So we ended up at Ripetide because we were ignored at Dive Bar which is right next door. Riptide is nice and bright inside with a nautical theme and a view of the sound, no matter where you sit. We were seated promptly, it was a Saturday about 5pm. Our server came over and took drink orders. She didn't return for quite a while. When she did, she didnt have drinks yet. She proceeded to tell us the specials then took our order. Soon drinks followed. We started with the buffalo chicken dip, which seemed like we werent going to get it. Tables around us were getting food despite being seated after us. Finally the dip arrived. Essentially it was served with Tostitos, so the chips were sturdy. The dip itself was really good. Not very spicy, but full of chicken, very hot and cheesy. A good choice! And seeing as we planned on bar food originally, we stuck with sandwiches for dinner. I got a burger and onion rings. My husband the lobster roll. He also had a cup of NE clam chowder, which, although was full of clams, it was also very peppery. I ordered a burger. What I got was a cheeseburger. Strange because the server didnt ask what type of cheese I wanted; they had 3 or 4 to choose from. I prefer no cheese, but I left it. The burger was over done and bland. I was kind glad to have the cheese for flavor. The onion rings, although thin and crispy, were also bland. No salt on them or in the batter. I was a bit disappointed. My husband's lobster roll was a good size and stuffed! Depsite being full from the dip, he refused to leave a bit of lobster behind. All in all it wasnt a bad meal. Food was mostly good. Service wasnt terrible. I'd go back and try something other than a burger. It seems like they do fish right here. read more

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Not impressed. Our group had takeout seafood- the fish and chips and fried scallops were just ok. The calamari we all sampled and threw away along with the coleslaw. Maybe it was a bad night--but I won't go back. read more

Nice folks. Good oysters. Clean. Nice inside. Can sit outdoors as well. Great view by the water.

I really appreciate this local establishment. The service is properly attentive, the food tastes fresh and is cooked to order, and the atmosphere is local. No surprise, but I prefer their seafood dishes. read more

Everything was DELICIOUS! My stuffed shrimp casserole was out of this world, very tasty , couldn't finish so I took some home and to be honest it tasted even better when it settled , I got it with coleslaw's ( was just so-so) and onion rings ( that were amazing) ! Everyone was very satisfied with their orders, double Hummel hotdogs, burgers, FF , fish tacos and chicken sandwich all very good! Our drinks were all delish especial my " Frozen Mudslide" mmmmmm pina colada and frozen daiquiri good too. Tables are nothing fancy there are a few venues for seating : outdoor picnic tables, small dining room, bar and covered open patio! Of course being across from the ocean is always a plus! Service was excellent , prices reasonable. and portions generous! I will definitely be coming back! read more

not worth the money at all. love the location but the food is not big portions and has no flavor read more

I had the lobster roll and cup of chowder. Chowder was just ok, the lobster roll had very large pieces of lobster, and was delicious. On the menu is was priced as "Market". The French fries tasted very much like they were frozen. Ask the price, i did not, and i was shocked at the $55.50 bill. read more

The service was awesome. Food was gross. I got the broiled seafood platter, think the fried platter would have been less greasy. $23 for a baked potato, that was the only edible thing on my plate. read more

Went for dinner and drinks and it was incredible !!! Located across from the beach at Baybrook with great water views. The expansive menu caters to everyone with a great emphasis on seafood but there are lots of options for everyone. I had the Seafood Fra Diablo which was out of this world and my wife had Power salad which she loved also. They also have a varied tap line of beers and a many more in bottles and cans to choose from. The drink menu covers allll the bases too with a full bar. The hostess/wait staff/bartenders were very friendly and attentive it was a great experience and I look forward to many more visits ! read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

