Everything is always fantastic. Can't recommend their food and drinks enough. Staff is also greatread more

Food quality / price (value) rating 9.5. The atmosphere is cozy and dark. I would classify this…read moreplace as a rare "hidden gem". They have a dining room that seats about 50, and a bar that seats around eight. They also have a very cute outdoor seating area covered by a large awning. The menu is Continental cuisine leaning toward Italian, and is very well balanced where everyone should he able to find a satisfying meal. Our experience began with a couple of very unique "East Side Martinis", vodka, cucumber, muddled mint and lime.....so good I had to have a second one! We were then treated (gratis) to the absolutely best bruschetta I've ever eaten.....loaded with chopped tomato, onion, and garlic. Fantastico! For an entree I had the Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin Medallions with mashed potatoes and braised cabbage. A perfect melding of complimentary flavors. This restaurant clearly has no issues with making very flavorful choices when it comes to spices and accents. The wife had the Chicken Special with fettuccine and lemon butter white wine sauce that was also very flavorful and excellent. Everything was so good that we had to get dessert, a slice of Almond Joy pie to go. The owner, Sue, a baker / chef, is typically in attendance, and has heen running the restaurant for ten years now. Our server, Jen, was attentive and experienced. They have a Happy Hour on Monday through Friday 3 to 6 pm. I'd highly recommend this place for everyone! UPDATE: Ate the Almond Joy pie the next day. The crushed almond & chocolate crust was incredible, and the chocolate glazed coconut was delicious.

We went for dinner before a show at the SHCU theater, we got there around 5:30 and were quickly…read moreseated since we had a reservation for a party of 6. The menu is some what tied into the Puglia region, which is the heel of the boot. I could tell the italian dialect from the owner when he was speaking to one of the staff, it immediately gave me a good feeling that this restaurant would be really good. The appetizers we had were all really good, we had the fried calamari, the grilled Octopusss, the fried zucchini flowers and thd hummus special. Sorry no pics of these. We had a couple of the Orrechiette Barese, Chicken parmigiana, a pasta special of fettuccine with shrimp in a cream and pesto sauce, another pasta with cavatelli, shrimp and cream and pesto sauce, really couldn't see the pesto, probably could have used a little more or maybe a little finishing with the pesto on top. Service was good and the owner came around to introduce himself and we got a complimentary round of their homemade creama di limencello to finish off the experience. Wr wouldn't hesitate to go again the next time we are in town to see a show.

Wow!! Absolutely loved this gem. Never heard of it until a friend recently invited me to happy…read morehour. We sat at the bar, backlit by The Sopranos and Goodfellas playing on the TVs. The space was classy but still casual enough, and cozy. I ordered the Howyoudoin' off the cocktail menu and the gnocci in a pink sauce; also shared the rice balls; absolutely loved everything. The concept of the restaurant is totally relatable for my Italian American family and I find it very funny - cannot wait to bring them in here to try. All staff were super nice. The merch is funny too.

My dad's been bugging me to go here for a while; finally went and boy is it good!…read more Their red sauce is perfect. I got the risotto which was great but the meatballs and the braciola were incredible. The service is also great very friendly and knowledgeable. Their bar is cute the space is intimate but pretty. Really nice for a date night!

Trattoria's does it again…read more On a busy Valentine's Day night, it was almost SRO when I arrived for my 630p reservation. Staff worked diligently to keep up. The dining room was a little tight on seating, but the waitstaff did a good job. The Stinco is a braised pork on the bone with mashed potato. Outstanding selection. Loved the custom themed cocktails which also included a "love potion" martini with raspberry vodka. Trattoria Fun fact: their cheesecake is actually made on site; their gelatos, however, are all imported. Parking can be tricky to find; definitely recommend a ride share if possible.

So happy there's a new restaurant close by. The restaurant is beautiful! The decor and environment…read moreare so calming. I love near the bathrooms, there's hanging plants from the ceiling! The restaurant and restrooms were super clean. The staff were amazing! They were so kind and attentive. We did the happy hour menu - we ordered the fried calamari, which I do not like but wanted to try, and it was delicious! Along with the fuego sauce. It was crispy and not chewy at all. Also ordered the beef sliders on brioche buns. They were tasy as well! We also got the pork belly - tostones, red onion, tomato, cilantro, and lime juice . I personally did not enjoy this, but my bestie's did. We had such a great time and will definitely be back for a nice dinner.

