Rudy's is a place you have to have patience with. it's busy. students like it. their staff gets busy. busy places are busy for a reason. because they have consistently good food (chicken sandwich, mushroom flat bread), rotating beers, cheap well and a good selection of better than well spirits. I love the every other Saturday hip hop dj. it is what it is. but if you like it. you like it. read more

I was not a fan of the old Rudy's. Everyone was always like, "I love Rudy's- it's such a shithole!" I, however, am not a fan of shitholes and don't really understand the appeal of a bar that's known for being a shithole. Luckily, the new Rudy's is very different! It's cleaner, has a bigger menu and a better beer selection (yay Kwak!) Frites are still just as tasty and everything I've had there has been delicious. I'm not sure if they'll be able to keep the old Rudy's crowd, or if they even want to. The back area where bands play is small and disastrously laid out, so it will be interesting to see what happens. Hopefully I won't have a beer land and explode on my table because some drunkard chucked it randomly into the air. When that happened at the old Rudy's people were like, "Haha- what an awesome crazy shithole this is!" I have a feeling that wouldn't be tolerated at the new Rudy's (in the dining room anyway), and I appreciate that. read more

Very cool place. Crowd's neat, with lots of different types of people hanging out. Bartender is friendly but not over friendly. As everybody else already mentioned, fries are good, but their dipping sauces are truly impressive. I've never seen so many different kinds of sauces offered for fries. I liked their Samurai sauce, which was full of spice and kick! My husband liked the Curry sauce. I guess all that fat is good for soaking up beer to make a great combo. read more

The service here for lunch recently was awful. The waitress/bartender working alone was rude, unfriendly, and off-putting. The food was just okay, and nowhere near good enough to offset the service. To add injury to insult, the table for our large party was laid out in a way that two of us bumped our heads on the unusually low light fixtures when getting up. I won't be back. read more

Rudy's is your typical punk rock attitude dive bar. They have pitchers of Schaefer for $6, the best frites you will find anywhere in CT, dare I say New England, and without question the awesomest (that's right, awesomest) juke box in New Haven. Needless to say, I love it there. First of all, the frites. Indisputably the best fries in the area. They make them just like real Belgians do, and offer a ton of dipping sauces to choose from. My personal favorite is double dipping each frite in Belgian mayo and curry ketchup. If you want more than that (and i'm not sure why you would) their other food is simple, reasonably priced, and satisfying. They also have a selection of good bottled beers to choose from in addition to the aforementioned $6 pitchers of Schaefer, such as Leffe and Anchor Steam. Plus, they have seating outside, if you happen to be lucky enough to snag it before everyone else does. **UPDATE** They no longer have Schaefer on draft. Sadly. Their frites are still great, but Caseus' may be better (but they don't have all the sauces). They also have a digital jukebox now, but it still rocks. The crowd is now decidedly hipster. read more

How does a place manage to fail so hard on an order of fries to go? I was showing a friend around New Haven and we passed Rudy's, noting that their fries are kind of a New Haven institution and are worth trying if you're itching for them. It was around 4:30 on a Sunday, so the space was pretty empty with a couple folks at the bar, and one table occupied. We placed our order (regular pomme frittes with a couple of sauces), and waited, and waited, and waited for about 15 minutes. Our order comes out, we leave cash for the fries plus a tip and head out, taking the fries out of the bag a few feet from the entrance to eat and walk. I grimaced when I saw the fries were in a box, and quickly went to open it so the steam escaping from the fresh fried food didn't quickly obliterate the crisp exterior. However, my concerns of soggy fries were quickly thrown by the wayside when I found out the fries were not just soggy but cold. I immediately turned around, went to the bar, waited to get the bartender's attention let them know I wanted a refund. Done easily enough as the waitress still hadn't picked up the cash and tip on the table. How you mess up an order of fries during a near-empty happy hour downtime, I do not know but it def't didn't sync up with the menu bragging about how their pomme frittes are fried fresh to order. read more