My friends and I went to Riptide for dinner last night and it was the BEST experience! All of the food was incredible, came out in a timely manor, and the drinks will blow your hat off! We had Renée as our waitress and she was fabulous! So attentive, so sweet and gave lots of great recommendations! We enjoyed our experience! Make a reservation this place is boomin!! read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

husband and I went on a Wednesday, 6/19. given it was a holiday there was a good crowd but we were seated quickly. service was friendly and prices decent. we ordered steamers, whole belly fried clams, and fish and chips. onion ring sub instead of fries were really good. thin and crispy. really enjoyed the fried fish. fresh, crispy and not greasy. give this place a try! read more

Had the grouper special it was fresh and delicious. The service and staff are wonderful there!! The waitress let us know that a party of 22 were coming in and wanted to get our order in beforehand which we thought was nice. We'll go back. read more

We had lunch there and the food, service and the view was fantastic. We had a little baby and the staff was very attentive to our needs.

We visited Riptide for the first time and it was great! The stuffed lobster was excellent and it was $25!!! Drinks were good and our waitress, Kelly M., was friendly and attentive. We will definitely come back :) read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Stuffed lobster special - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Beautiful restaurant inside, they did a great job re-doing the former oyster river tavern. Riptide was packed when we visited during prime time on a Saturday, but we were able to get a table. The rest of my group ordered the fish and chips and found it enjoyable. Only down side was the food took an usually long time to arrive at our table and one of our meals arrived cold. I ordered the shrimp casserole which was excellent- there were a generous amount of shrimps and was served with An excellent crab meat stuffing. I would return just to have this dish again. read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Attractive redesign makes this a comfortable and pleasant restaurant although many people go specifically to enjoy the bar. Consistent positive and friendly service. Always attentive staff makes a point of checking that what you ordered is served the way you want it. The food is consistently fresh in appearance and taste. I noticed how crisp the lettuce leaves are when presented in a salad or with a sandwich, etc. The fried shrimp which I usually wouldn't bother with is outstanding; fresh, light and crispy without being greasy, soggy or overcooked. The menu offers two sizes of many dishes. Both sizes are generous; know your appetite before you order. Enjoyed an excellent stuffed clam; it is so large only one is served as an appetizer. The chowder is flavorful and served hot unlike the tepid dreck that too many restaurants try to pass off as authentic New England clam chowder. Having visited a number of times and tried many dishes, friends and I plan to work our way through the menu. I'm surprised other reviewers think this is the same as the previous restaurant - just about everything is different. CLEAN! bright, cheerful, attractive, not too noisy although the bar can be loud and friendly attentive staff. Yes, the menu offers standard seafood dishes that are ubiquitous in the area although Riptide is definitely way above average and far superior to the neighbor. read more

I know they just opened and have kinks to work out. Bar was packed at 3:00PM only one bartender on and 5 waitresses standing around. They could have helped the bartender out by taking orders for food.Helping her clear the bar. Put glasses away and such. The noise level is VERY LOUD. Not sure if they can correct this but couldn't hear the person I was sitting next to. The food. Oysters and Clams on the half shell were excellent. Took awhile to get them but were worth the wait. Seafood was very fresh but batter was on the salty side. I have to agree with previous poster. The french fries were really bad. Not sure if oil wasn't hot enough but they were just an oily mess. If you tried picking one up it just turned to mush. Price for lunch Three drinks, Six oysters and clams. Split seafood combo was about $96.00 before tip. They have done a great job with the building. Bright and open. Again they just opened so will try them again in another month or so. read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Titos Pickle Martini on the rocks. - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Beautifully decorated, but the food was bland. My date and I ordered the shrimp carbonara (tiny shrimp) and stuffed sole (very little stuffing and we didn't taste any seafood inside of the stuffing). However, the service was great and our wait staff was very attentive to our needs. read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Cheese Tortellini Carbonara and Stuffed Sole - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Have not been here since it was Oyster River. Great job refurbishing the space. It's bright and inviting and really gives off that coastal feel. We were looking for something basic to eat and as always we try to avoid the chains. We stopped in and had a couple of bowls of French Onion soup as it was a chilly night. Soup was great, hot and covered in huge amounts of cheese...very comforting. We also shared the chicken sandwich...which we ordered blackened. Fresh brioche roll and the chipotle mayo gave it a nice kick. They have a creative drink list and heavy pours unlike the chains. Really looking forward do returning and trying some of their seafood specialties. read more

