fresh and the taste was amazing. Best I've had My Wife had pushing chips and as you can see, it was a pretty big piece of fish. It was tender, flaky and delicious. The service was amazing. Our waitress was attentive and was always asking, but not too much if we needed anything. It was a very pleasant experience ever in the area. If you're ever in the area, this is definitely a must try. Thank you for listening.

Great location down in the seaport. My family and I was initially planning to do take out, but saw…read morethat the restaurant was filled with children gave us the confidence to dine in as it seems they were very family friendly. Now onto the food: - clam chowder was delicious albeit a little salty. However they do not shy from the amount of clams and potato in there! - swordfish, this was delicious and perfectly cooked. I was a little worried as swordfish is not a tender fish but the relish that went with the dish really complemented it. - chicken parm pasta: honestly I would skip this one lol nothing special - children's Mac and cheese my toddler gobbled it up and left 3 pcs only. Service was friendly, happy to have dined here!

We had a girls day and decided to visit Stonington with a recommendations to check out the Dog…read moreWatch Cafe. Being my first time here I was pleased with the view as it was a lovely day to be by the water. We had a 45 minute wait for our table. Though you're able to go to the bar seating around in the back where we waited for our table. We ordered our delicious drinks as we had a wait time. I ordered the pain killer drink which was so delicious and strong. Only drinks and can't order appetizers though which I was disappointed as I didn't have anything to eat prior and I started to feel my drink. Once your buzzer is called you finally get your table which they have 15 tables available. The hostess in this area escorts your party to your table. There really isn't a bad seats there. There is a separate waitress for the bar area so you have to settle your bar table before moving over to your table. The menu has a plentiful of meals to choose from. I went with the fish & chips which was a good amount of cod. Also we had the oysters to start off with. The food was very delicious. We declined with the deserts as we were full. If you haven't been to the Dog Fish Cafe you should as you won't be disappointed with the fresh seafood they serve there.

Not just dig friendly but dig welcoming!!…read more Everyone we met greeted us warmly and then our pup with enthusiasm! Warmly summer day, sitting outside under the umbrella and watching the comings and goings of the dock. Awesome! We had a wonderful lunch. Local made brew offerings were a nice compliment to the bay scallops, which was a filling meal with veggies and potatoes. The Tuna Poké bowl was so tasty, I wish there was more! And a blueberry crisp special was shared by all. We will make the trek here again!

Great food and service. Although not necessarily in the best location, it was easy to find. I…read morebelieve there is a parking area with complimentary shuttle if you can't find one of the few spots on the street. The food was fresh and delicious. Our table enjoyed the salmon , seafood lasagna, fried scallops & an appetizer crab cakes (but were somewhat small ).. Delicious. After the One of their famous desserts is a pistachio cake. It was a large piece and so delicious. I would love to go back and just eat that all by myself. Yum.

The service was fantastic. She was attentive and sweet and we received our food pretty quickly. It…read morewas clean. They had steamers for $20 which was one of their specials. The oysters and clams were fresh. The fish tacos could be swapped to lettuce wrap although i think that the fish could have had more of a taste to it but it was decently fried. The fish and chips were crispy and the fish had a good amount of meat inside and I thought the flavor of the fish and tartare sauce was pretty good. The fam got the other dishes on the menu which they also enjoyed.

Worst crab boil I have ever had in my life! As someone who has a grasp on culinary affectation AND…read moreknows Lowcountry cuisine on account of my upbringing... No. Being located in Connecticut versus New Orleans, Georgia, Florida or Maryland does not give you a hall pass to sell over-priced seafood that is not up to edible standards/fresh. No crab seasoning dusting AT ALL. Crab was freezer burned with grit on the shell. I got the special sauce + the hottest level. Red water. So diluted and devoid of flavor. The "boil" was literally the consistency of water. That's not a boil. They likely have pots of unseasoned water that they ladle in the bag post steaming. So bland, zero love and not at all authentic. Also-- small russet potatoes were not cleaned prior to being cooked whole and are rigid/raw in the center. Over-cooked shrimp. Boil base has ZERO flavor and likely just MSG + coloring. Disrespectful. Wrong potatoes, wrong process, wrong chef, wrong seasonings, aged crab, wrong everything. My meal was 'to go'. If dined in?! Absolutely not. Nope. I would have left it on the table! Trust me-- I'm calling my bank and if they want to FaceTime the food in the trash... fine by me. I can't eat this. There is dirt in the sauce and all of the elements because they did not clean the crab, shrimp + potatoes. There were two rotten potatoes in my bag and freezer burned snow crab clusters... disgusting. Hit "The Boil" in NYC, "Juicy Crab" in MD-- even "Hook & Reel" in Orange, CT. That's where you get real Cajun flavor profiles and actual spice! This restaurant has zero business serving seafood boils. Really, really subpar.

