Between Frank Pepe's and BAR, my friend, a Yale student, prefers the latter, and as a mere tourist,…read moreI deferred the decision to her. Man, so glad I did. We arrived on a Monday around peak dinner time, but there was essentially no wait (apparently uncommon according to my friend -- just a delightful consequence of dining at a college town during the summer). We split a medium pizza (1/2 elote mexican street corn and 1/2 bbq brisket), proving to be more than enough for two plus a more than ample amount of leftovers. Recently, I've gravitated toward thinner pizzas, a far cry from the typical Detroit (foccacia-esque) style pizzas I used to prefer, and BAR's pizza is akin to a flatbread yet very thin, another fallen angel to the GLP's. The undercarriage boasts a brilliant crust, almost cracker-like. However, it should be noted that the pizza is indulgent all the same. The elote pizza is quite possibly the most memorable, unique pizza I've ever had; it arrives almost crimson-red with a generous layer of corn and takis atop. It's still incredibly well balanced despite the hodgepodge of varied toppings. It's hard to pick a favorite between this and the bbq brisket though; while one is incredibly unique the other is simply sumptuous, nothing pedestrian about either of the two. The service is also impeccable, almost rivaling that of southern hospitality. I always thought Californians were friendly but something is in the air every time I visit New Haven. Incredible!

Based on a recommendation, four friends and I visited for an earlier dinner on Cinco de Mayo (yes,…read morewrong type of cuisine, but we were in town and this restaurant was on our list.) BAR is an interesting restaurant: open air, picnic tables, open space, paper plates, no utensils unless you ask for them, etc. We were greeted right away by a less than friendly waiter who seemed peeved we didn't have a drink to order right away. Strike one. After a few minutes, everyone put their drink order in and I asked if the bartender could make me a mojito since it wasn't on the menu. The waiter said yes, so I waited. Then came the mojito. It was the worst "mojito" I've tasted in my life. I'm not one to send a drink back because of an "I don't taste any alcohol" excuse, but this was BAD. It tasted like margarita mix with lime and mint sprigs thrown in. It was absolutely terrible. When I double checked with the waiter if the drink was an original mojito he simply said yes, not "is something wrong with the drink?" or "would you like to send it back?" The drink was so bad I told him I couldn't drink it. He was peeved again. Strike two. I asked for a soft drink instead and the soda was flat (strike 3), but at this point I just needed something to drink... because who wants to have water with their pizza? Then came the time to make a dinner choice. My mission was to try the mashed potato pizza. It was hands down AMAZING!! Mashed potatoes and bacon on a pizza. Yes, please!! This was the only saving grace from my experience. I would return to BAR again if only for that pizza! Two of my friends had the clam pizza and the pepperoni/mushroom. Both enjoyed their own! Warming: New Haven pizza is thin crust. I got two meals out of a small, so if you visit with a group, consider ordering a few small pizzas so you can taste a few. I would've given BAR 4 or 5 stars, but the unpleasant waiter, the "mojito," and the flat sofa made for a trifecta, so I'm giving my visit 3 stars. If I find myself in New Haven again, I'll be back! Hopefully my next update will be 5 stars!

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.

Love this place! If I owned a bar/restaurant this would be it!…read more Greeted by a charismatic young lady that was extremely helpful and welcoming for a mid week lunch stop off on my way north. I was hooked by the name. Quirky. Perfect for me. The decor is very local. It's plain but upper middle class dive feel. The menu was very ambitious, but delivered. Hot-crispy fries and chips seasoned perfectly. Chicken sando on a great focaccia was a banger. Beverage was a Fuzzy baby duck IPA. Quirky and I couldn't pass it up. Highly recommend!!!

Not a fan of this place. The decor was confusing.....sports, a crooked goat head, big sexy signs…read moreand a few ?? Satanic symbols similar to Baphomet. I just didn't get it. Loved their sours idea of the Cajun spiced chips but they were so excessively spiced they were inedible (your lips and tongued burned awfully) and I love heat (I'm a fan of ghost peppers) and spice. The big sexy sandwich tasted great but left me nauseous all night long making me wonder if something in it was off. It was disappointing. On the other hand they make an excellent expresso martini. As a bar I'd recommend this place but as a restaurant I would not

We had a great night at the owl bar. Chadwick was our bartender and had all great suggestions for…read moredrinks and cigars. The prices aren't bad and the drinks were excellent. Highly recommended: THE LEGIONNAIRE $13 Vanilla Vodka, Pineapple Jalapeno Shrub, Dry Sherry, Lemon, Cassis - a F r e n c h M a r t i n i w i t h a t w i s t - The old school hip hop music was on and everyone seemed to be having a great night. There was no dress code and there was a mix of age levels.