What a hidden gem!! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the food delicious!!…read more We got there for happy hour and had several small plates. There are many gluten free options so I was in heaven!! I haven't had a fried Calamari in years because there were no gluten free options. The calamari was perfectly done just the right amount of seasoning and the batter was light and crispy! Empanadas were yummy and the gluten-free chocolate lava cake was decadent and gooey. We were so excited to dig into everything, we forgot Pictures! (Except for the Lava Cake!) Definitely will be going back!!

The Friday evening vibe was exactly the way to end a hectic work week…read more The service was good, very pleasant and efficient. The food was comforting! The buffalo cauliflower was delicious! Surprising as I didn't expect cauliflower could taste so good. The jambalaya was also really good. The chicken taquitos and chicken dumplings were ok. The cocktails were excellent, especially the pear martini. Parking is easy and very convenient.

The service the options, the customization! On a cold snowy night in January, this place was packed…read moreand jumping. Nice vibes, music pumping, drinks flowing...Chris our server was PHENOMENAL! She was a huge part of our magical experience. I started off with the buffalo cauliflower. I will preface this by saying I'm not a big Buffalo flavor person, but I'm a vegetarian and didn't feel like getting my usual vegetarian app - brussel sprouts. I wanted to expand my palate that evening and surprisingly I actually really liked it. The amount of blue cheese was perfect for me (despite the reviews) as it would have made it too salty and greasy. Next was my entree: Modified Kettle Cooked Zoodles. As a vegetarian, I never have the highest expectations but I was blown away! Chris our server was so sweet to have this customized for me. We took the idea of hubby's Branzino sauce and added more veggies to the Kettle cooked Zoodle dish. It was so yummy! Hubby's Branzino: fish was well cooked, elegant flavors from the Puttanesca sauce with spinach and mashed potatoes were excellent! Faux-ito: I got two, the first was the classic, the second was a mix of strawberry and pineapple. Both delicious mocktails! The Forbidden Pear: hubby got this one. very balanced, not sticky sweet. I can't believe this gem is just sitting here in Fairfield. Not too far off from a night in the city. We will definitely be back!

On a recent visit to New Haven to see an exhibition at the Yale Center for British Art, we hoped to…read morehave dinner at one of our favorite restaurants (Barcelona Wine Bar), but they were fully booked with a Yale event. In a display of restaurant solidarity , they recommended that we try Vinas Wine & Tapas. As it turned out, we have a NEW favorite in New Haven! We arrived a bit early and were cheerfully greeted by Mike G, our server. The atmosphere was welcoming and relatively quiet, since their musical offering does not start as early as our 5:00-7:00 PM time slot on a Tuesday. We had asked for the waiter Christian because he had been mentioned in several of the Yelp reviews, but Mike proved that the service compliments should go to everyone. First, the tapas: We enjoyed all five of the tapas we chose. The "Calamares" were lightly battered and crispy. The Vinas salad was fresh, with tomatoes, cheese, corn, and croutons. The pork belly was delicious and more meaty than expected . The oyster mushrooms were presented with onion crisps. The baked birria empanada was stuffed with brisket style beef. Each of these "courses" was a unique delight to the palate, and for me and my partner, it was completely satisfying. In keeping with the spirit of a "wine bar," Vinas offered a flight of 4 wines in 3 ounce glasses, and after hearing about our food choices and wine preferences, Mike chose the wines for us, giving us a chance to taste some less familiar offerings. We had the Felino Malbec 2024 (Argentina), which became our favorite for its full-bodied and deep flavor. Our second wine was a unique Don Abel (private label) from Wallingford CT, made by one of the relatives of the owner, specially for Vinas. This one reminded us of the local wines one might receive in a B&B in the Loire Valley in France. The final two wines were both from Chile: Reserva Carmenere 2023 and Cabernet Sauvignon Marques de Casa Concha 2022. Both were excellent wines. It was great fun to have Mike choose the wines for us, and we really enjoyed the variety that the flight offerings gave to us. Of course, we had to try a dessert, and Mike recommended the Toffee Cake. We had heard that the owner claimed that some people cried with joy after eating it. Although we restrained ourselves, we had to agree that this was an extraordinary conclusion to a fabulous meal. Overall, this was a great experience for us, and we heartily recommend Vinas Wine Bar and Tapas for a relaxing and welcoming dinner. Some reviews I had read suggested that the portions were too small for the price. I have to disagree. My partner and I love food, and this was plenty. And the price was reasonable. Including tip and tax, we spent about $75 each.