Went to the restaurant yesterday and had to wait 25 minutes for someone to ask us what we wanted hardly anyone in the restaurant. first we were sitting at the table in the back no waitresses no waiters no nothing! Two spots opened up at the bar so we went and sat down. Still no service waited an extra 15 minutes before we could flag her down. Food was excellent. But service is everything! Complete fail. read more

Great food, great view and Allyson was great!!!! Go check it out, definitely a great spot!

Update: Place went down hill since last year. food was horrible this time also long waits, soooooooooo many FLYS it was grotesque. The manager was extremely rude not only to us but their own employees when bringing up the food (pretty sure he was drunk). Let me get back to the FLYs, are they running a FLY farm? The music was horrible rap, metal, Muppets babies, and Christmas in October?  I'd ask for my money back but I'd rather get out of there quicker.  Save your money and time. My only suggestion would be to bring a citronella candle to hold off the flys and manager. Why does the manager not have to wear a mask like everyone else? (NOT COVID FRIENDLY) read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - They say masks required even though manager doesn't wear it walking by customers. - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

The food was just "ok". We had fried clam strips and the fish tacos. Very bland, needed some seasoning. Nice atmosphere though. They are super short staffed, we needed to wait a bit, but we did not mind. However, it appeared if you were a "regular" there and the staff and someone named Bob knew your name you received your food and drinks quicker. read more

Webt to this place the first time based on good reviews and nice location near the beach. The service was awesome. There was one boy bussing the tables that was so on top of it, and definitely deserves a raise or something. However the food made this a 3 star review. Im a seafood fanatic and the food definitely was not up to par. It tasted like there was no seasoning in the batter of any of the fried seafood or the fries. The fries were actually really awful, they did not even taste fried so I'm not sure how they are cooking them. The drinks were strong but not that good. The fish tacos were okay however no seasoning on the batter of the fish was a huge problem. The toppings are what made them okay because they were delicious. Overall, really good service and location. But probably would not come back due to the food unfortunately. read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Fish tacos and blue margarita - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

I went for my third time tonight with my parents from out of town. Over the course of my visits I've decided we are fans of: the martinis, shrimp casserole, and fish tacos. I've had the fish tacos twice and while I genuinely feel the batter needs more flavor, they are a really solid choice with quality fish and banging slaw. I may feel that way about the batter (same as on the fried shrimp I had) because I'm not a huge fan of a cornmeal-based batter and I believe that's the type they use here. My dad was a huge fan of the fries so whatever was the issue (as stated in the early reviews) has clearly been rectified. They were crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. Cooked to perfection. The food took a bit of time to come out, which was okay with us because we were enjoying some time to chat and the waitress apologized so I really don't take issue with it. Sometimes those things happen. Bar was quick with the drinks. We saw the fried seafood combo come out to a couple of tables and dang, they looked amazing. Def going to try that and the lobster grilled cheese on one of my next visits. This place is walking distance from my house and I love that I have such a good option to take visitors to. I know we will have good drinks and fresh food in a beautiful spot. read more

Good food happy atmosphere friendly staff timely food two chicken breaststroke with the chicken parm was nice. Had food left over to take home read more

Had date night here on Saturday, there was no wait and we got a great seat outside. The calamari was perfect- not overly breaded or chewy. The lobster grilled cheese that I got and the fried shrimp that my husband got were both great. The food was great, you can tell the chef knows what they are doing with seafood. The service was friendly and the drinks were strong. read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Calamari - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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Me and a friend went to the restaurant for the 1st time on Friday August 2 2019. We WILL be back. The wings.. amazing The buffalo chicken dip.. amazing The nachos with chicken.. were great (the chicken was a little dry and needs to be cut up more I think ) My dirty martini was dirtier than my freshman year college roommate Our server was Stephanie and she was absolutely wonderful . So much so that I actually saved her name in my phones note function. A woman who I think was a owner traveled across the restaurant the entire night checking on customers. LM read more