I recently celebrated a big birthday dinner with a group of 14 friends and family at this…read morerestaurant which has been special to us for over 13 years. Even though the name (Kawa) and menu have changed a bit over time, the heart of this place has never changed--and that's what keeps us coming back. One thing that truly stands out is that this is a family‑owned restaurant, and you can feel the care, pride, and love they put into their food and service. It adds a level of warmth and authenticity that you just don't get everywhere. Our group ordered a wide range of dishes, and not a single plate was left with food on it. Several guests tried the special fried rice, while one had the chicken fried rice. Everyone loved their meals so much that I even ordered an extra fried rice to take home. We also enjoyed a great selection of sushi, including a few rolls we had never tried before. Their sushi roll prices are the best in the area, yet the quality remains consistently excellent. The sashimi we ordered was fresh, beautifully presented, and did not disappoint. One guest ordered the noodles with shrimp and said it was the best they'd ever had. To top it off, the restaurant has a surprisingly wide variety of Asian beers at very reasonable prices. The beers we tried were a big hit with the group and paired perfectly with the food. The service was another highlight of the night. Our waiter was wonderful--attentive, friendly, patient, and on top of everything our large party needed. Managing a group of 14 isn't easy, but he handled it flawlessly and made us feel well cared for. My fiancé asked him a lot of questions on some of dishes and he was very knowledgeable. After more than a decade of visiting, this birthday dinner reminded me exactly why this place has remained one of our family favorites. Delicious food, great prices, warm service, and the heart of a family‑owned business that truly values what they do. Highly recommend for both special occasions and everyday meals. There is plenty of parking for a big party and lots of space inside. They were packed and it was 5 days before Christmas.

The bride and I planned a pit stop on our way back from a wedding on the cape and thanks to Yelp,…read morewe found this fantastic restaurant which is located just outside of the busy downtown area. Fairly busy Sunday afternoon but we were quickly seated at the raw bar with a great view of the kitchen, which BTW is a well oiled machined and fun to watch, not quite as crazy as the Bear, but impressive. Tuna tartar to start followed by some delicious cherrystones then we split the Mussels in coconut milk with lemon grass and cilantro and some amazing sour dough bread for dipping. 10/10!!!

Goodness this used to be our favorite place for happy hour but today we were grossly embarrassed…read more This was the first time my husband and I brought guests to the Oyster Club and naturally, it was a total shite show. We were panicked, trying to squeeze a party of 6 in at happy hour can be impossible here... or at least it used to be. I was pleasantly surprised when they were able to seat us at 3:50 pm on Friday. Thought we had won the lottery. Things took a turn quickly. A waitress we had never seen before quickly parroted the beers on tap. My husband, who is hard of hearing, asked her to repeat the list, to which she replied "I just listed them". Woof. After that awkward encounter she eventually returned to take our food orders. As we waited for the food, dust fell from the ceiling. My dad, slowly getting more and more worked up compared it to the scenes from Stranger Things in the Upside Down. We all turned our heads and to our horror saw the intake vent for the AC... caked in dust. Dust was literally "snowing" down on us. My father, who I've never seen act displeased with a beer in front of him, brought it to the attention of the nearest server. Multiple employees, all standing there swatting at the flurries as they fell, referred to them as "lint" or "just a few dust bunnies". One waitress even said, "weird because I saw someone cleaning it last week". An hour later, 2 of 3 soups had been delivered, 1 of 2 orders of mussels had arrived, and no smash burgers had made it to the table. We asked for our order to be cancelled and the manager kindly comped 2 of the things we ordered. Two stars because of her. Long story short we will be taking a hiatus and inspecting the vents before we decide to return.