It's rare I get this disappointed in a place. Went for brunch this weekend and everything was off with this place. We not only had poor service but they messed up our order, the food was not that good, and it was way overpriced. Our server was not nice to us and didn't care. When I asked for hot sauce I was given an old crusty bottle that I couldn't even open. I also saw that all the hot sauces were placed in the host booth next to the cleaning supplies - yuck. She didn't bother coming back to ask how it was or get me a new bottle of hot sauce or refill our waters. Food was only ok. I got the corned beef hash and asked for my eggs over easy but they came out sunny side. Beef was dry. I asked for a side of avocado and got about a quarter of the avo. And it was wayyyyy over priced - like $13. Overall I would never go back here and never recommend to a friend. Overpriced, crappy service, and mediocre food. read more

Great food! Bartender was a jerk!!! Told the people next to us that he was making a half ass drink and that drink was mine. I watched him tell them. He was sarcastic and had a terrible attitude. Such a shame because the food was good! read more

Rudy's is a New Haven staple. Come for the fries and aioli, stay for the beer list. Plenty of Belgian brews and domestic standbys to keep you happy. I usually show up here at night, burgers hit the spot perfectly here. Fries come with a choice of ~20 dipping sauce from ketchup to creamy chipotle mayo and bleu cheese to barbeque sauce. Burgers come on delicious brioche and you can sub greens for fries if you're feeling... green. They have a nice brunch too, burgers and benedicts with runny eggs are just what the doctor ordered for the Sunday mornings that follow true Saturday nights. Fried chicken and grilled chicken sandwiches are also delish. They turn into a nightclub on Friday and Saturday nights, so if you come late-ish on those days be prepared to fork over a cover. A great neighborhood spot with great beer and tasty food. read more

Went with my wife and some friends on a Friday night and was lucky enough to grab a table right away. The bar was crowded and most tables were full. We had a waiter that was on his first day on the job so I somewhat expected to get iffy service, but to our surprise he was awesome! I got the Crusty Burger which is a burger with cheese and carmelized onions on an english muffin... sounds kinda ordinary right? Let me tell you all, that was the BEST tasting burger Ive had in years! Perfectly cooked and flavorful! To top it off, they had Tripel Karmeliet on tap, so paired together made my dinner experience well worth the stop! If you are in NH and looking for a cool place with great food, definitely give Rudy's a shot! read more

I'm conflicted on Rudy's. At the bar, service is great, the beer selection is great, and even the prices are reasonable. The frites (think of it as hipster-spelling for fries) are great and make for a good bar food with friends. The new space looks nice, and atmosphere is great. High-end pub without being pretentious. On the other hand, the sit-down dining experience is much more disappointing. The food is actually very good bar food. But the service is almost always atrocious. Have had experiences with service that have ranged from mediocre, to the-manager-offered-us-something-free-the-next-time-we're-there bad. So, one of my favorite bars in New Haven and one of my least favorite places to be served at tables. read more

Rudy's has been around since the end of prohibition and it's still going strong. Bikers, punks, jazz musicians and Yale law students fill the seats around engraved wooden tables, the juke box is always going strong, and nothing beats a Rudy's cheeseburger with Belgian frites and samurai sauce. On Tuesday's there's live jazz and in the summer you can sit outside and appreciate the comfortable pace of life in one of America's best second-tier cities. read more

Rudys - Dive Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Stopped in because I had a hankering for a burger. And lo and behold they have these wonderful perfectly medium done with just the right amount of sear that'll make you want to smack your momma. Then to make it more hallelujah worthy you have like 20 different ketchup recipes to dip your lovely crunchy fries. I love well done fries and I didn't even have to ask. It's so hard to find a good burger joint. It's even harder to find a GREAT burger joint. So I can definitely say it's great for groups. Very hipster. A bar to drown your sorrows and really friendly waitstaff who will bring you extra pickles. Those are nice and garlicky too! Glad I finally tried this place as I've passing it by for sometime now. Yay for Rudy's!! read more