Second time here - service, food and atmosphere was great. I highly recommend Finally got the chance to try Riptide. Interior renovations are bright and clean. Wait staff and menu were awesome. We had bacon wrapped scallops, ahi tuna sandwich and the grilled lobster and cheese. All were awesome. I highly recommend his restaurant and seeing that they just opened, I know will just keep getting better read more

My wife and I have anxiously awaited the opening of Riptide and managed to eat there on their opening night. We have long believed that the former restaurant at this location was badly in need of renovation and improved food quality. Their staff was always friendly and attentive and I'm happy to report that the best of them have returned. The transformation of this location, facing LI Sound, is nothing short of remarkable. It is beautiful! Interior decor is clean, simple and bright. Fans, floors and light fixtures are really nice. The elevated outdoor deck is fully covered and adds a really nice new seating area. I ordered their seafood pot pie and it was plentiful and delicious. The presentation was very nice! Lobster, shrimp, scallops and cod in a tasty sauce with potatoes, peas and carrots. A+! The wife enjoyed their fish tacos and noted that the fresh coleslaw has a hint of horseradish. Also delicious. Drinks were right sized and served in nice glassware. Prices were very reasonable IMHO. Service was a bit frazzled, as one would expect on any maiden voyage. The place was mobbed; primarily with former customers who, like us, were looking forward to the vastly improved food and decor. We are certain to become regulars! I'll post photos in the near future. read more

For a busy Saturday night we got right in and seated. Got the fried calamari which came out quick and was very good. Then the wait began for our main meal. My kids started getting impatient, and me and my wife were not far behind after 30 min. We were discussing the state of retail as we both are managers and how hard it's been to hire people when we both need all the help we can get. That's when she noticed a sign which I wish I took a picture of. The short of it is that the restaurant asked for our patience as they are very short staffed and doing their best to provide the best experience they could while they try to find help. Talk about changing your perspective, me and my wife's retail radar went up and you could see how hard these waitresses and busboys and the manager were working to serve a ton of people. Our waitress kept us in the loop and refilled drinks as time went on. Our food came out 2 min later and the lobster grilled cheese was more than worth the wait, probably one of the best I've ever had. All our food was good. So if you took the time to read this, check this place out, if you've got some patience and understanding given the state of hospitality/retail/food etc I promise you this place is worth the wait. read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Honestly, the only thing this place has going for it is its location. I'll cut them some slack because I went during their opening week but overall my husband and I were thoroghluy disappointed. Service: We were seated promptly but it took 20 minutes before we even saw our waitress. Moreover, we didn't get our drinks until well into our meal (which is odd because we ordered our drinks first). If it was busy, I'd understand, but it was a weekday afternoon and the crowd was minimal. Food: Worst fries my husband and I have ever had in a restaurant. They were literally soggy mush. The rest of our meals were just kinda meh. I'd say it's TGIFridays quality. Nothing to write home about. Drinks: Pretty sub-par drink selection. Considering they're right next to the Dive Bar you'd think they'd put in a little more effort to compete. The beer list was one of the saddest selections we've seen in a CT resturant/bar. Only 2 or 3 craft brew selections. Interior: Beautiful decor in this place. Very clean and beachy. Definitely enjoyed the ambiance here. Unfortunately the paint on the brick walls ended up rubbing off on all of our clothes. Really put a damper on the afternoon. I'll consider coming back here in a few months to see if they've worked out the kinks but until then I'm staying far far away from this resturant. read more

