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    Tavern On State

    4.6 (192 reviews)
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    TAVERN ON STATE ATMOSPHERE

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    Michelle W.

    Tavern on State is an absolute gem. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was lovely, but the food and drinks truly stole the show. The roasted beets were a revelation--perfectly prepared and so delicious that I'd honestly eat them every single day if I lived closer. The cocktail program is equally impressive; every drink was a standout, showing real craft and balance. What made the night even better was the service. Our server was incredibly charming, attentive, and perfectly "on it" throughout the entire meal. We live out of state, and I'm dreaming of traveling back to CT to visit Tavern On State.

    Beet salad
    Anna S.

    I like the ambiance a lot. They have friendly staff with good food recommendations. I've been there twice now and would say it's a great special occasion place and/or catching up over dinner with a friend place. They rotate their menu which is also great. Highly recommend.

    Happy hour smash burger, fries, and cosmo
    Kristen S.

    I have been here a few times for happy hour and each time the smash burger never fails. 10/10 recommend the burger here.

    Ashlyn P.

    What a hidden gem! I had never heard of this place until checking Reddit for the best restaurants in CT for my birthday. It's totally my vibe - a menu that changes, small 'nyc' vibes and great drinks so I made reservations. Everything we had was great especially the beef tartare, octopus and the pomegranate tart. They were the type of dishes you do not want to end! I'm hoping they stick around or come back! The beef tartare had a Caesar type sauce and malt vinegar chips... WOW! I mean who wouldn't love that? The only dish that 'fell short' was the half chicken.. It was good but just a little one note for me. I think because everything else was so good it stuck out.. Overall though we had a fantastic time and great drinks! Solid 9/10!!

    grilled octopus with chili butter, crispy fingerlings & pickled peppers $21
    Elena M.

    When you forget to book an anniversary dinner until the day of (oops), but somehow snag a same-day reservation for an outdoor table? Call it love... or luck... or a post-graduation Tuesday in New Haven. We landed in the charming garden space, tucked in a cozy little alleyway that felt just hidden enough. No heaters in sight, but also no regrets. Inside looked a bit more like a moody rave for foodies -- dark, lively, and tight on elbow room. I guess we did need that reservation! Menus were QR-code only -- not my favorite (my phone was like, girl, put me down) but hey, trees were saved, so I'll allow it. Our server was delightful, and there were a few food runners popping by like friendly dinner party guests. Now, let's get to the goods: Snap Pea Salad: Absolute star. Bright, nutty, lemony, herby -- like if a garden went to culinary school. I'd come back just for this. Green Garlic Panisse: Turns out... panisse is not for me. Texture was giving savory Play-Doh. But that's a me thing. Onward! Grilled Octopus: Best meat dish of the night. Tender, not rubbery, and deeply flavorful. As octopus connoisseurs (pretentiousness clocked) we were impressed Roasted Chicken: It was... fine. Juicy enough, but for $38 I wanted to feel spiritually transformed. Or at least a little impressed. Tiramisu: My husband's fave. Creamy, and oh so chocolatey on top. I got two bites before the fork came out swinging. Overall, a lovely date night with some big wins and a few "meh" moments. We'll be back for the burger (had on first visit, what they're known for, slapped), and the garden patio.

    Fish
    Tracy A.

    The ambiance is cute and quant. The food is delish and well seasoned and prepared. The drinks are AMAZING. They make my favorite craft cocktail I've ever had. This place is a staple for me when I'm in New Haven.

    Heirloom tomatoes with sweet corn pudding
    Jasmeet M.

    I love coming here and sitting at the bar. The dimly lit restaurant sets the whole vibe. The bartenders are highly skilled and full of recommendations and knowledge about the menu. The food is always top notch as well as the cocktails. As always, I'll be back!

    Chioggia beets and yuzu yogurt etc.
    Jason P.

    You're going to have to look up some words on the Tavern on State menu. Like the "Chioggia" in "Chioggia Beets". And the yuzu in "Yuzu Yogurt". I recognized the fresh mint in this dish. And the pistachios. And olive oil. I've heard of red currants and grains of paradise. I could not pick either out of a jailhouse suspect lineup. And I'm pretty good with produce since I cook and worked in a grocery store when I was young. This is a medium long way of saying that Tavern on State does not dumb things down for diners. They're giving you a bold mix of colors, flavors, shapes and textures and arranging them in an artful way. Oh by the way. Hey there! I'm Jason. This was my first visit to Tavern on State. A stylish, dim-lighted, small restaurant on one of the best food streets in New Haven. Yep. State Street. I've known of Tavern on State's culinary reputation for years. People who know food are high on Tavern. I haven't been able to visit because Tavern is only open for dinner and I typically explore New Haven traveling from Hartford County in the morning and daytime. A rare evening meet up in New Haven with friends finally allowed me to visit Tavern for a small bite before my primary dinner elsewhere. My Chioggia Beet dish was very good. The beets were more mild than some varieties. Fresh mint and pistachios are always winners in my book. The yogurt was thick, mildly acidic and smooth, and a nice counterpoint to the beets. My only comment is that the semi-circular presentation of these ingredients on a white plate left a lot of negative space in the presentation. The arrangement of ingredients was cool, but there was a large section of white flowing from the yogurt in the plate's center. Would this same arrangement have looked better on some sort of black or non-white plate with a matte finish? In any event, I enjoyed my food, the friendly and efficient service and the chill atmosphere. I will be back for a fuller experience. That burger looked pretty tasty as it zoomed by me. 4.5 Stars

    Server Emily & me
    Rose C.