Look, we've all had burgers at a bar. They are usually greasy and hit the spot just right when paired with a beer. But Rudy's burgers are something different. Their beef is seasoned perfectly, and juicy all the way through. Throw in some fries or frites or whatever the hell they care to call them, with one of their awesome dipping sauces (am personally a fan of the Samurai) and you've got some of the best burgers around. Plus, look for their deals on certain drafts, and you've got yourself a great night. read more

A New Haven classic that has gone through a pleasant transformation as it moved from its former seedy location to the new attractive chapel st corner. The restaurant / bar is a hopping spot for students and young professionals to frequent in the evenings. The selection of mayonnaise is large enough to make you question the possibility that you may be missing out on yet a better mayo. Their burgers are impressively sized but the time honored favorite is the mussels in white wine. People watching is fun if you sit at the street side of the bar. read more

Rudys - Fries and mussles! - Dive Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Not sure why there's 3.5 stars but I def give it 5 stars. Ruben, the barnyard and the cobb salad with a burger were great! Burger was cooked perfect. Will def be back! read more

If I still lived in Connecticut, I would keep coming back to Rudy's until all of the glorious dipping sauces had graced my tongue. Good: The fries were wonderful, yes, but fries are really just a vehicle for the dips. The burger was surprisingly good. The bacon on my cheeseburger was great-- most places skimp on the bacon, relying on its' flavor and ignoring the texture. If you're putting bacon on a burger, it should be edible on its' own. Bacon. Bacon. Meat. The beer selection was better than most bars. It was empty at 5:00 pm, which is when I eat because I am like your grandma. Bad: I guess the table by the window was a little drafty. If this place were crowded, I could see it being scene central. Can't say that from experience, though. read more

Dear Rudy's Let me try to explain my feelings for you. it's mostly love and all good things. I know I've only been to two bars during all my visits to CT. but Rudy's you are definitely my favourite and win, hands down. You have a wonderful eclectic selection of beer. From Lambics to Milwaukee's Beast to Negra Modelo. I've nommed on your frites and dined on your chicken nuggets. My friend wanted to spend her birthday in you, and did. I know I was there. You have visual and textural character. from grafitied bathrooms (there are alot of people in love that visit you) to the worn and carved tables. I feel charmed and relaxed where ever I am when I'm with you. Oh Rudy's I hope we'll never part, but if we must, can we please stay friends? Hearts, puppies and rainbows Sean Z read more

I moved to Howe St this year (sorry to leave you, East Rock). Rudy's is on the corner, which is fine. There's no point talking about the old Rudy's because this is not that in the least. Brunch is very good here. Maybe too big, but very good. The beer selection is good and the staff can surprise one by being competent quite often. The bar tenders, however, are socially inept, truly useless staff members. I even called once, just to find out when trivia started, and the bartender said "check the facebook page, I just pour the drinks." and hung up. Thanks for asking someone for me, jackass. It was 3pm, he wasn't exactly swamped. The good thing is, it's a relief from Sullivan's without being as expensive as the Study, which are the other two options within two blocks. The food is pretty good, but I don't know if it's my bad luck or what, but they're always out of the best-sounding dipping sauces. Go for brunch, go for late night drinks. But don't go for atmosphere, Rudy's left it all on Elm St during the move ... whoops! read more

Horrible service... The waitress completely ignored us the entire time we were there. The food was just alright. Save your time and money and hind another place in new haven read more

Went tonight with the lady for the first time (Monday 3/21). Great service, great atmosphere, great beer I had the Brooklyn Spring Ale and Ommegang Whit, food was great we had pirogies, fries, and pulled pork flatbread. This is a fantastic craft beer bar on the outskirts of downtown New Haven. Intimate setting, nice and attentive staff, if I lived closer this would be my go to bar. I'll definitely be back. read more