This spot is rumored for having some of the best espresso martinis in downtown New Haven -- and I'd…read moresay they live up to the hype with a solid 7 out of 10. I was a little surprised that outside water bottles weren't allowed inside, especially on such a hot day, which definitely took away from the experience a bit. Also, if you're sensitive to the smell of smoke, you might want to skip this one -- it's pretty noticeable throughout the space.

We were in New Haven for the weekend and we were looking for a nice brunch spot that offered menun…read moretems outside of the usual fare. We checked Yelp and found Roli so headed there. Its right on the corner of Chapel and Olive. We walked from our hotel, so parking was not an issue for us. The minute we walked in, we loved the place. We were warmy greeted and the hostess said she recognized my handsome dining partner. Well, come to find out, the hostess is the partner in this wonderful restaurant with Chef Roland. We met them both before as we had frequented a Norwalk restaurant run by them that we loved and that sadly closed down sometime ago. They opened this spot in New Haven about 1 year ago. Lovely European vibe to the whole setting and menu. Open kitchen. Delicous offerings. We ordered the eggs Benedict with a croissant in place of the English Muffin. I was so happy they were able to accomodate this request. Also a full legitimate English Breakfast! Amazing. A moctail and a pot of loose leaf black tea. All was outstanding! Outstanding! The service was top notch and we never felt rushed. They have daily themed specials in addition to their regular menu offerings. Beatiful bar area. We are so happy to have found them and will be returning often! We highly recommend!

We dined here last evening and were not disappointed! Well…read moreappointed interior, excellent service and the cuisine was pristine! Loved the pork chop with mashed potatoes. We shall return. William Perrelliphoto.com Flickr: perrelliphoto Instagram: perrelliphoto

A fun dive bar with great vibes all around. I came to see Squints perform and Cafe Nine was a great…read morevenue for them to play. We also caught a few other bands performs like Seepie and Shortwave too. The volume of the mics were just right, and the crowd was energetic from start to finish. It was a packed house! We love to see it. The bar staff was also very friendly. We will be back!

Stopped in for an On & On Radio DJ night. The bar is pretty divey but I loved the set up and they…read morehave stools outside too. The bathroom is really small, I wasn't a fan of that. The stage is a pretty decent size, I'm intrigued to come back another night and see the vibes. There's a parking lot right next to the Crown St entrance which is convenient. I only got one mixed drink. It wasn't full of ice so I feel like it was pretty fair price wise. The bartender and security listened to me yap so they were cool in my book.

I love Gryphon's Pub! 204 York has been a staple of Graduate and Professional Student life at Yale…read morefor years - I am glad to be a part of it now too!

This is a place to go for cheap drinks and good conversation. They have a dance floor which gets…read morepacked on seemingly random nights. I'm not sure how they manage to keep prices so low, but from what I understand it is somewhat University subsidized. One of my favorite bars in New Haven for sure. Don't get five stars for three reasons, but two of these reasons actually sort of has a redemption. 1) it is cash-only, which is kind of inconvenient (redemption: they have an ATM with really low service fees). 2) you have to be affiliated with the University or go as a guest. My issue is that there's a cap on the number of people each University person can get in. (redemption: this is a good way to be selective about the patrons inside) 3) My coat got stolen a few trips ago - and it was in the middle of winter. I called an Uber - but it was still extremely unpleasant. I guess that gives you an idea of how much I like the bar in that I returned..

I want to love barcade because the concept and the games are absolutely great. And we found a…read morenearby parking garage that was decently cheap on a Sunday afternoon. Buttttt the place was dirty as in tons of gross unbussed tables and drinks everywhere - it was literally the bartender solo or so I thought but later saw that a big guy playing games also actually worked there but was not "working" shall we say, too bad because the drink I had was good (margarita) and the games made for a fun time.

Decent spot. Beer selection includes a lot of local beers…read morewith many options I feel like everyone could find something here they like. Most of the games are kind of old, a bit of a weird and grungy vibe . Music very low and constant button mashing. We came for games but decided to just hang out , outside. Tables were old and hard to have a drink at considering the giant slits. the bartender was kind though, so that was nice. Got corn fritters that were very good and easy to share between two.

The food is great, had the Elm Street burger w/ a potato bun!!!…read more Alina took really good car of us - she is awesome

Kai provided an exceptional service. The food and drinks were fantastic, and the level of…read moreattentiveness to our group, as well as the updates on the timing of our order, added to the positive experience we had at Elm City Social.

Great place to watch soccer. Or really any sport. Got a patio of the weather's conducive. Food is…read morevery good traditional pub food. Best steak sandwich in town. And a real Irish breakfast.

Love this place so much. Food, atmosphere, drinks. It's got everything. Counting down the days to…read morenext season. #YNWA