    Haven't been here for a while, but my friend was in the mood for a good burger, and I said, let's go to Tavern. It did not disappoint! This is the first time I've ever sat outside instead of the main room, though it was enclosed, and we were under heat lamps so it was comfortable. But the best thing about the night was our server, Emily. And that's saying a lot, because I really like their burger and fries. She was terrific, from recommending the wine to talking to us about the menu. Her energy was happy & upbeat. She elevated what was already a good experience so I took a selfie with her. Emily is the pretty brunette with the cool looking bangs. I would definitely come here for their burgers, and if you're lucky enough to get Emily, well, you're having a 5 star night.

    grilled mackerel and ricotta gnudi with lobster
    Kerry F.

    everything about tavern on state was PERFECT. the service was so lovely and hospitable. the decor was very dimly lit and cozy. for starters we split the grilled octopus with potatoes and i was stunned at how delicious it was. then for dinner we got grilled mackerel and the ricotta stuffed gnudi with lobster which was the special (in the picture included). absolutely yummy. drinks were cute and tasty and the tiramisu was to die for. absolutely recommend for dates or night out eats!!!

    Pork Cutlet and Roasted Chicken
    Jeffrey C.

    Last night we visited TonS for an impromptu dinner. The dining room was most inviting. We were gracious greeted and welcomed back, seated promptly and met by our server. We ordered an appetizer to share and then waited for what felt was an eternity. The tables seated after us ate and left by the time our meals arrived, it would appear to me our server forgot to inform the kitchen to fire up our meals once we finished the appetizer. No apology was offered when I enquired about our meals. The burrata was excellent as was the pork Milanese and roasted chicken. While still eating my meal, knife and fork in hand and a mouthful of pork the server was trying to take our dessert order, I found this more irritating than the 30 wait for our meals. I don't like being rushed. The dining room was not full so I couldn't understand the rush. The strawberry shortcake was good not as good as the main meals, however rarely are desserts. For the food a 5 for the Service 3.

    Tavern on State.  December 2024.
    Marcia R.

    Fantastic night at Tavern on State. Ambiance, service, other diners seated nearby, oh, yeah, and the food! We had celery salad, grilled octopus and gnudi (think gnocchi) to start. The grilled octopus was amazing with a fantastic sauce!!! Main course was coq au vin and the famous burger. Lived up to billing. Had cava and beer to start and glasses of red with main courses.

    Margarita and a Martini
    Jaime R.

    As always, friendly staff and great ambiance. I have gone a handful of times since and the food has been exceptional. Definitely worth the visit. Happy hour is also a can't miss!

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    Ask the Community - Tavern On State

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    BAR - Small Sausage pizza

    BAR

    3.9(1.5k reviews)
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    Clams on pizza...this sounded interesting enough to try. So we ventured out to the long venerated…read more(or so I understand) joint (some lady's name Pizza) only to find the line around the block. Clam pizza? Interesting but not that interesting. I had scoured Eater's New Haven section earlier that day and seen BAR mentioned for where to get apizza. We traveled into the quaint-ish New Haven core and parked on the street. Luckily, they had just opened, so we were seated upon arrival. We got two pies: the Clam Casino and the Portrait of New Haven. The PoNH was good. The ricotta was a nice contrast to the sausage and red peppers. The Clam Casino was worth the journey by itself, however. It turns out clams on a pizza is a great idea. Large whole clams and bacon with cherry peppers? Damned right. I wasn't familiar with New Haven brand ("apizza" as I've now been told), but the char on the bottom from the wood-fired oven is crucial at holding some topping combinations to a higher echelon than others (where it deflates others): see the other-worldly good Clam Casino versus this-could-be-better-without Portrait of New Haven. Regardless, the Clam Casino would be a go-to if I lived anywhere near here. The inside is huge. We sat in the main barroom. It was warehousey, but a pool table and picnic tables for large parties gave it a cool vibe. I enjoyed watching the bar staff have to hunch under the bar opening, which doesn't hinge up, as we waited for our discs 'o dough.

    Food: three stars We got two specialty pizzas a mashed…read morepotato and a New Haven. Both tasted okay and don't expect too much if you're visiting from New York. The portion was big considering the price (~$25 each). Service: one star Service was bad. The staff didn't introduce the food for us they just put the pizza on our table and walked away. Ambiance: one star We visited during Friday afternoon and there's no wait. The table was sticky and shaky. Menus were dirty with spills from drinks or sauce. Would give higher stars if service is better. The pizza itself was not bad.

    Photos
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    32 oz can (very silly looking)

    Tavern On State - tradamerican - Updated May 2026

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