I used to live across the street 6-7 years ago and frequented Rudy's so it pains me to give a 1 star review but I have to after my last 3 visits. I'm tired of going in there and acting like it's an inconvenience for the staff to serve me. It's happened with one server but mainly this is in regards to the male bartender. My boyfriend and I sat at at the bar last night. we were looking to buy a good amount of food and drinks. We were quick to browse the menu but we were never acknowledged by the bartender who repeatedly looked in our direction and continued speaking with a patron for several minutes. There was another man standing next to him (not sure if he was staff) staring in our direction but didn't acknowledge us either. I've been working in restaurants for half my life and now I'm a bartender-I've never completely ignored patrons in a bar unless they were harassing me. It's takes hardly any effort to say "Hi folks I'll be with you in a few minutes" but clearly he did not care about the opportunity to make money or provide reputable service. I wasn't going to get up and walk over to ask for service because that's extremely uncomfortable so we left and went elsewhere. I love the food so it sucks to say I won't be returning again. If this establishment actually cared they staff with people who give a damn about their job and the reputation of their bar's service. read more

If you are looking for the old Restaura_t you'll have to just fall back on your memories. The long awaited "new" Rudy's is good, just not like the old one. Some familiar faces behind the bar as well as some new taps and an updated menu. Key item : Frites! They were rated 8/10 on the scale of Belgian Fries and having traveled to Belgium and consumed more cones of frites than my Dr would have wanted me too i can say this score was right on. read more

Service is 3 stars on a good night, but drinks and location are 5 stars. Way too much attitude from the servers around happy hour- I understand that it gets busy and people can be rude, but the wait staff should at least treat their well behaved customers with respect! Karaoke on Wed night is a big plus. As I mentioned, drinks are very good and selection is impressive. read more

Confession: I've never consumed a beer at Rudy's. I've never seen any of the bands at Rudy's. I don't even think I know where this happenin Juke Box is located inside Rudy's. But let me tell you how much I LOVE their frites. A lot. Potatoes. Double fried. With dipping sauces. There's no way you can go wrong there. Maybe next time I'll gather up my posse, buy a pitcher, and groove with the rest of New Haven along to some jazzy live music. Woo. read more

Wish the staff was friendlier But I love Rudy's ...Food is amazing especially the specials of the day, wide variety of beers, dipping sauces and fresh quaily ingredients. I'm very picky and this place is great. I go very often and I leave feeling full and very satisfied. If you get a burger "always" add bacon and make the burger medium rare read more

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Not the healthiest but ya gotta live a bit: chance all the sauces read more

In New Haven there aren't too many places downtown to get good greasy American food and fair-priced beers. So odds are, if you're someone who likes this sort of thing, you're one of the 50 gazillion people at Rudy's at any moment. I used to go here because of the consistently good food. Unfortunately, the consistency has been declining, but when they're on they're on. The food can be great. I guess the staff has become complacent since they realized their new location wasn't going to destroy their business. Incidentally there's a palpable apathy from the moment you step inside. If you're from New Haven you're probably used to this, so go pull up a stool and enjoy the famous frites! (except for the 30% of the time that they're old). read more

Had open seating tickets for a performance around the corner tonight that started at 8. Arrived at Rudy's at 710 for a quick burger and salad. At 735 no food and the very apologetic waitress admitted to having forgotten to put in our order and promised it "in just a minute." Five minutes later we had to pack up and leave. Needless to say, no dinner and our seats were lousy to boot. I sort of miss the old Rudy's. read more

Wesley was awesome. A bit grumpy at first, but when you know him.... He's awesome. As a Denver gal, be back!!

Rudy's is definitely a college town, late night eats place but go there anytime and you'll find something interesting on the menu. But first, start with the Belgian frites. That's the real reason you come here and they don't disappoint. Now, are they as good as the famous Pommes Frites in NYC? No, but that doesn't mean they aren't good. I think Rudy's frites aren't as light inside as the other guys but they are still very good. And I like the diverse selection of dipping sauces available. You get one choice with your meal, if you get one of their sandwiches, and the others are 75 cents apiece. I tried four different flavors: maple Sriacha, samurai, maytag blue cheese and mango mania. I liked all except for mango which was a bit too sweet. Also beware that if you try multiple sauces you will fill up because most of the flavors are mixed with a Belgian mayo base. It gets heavy quickly. My dining partner had a basic burger that was very good and I will go back to try one of their burger variations of my own but on this visit I was intrigued by the Brisket Banh Mi. If you like Banh Mi you'll probably like this sandwich. It had tender cuts of brisket with just enough fat left on for good flavor along with pickled jalapeños, cucumber, carrot, sesame aioli spread and served on a soft baguette. Outstanding and very tasty. Rudy's is a big winner in a big college town with a well deserved reputation earned over many years in New Haven. read more