We stopped in for apps on a Saturday afternoon. We ordered a glass of wine, ceviche, and skewers…read more We sat at the bar and the bartender was very friendly, full of energy, and efficient. The ceviche was excellent, everything was cooked throughout by the citrus. The portion size is small for $19 and it could have used a side of bread or tortillas to soak up the delicious citrus based broth. The skewers were also excellent. They were cooked perfectly, super tender, juicy and flavorful. They cooked them with a seasoning and had a delicious chimi on top.

This is a very delayed review as I visited over the summer. Our party of 4 visited on an early…read moreSaturday evening and was able to be seated right away. The vibe is very much dark and moody. They were setting up for what looked like a guest DJ of sorts? Once the DJ started their music, it was VERY loud which was a little disappointing. We didn't try any of the food. We did try some of the cocktails though and they were all great. Also tried the paper bag beer because we couldn't resist the mystery. The beers were 16oz cans of craft beers. not bad! Overall, really liked the place!

Very moody, vibey lounge, restaurant, and bar in downtown New Haven. Stopped in before a late…read moredinner nearby on a Wednesday night around 6. There are couches in corners, tables, and bar seating. Only the bar tender seemed to be serving so service was very slow. I liked the aesthetic and Dj Kamakaze provided tunes or else I'd give a lower rating. Would return for an evening outing, good place to get lost.

Such a cool place. We stopped in for a cocktail before dinner last night. Bartender was very…read morefriendly and attentive. They make really nice craft cocktails here. Note - place was a bit hard to find. You have to walk down an alley but worth the stop. I had the Elote "Spicy Margarita." Boyfriend had an Aperol Spritz. Really cool stemware too.

EXCELLENT cocktails!! We had the Espresso Martini and the Spicy Passionfruit Mule. Small cute…read moreoutdoor seating area in Donnelly Walk.

The Wine Cellar on main is a usual spot I go to for good wine and some bites. You cannot go wrong…read morewith their prohibition pizza which comes with burrata and arugala. It's one of my favorites. The Mediterranean plate is another one of my go to's. Last time I went, they were out of some wines so we opted for a red blend which was good. It's a small restaurant/bar so if you're looking for cozy and quiet, try to go earlier. If you get there on a Friday night after 8, it' can get very loud because they usually have live music and it gets busy. My friend and I made a 6:30 reservation so we were pretty much finished with our meal before it got really busy in there. They usually have great live acoustic music so stay to check them out!

Here's my Wine Cellar Haiku-…read more Malbec deep and bold, short rib soft as winter rain-- music, friendly staff.

Barcelona was good, it has the potential to be great!…read more I've dined here a few times and every time the service is fantastic. The severs are attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. The general manager came around to introduce themselves and personally ask how the meal is and if they can be of any service which is always a very nice touch. The ambiance has a moody wine bar feel to the front half of the space and the main dining rooms are located in the back. Very nice and inviting. However the dining rooms are pretty packed with tables so it tends to get very loud. The food is good but often times inconsistent. For example the lamb chop I have had in the past was delicious, and during this visit it was lacking flavor. The meatballs were not my favorite in a previous visit but this most recent time they were absolutely delicious. Also pictured is the chicken thigh, and pork belly. The chicken thigh was plain but I think that's the point, it was cooked great. The pork belly was very yummy, I loved the lime/cilantro sauce it came with. We also ordered the half size parrillada done medium well. Aspects of this dish were good like the steak, others like the chicken and the chorizo were juicy and soo delicious. The pork chop lacked flavor and was very tough. The leeks were very tasty and the croquettes are always good! I am sure I will be back to Barcelona soon. I'm excited to explore their large selection of charcuteries!

What a wonderful combination of excellent service, delicious array of Spanish cuisine and ambience…read moreof the restaurant on a Sunday evening. You could actually hear each other in conversation. The waiter was exemplary with a party that had 1 diner a strict vegan ( including honey), 1 that only wanted American cuisine and another that did not want anything more than " mildly spiced"!! Josh, our fabulous waiter was so informative, patient & actually offered to mark 1 menu with all the vegan options. Oh, did I mention another diner has numerous allergies including coconut, pineapple, beef, chicken, and egg!! All of us enjoyed our time together ( family from 3 different states) and the experience of sharing smaller dishes when possible. The 1/2 price special on bottles of wine was an added delight. Dessert including often not seen was Olive oil cake was light, fluffy and moist. My cheese cake satisfied my sweet tooth. What was also amazing is this restaurant was recommended by a 99 year old gentleman at the Jewish home while visiting my mom. Barcelona is certainly a restaurant that is maintaining its reputation for wonderful dining!