Came here Sunday for lunch. Restaurant opens at 11:30, and we got there at 11:40ish and it was already busy. We were seated right away and started on drinks. We started with classic nachos as an app. They were delicious, very large serving, could probably serve 4 hungry people happily. I think there could've been more toppings mixed in, as all the toppings were on top instead of layered but never the less delicious! I had the fish tacos with fries and they were great, I loved the flavor combos. I couldn't finish the 3 tacos after my serving of nachos. My friends had lobster roll and calamari which both good as well. Will come back soon. I definitely recommend sitting outside as the view is magnificent read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Fish tacos with fried cod - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

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Ate here twice. Food and service was excellent both times. First time I ordered the broiled scallops and it was excellent with a Ritz cracker crust. The second time I ordered a lobster roll which was packed with lobster meat. read more

My friend and I met at 1:00 for lunch. There was only one server working and I felt bad for her, but it took sssooooo long for everything--we didn't get good until 1:50 and it was not good. The "grilled" Mahi-mahi was definitely not grilled, there was no crispness at all... and cold by the time I got it. Plus the fries were soggy. An all round not-so-good experience. read more

Oysters and Clams on the half shell!!!! The waitstaff are great! Seafood Fra Diavolo!!!! read more

This place was a random pick after sitting in the west haven sand that reeked of human peepee, anyhow I have yet to eat on this hot day so after the beach and two trulys under the sun all I could think about was a ice cold water with lemon to soothe my nausea, FRESH air and some food. So anyways I was not YET impaired so I googled the closest restaurant by the beach and found Rip Tide, I went on over and sat out in the porch area with my friend and we ordered our food. Man was this amazing! Im gonna start calling this spot rip pants because my jeans got tight right after that wrap and after the wooble back to my car I sat down and almost ripped my jeans. I always get blue cheese and i judge places by this VERY hard but this spot had good blue cheese, i rarely take food to go for my honey but this spot honestly tasted so good that I took a steak and cheese wrap home for him so he can try it too. I am totaly coming, although I wish there was much more actual outdoor seats and not a covered porch it still don't change my mind about coming back. 3 Thumbs up! (the pic attached WAS supposed to be food) read more

RipTide Restaurant & Bar - Seafood Near Me - West Haven, Connecticut

Only gave it 3 stars as the oysters were tiny and a couple were gritty. A lot of the food is fried which is disappointing. My friend had the ahi tuna tacos which were very good. I had the ahi tuna entree which was also good, although I struggled to find dishes that were low carb and not fried. It's a very casual place. Must people we wearing shorts/sweats. Shame as they could definitely attract a nicer clientele if they improved the ambience and revised the menu. Great location. read more

This is our favorite place for lunch. We always sit at the bar and have Melissa as our server. She's awesome!! I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Wanted to give the new restaurant a try. We put our name in and we're told it was a 30 minute wait, They seated us promptly. The restaurant bar area was extremely noisy but it was packed. We lucked out and got a seat on the patio. Our waitress greeted us quickly and took our drink order. She also alerted us that it may be some time before our food (once ordered) would be our because it was busy. I appreciate that she let us know. We ordered our drinks and apps, surprisingly the came out rather quickly and nice and hot. The steamers were extremely fresh with not a drop of sand. The crab cakes with the remoulade sauce were yummy. The lobster bisque was nice and hot although a little thinner than i expected it had huge lobster chicks and was tasty. There was a young man monitoring tables cleaning and filling waters as needed. We enjoyed the apps, ordered another drink and the food came out shortly after. The broiled combination came can the scrod was slightly under cooked so it went back in the oven and came back perfect. My baked shrimp we very tender and fresh. Our waitress was so sweet, polite and very courteous. I can't remember her name (she worked the patio on 6/22 evening), Sorry! The restaurant has a fantastic new look and the patio is great with lots of seating. Although slightly pricy the food was very fresh. My only gripe would be and I'm sure it can't be helped is that every vehicle (motorcycle/sports car) that came by rev'ed their engines/did burn outs and it was obnoxious. I saw there were some not great reviews but we decided to give it a try. It's a new restaurant with kinks that have to be worked out but our overall experience was a good one and we'll be back. Hoping for a front patio seat! read more

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