Considering I've been living on the same block as Rudy's for 2 years, I really wish I could love it more! Unfortunately, it smells horribly of bleach in the restaurant, the food is mediocre at best, and the service is really rude! I've had bartenders drop the F-bomb for no apparent reason. I've stopped going because of this. read more

Wait. I'm confused. These frites are nothing like other double-fried Belgian-style frites I've had (in the US - I've never been to Belgium). Usually they are cut like string fries? And soft? And dark? These are quite stiff and crisp and they taste a lot like McDonald's fries from, oh, twenty years ago when they still fried them in clothing starch (or whatever, if you're old enough you remember this rumor) and beef fat. They are thicker cut than McDonald's and I don't think Rudy's uses either beef fat or clothing starch, but you can ask. So they are delicious but (a) not what I expected and (b) I don't actually enjoy fries that much. And I wasn't wild about the simple aioli I got with them; maybe they do the more elaborate sauces better? Now *you're* confused - why the 3 stars? The beer was a great deal and the atmosphere was perfect. Not too loud, not too empty, not too local, not too Yale, not too indoors, not too outdoors, older folks, young people. We were there in early evening and watched a band arrive. There was a dog outside. We watched baseball and the Tour de France. The staff is friendly and low-key and I'm sure they would talk to you about the fries (which, for all I know, are more authentically Belgian than what I had in mind) if you did ask. Also, this place is near my house (and in a good central location, generally) and I feel strongly about not drinking and driving. But the burgers are definitely not to my taste. read more

Came here for brunch on a Saturday with my boyfriend. They weren't very busy and had several open tables. Despite that, it was very clear the one server in the restaurant couldn't handle her tables. It took nearly 10 minutes before we were greeted and asked about drinks. Another long wait before our order was taken. She didn't write it down, which is probably why she got my order wrong. When the food runner brought out our food and I pointed out I had ordered apple pancakes, not potato pancakes, she tried to protest and seemed very displeased as she took the plate back. She also neglected to bring any silverware, and I tried to raid the host stand for silverware but they were out. It took over 10 minutes before we could wave down the server for silverware. By then his food was cold, and mine was still nowhere to be seen. It took her another 5 minutes before she brought out silverware and napkins and began rolling at the host stand. Clearly they need more servers to help out. The food was fine. The pancakes were good, but overpriced. My boyfriend liked his eggs and salad, but again, they were overpriced. We weren't the only ones displeased with the service. The table next to us asked for coffee multiple times and no one ever brought any. They brought their food over, but forgot the coffee, so that table actually got up, grabbed the coffee pot and two mugs, and poured their own coffee!! Probably won't be back. The service was too much to deal with. read more

I fully appreciate the bartenders choice of music (Taylor Swift) and has the best time! The food and service were great!!

First off, the "New" Rudy's has none of the vibe of the original location. That's not dreadful, but it's worth mentioning if the "old" Rudy's was up your alley. Rudy's is mainly one medium-sized room with a small room in the back (with additional seating - not for anything special). They have a decent drink selection with a chalk menu of their current beers on tap, their alcohol content, and their price which is very handy. The bartenders are pretty attentive. The bar stools are bizarrely shaped and incredibly uncomfortable. That might be intentional. In the dining area, there are some small tables as well as some round tables. I was here twice in the last two weeks on a weekend and had no problem getting seated. I had the Belgian frites once at old Rudy's but forget how they were. Last week, I ordered a large portion of frites to share with friends. The small size comes with one dipping sauce and the large comes with three. I more or less just wanted ketchup as ketchup is actually one of the main reasons I'll order fries while I'm out. When I told the waiter I didn't really want any of the sauces he almost got annoyed at me and said "BUT IT COMES WITH THREE!" He made me peruse the list of fancy (some unnecessarily so) sauces and I picked three - a thai curry sauce, the samurai sauce and another sauce I can't recall. All three actually tasted very good but I didn't have a reason to dip fries in them. I mean, I did, because they were there, but they tasted like they could suffice as their own meals. (This means I'd rather eat a bowl of thai curry than have a dipping sauce made out of it). Anyway, the frites alone were tasty too. Rudy's is a decent hang out. It's a little loud - with just some overhead music and conversation, I felt I had to yell to talk to my friends throughout the evening. read more

Decent selection of beers, though they ran out of the ale I wanted, so they comped us the half glass. The Belgian frites are tasty, but I don't like how they're served in the paper cone, because it topples over too easily. The calamari was cooked at the wrong temperature and soggy with oil. Spacious bar area for solo visitors as well as larger groups. The demographic on Saturday night was a surprising mix of college kids and local families. read more

I was not a Elm City Native at the time of the original Rudy's, so I can't speak to its dive-y charm. However, I have been to the New Rudy's (as people seem to refer to it) several times and I have generally had a good time. They have a pretty varied list of beers on tap, including a fair number of Belgians, which I admit I am partial to. Furthermore, they have a generous happy hour and at least one beer on special each night after 8 pm. The crowd there is a good mix of Yale grad students, hipsters, and neighborhood-types out having a good time. All of the staff are really friendly. The food is good, but not great. Somebody recommended the burger, and I enjoyed it, but it's no Prime 16 burger. The Belgian frites with Samurai sauce, on the other hand, are pretty great. I highly recommend getting a larger sampler of the frites with a few different sauces. Overall I'd say I gave it a few extra points for having drink specials, good beer selection, and an overall friendly vibe, despite getting away from its roots as a dive bar. read more

Came here later on a Monday night, there were lots of people here: what a sight! To make Washington apples, they didn't have the stuff, but they had delirium on tap- that was enough! The location verges on the sketchy area of town, so don't walk by yourself if the sun's already down. read more

Review in a few words: Excellent bar food and pretty solid drink selection. All in all, not a bad place to hang your hat for the evening. Review in full: In New Haven's overcrowded bar scene Rudy's perhaps represents the closest thing we have to a jack of all trades (and master of some). Cask Republic may take the crown for best beer selection but their food offerings fall well-short of their asking prices. Rudy's offers an excellent selection of food, at reasonable prices, and backs it up with a passable tap list. So far as food is concerned, Rudy's is really a great place to stop by at any time of day. While brunch can be a little pricey they still have some unique offerings, including my personal favorite - the croquet madame (essentially a ham/egg/cheese served on a croissant). Once you get into lunch and dinner though prices start to match up a little better with the offerings. I would be remiss in my yelper duties if I didn't first mention the fries at Rudy's. Call them Belgian frites if you want but they are Rudy's first claim to fame, and with pretty good reason. While the fries represent an above-average offering, the real draw comes in the form of the accompanying sauces. Rudy's offers a selection of over 15 different sauces ranging from a simple garlic aioli to a mayo/pineapple/curry concoction they call brazil sauce and every manner of sauce in between. Fries aside Rudy's is still a great place to stop for an actual meal. The Voodoo Burger might be one of the best hamburgers in New Haven and I say that being fully aware of the fact that Louis' is a stone's throw from the location. Some other notables include the Barnyard BBQ sandwich (pulled pork with slaw and a fried egg) and the grilled marinated chicken. They also have a whole host of solid appetizers. Pierogies!?! I will take about 12 please... My only complaint about Rudy's is that the tap list is a little weak. Only portions of it cycle/refresh and the familiar faces are some of my least favorite beers. Still, I would hardly say that you can't find at least something you like at Rudy's and that is all that really matters. On the whole Rudy's is a great bar/restaurant for any occasion. You can drink the night away and grab a small basket of fries or you can stop in for a genuine meal. read more