Heirloom is one of New Haven't best kept secrets. Located on the first floor of The Study hotel on Chapel, Heirloom has a cozy, relaxed atmosphere that was a warm welcome on a chilly February evening. My husband and I dined there last night, starting with an Irish lemonade (me) and a dirty Hendrick's martini with a twist (him) in the bar area. Both were delicious, and we drank them and settled in to comfortable lounge chairs. For dinner we were lucky enough to sit in Andreas' area, and he took good care of us during our belated Valentine's Day celebration. We shared the crab dip, a kale salad, and the bouillabaisse -- all served with delicious warm bread. Each course was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious --- best bouillabaisse we've ever eaten. For dessert we had the apple donuts with creme anglaise, my husband's favorite. The only thing better than the warm setting, delicious food and the company was the service, by Andreas and staff. Warm, professional, attentive and welcoming -- we will be back. read more

Very nice ambience. The burger and fries we ordered were quite good. a tad bit pricey but ok for lunch.

The menu was really uninspired, and the service was incompetent. I ordered a cocktail to start, and it took about 20 minutes to come, despite the fact that the restaurant was nearly empty. Everyone else at my table got their drink after about 10 minutes, but mine took twice as long for some reason. Then when the food came, my friend had to send his frittes back because they were cold, and I had to send back the dish that was brought to me because it was simply the wrong dish. It's really not hard to find a better meal than the one you'll get here. Go to Barcelona. read more

We ate here twice on a recent visit to Yale. Both meals were excellent. Loved the kale salad and the scallops. The service was friendly, I did not sense the pretentiousness that other reviewers have mentioned. But coming from SF, I'm used to my meals being served up with a little food-snobbery. The wine list did not have enough straightforward California Chard and Pinot for my liking. I like a wine list with quality that I recognize. But other than the wine list, I'm a fan. read more

The atmosphere is lovely but service could use attention. At dinner my colleague dropped her fork; after waiting a few minutes for signs of anyone who either heard it (quiet night) or we could call over to get a new one, she finally had to get up and take one from another table. Also, on another occasion I told the waiter I was in a hurry to catch a train when I ordered - "no problem" I was told, yet it took nearly 25 minutes to get my burger, which I had to gulp down. When I asked for a box for my fries to go, he looked askance "you want a box at your table?" As I was still eating, yes, or perhaps he could give me a moment and come back, which he never did, so I left the fries. Portions... At dinner I ordered chicken for main, doughnuts for dessert. Chicken was tiny, doughnuts (6?!) absurdly huge, not enough sauce to eat them even. Better balance would be good. read more

I stay at the Study on business when I am in the area. I have honestly not had a bad meal here yet. The bread is served warm with a horseradish butter that sounds interesting but tastes delish. You will find your self asking for more. I had the octopus appetizers perfectly cooked with a ton of flavor, the heirloom caprese with perfectly ripened tomatoes and a generous portion of mozzarella topped with fresh basil, the whole Bronzino always cooked properly just ask for less olive oil, the sea bass well balanced with not a bite left on the plate and finally the skirt steak on top of the heirloom tomatoes flavors are simple but excellently prepared with a very summery flair. Extremely accommodating staff who goes out of their way to make you feel welcome. read more

I took my wife here for a congratulatory dinner. She's a foodie and is generally difficult to please, but we had an excellent experience. Our waiter (Alex, I think?) was attentive and knowledgable, our food was outstanding, and the restaurant setting was clean and nice. They have complementary valet parking, which is a pretty big plus in downtown New Haven (especially on evenings as a chilly as this particular one.) We sampled many of the dishes available, and every single one was delicious. Their drink list is pretty good too. We'll definitely be returning. read more

Enjoyed the Hot Apple Caramel Doughnuts with a side of Heritage Bacon, followed by the Kale Salad with Salmon. Everything was excellently prepared and really tasty. All washed down with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. read more

Pretty restaurant in cool hotel. Food was really good but the service was shockingly bad...just all around negligent. Never had such bad service in such a nice restaurant. Had to go ask to get a waitperson to even come to our table. Served a big pot of delicious homemade ricotta with a few tiny pieces of bread. Took 20 min+ to get more bread. Brought bill without asking if we wanted coffee or dessert. Restaurant was not crowded at the time either. Too bad. read more

I normally do not write yelp reviews, but my experience at Heirloom was pretty awful. I was with a 10-person group, and gave the service a lot of leeway... and they still were unacceptable. First, the good stuff: great looking place, nice atmosphere. The bad news: Service is inexcusable and the food is mediocre. Our table ordered wine, and we didn't see the server again for a good 5-10 minutes. When we finally caught her (she did not come to us), we asked about our wine, and when we could order. Her response: I could not find the wine you requested. And then she walked away. Eventually, we ordered (no bread was brought to the table, despite two requests). The food was fine, nothing special... but half the table was served many minutes before the other half. Food got cold as people waited for everyone to be able to start eating. We also had a classic restaurant snafu: soups were brought with no spoons, and it took another couple of minutes to grab a server to get a spoon. We got our main courses before the appetizer plates were cleared - my trout was surprisingly shoved in front of my face, while I quickly moved my appetizer bowl out of the way. The four trout dishes were served well before anyone else in our party got their main course. I eventually sent the cold trout back because it was inedible at room temperature - and they charged us for it anyway. I would avoid until the place works out service issues and improves the food a bit. read more

Had Sunday brunch with my husband, brother, and mother recently. The service was awful. We were not greeted by a server and we must have had 5 different people take our orders and served our meals. None of them even smiled, much less showed any interest in us. Our soups arrived at different times (since the server didin't use a tray). By the way, the tomato soup tasted like it came from a can, despite its fancy description on the menu. None of the food was really good - just mediocre ( I cook better at home!). I would not recommend this restaurant at all. read more

Carole K. 12/30/11 Ate here for the first time and felt like I was in a tony Manhattan restaurant. It was quiet as the students were on break, so we had a window seat. Our server (should have gotten his name) was professional and informed. He could not do enough in regard to our questions about the dishes. The service was perfect! I had the cheese panini and smoky tomato soup. Outstanding! My daughter had the fish sandwich which was delicious. My daughter lives in Manhattan and is used to great food; she was happy with Heirloom's food beyond compare. Love the decor and ambiance as well. I could see myself sitting in one of the comfy chairs with an ottoman, and reading many of the books on the shelves. What a peaceful oasis in the middle of the city! I will return! read more

I am not sure if there is a genius bartender or if this place has a mixologist but the drinks here are phenomenal.....and they don't sound impressive off the menu but what a wonderful surprise. The food was also excellent. We had the marrow, duck entry, pasta, and the foie gras burger. All were wonderful. For dessert, the donuts hit the spot and plenty to share. Pleasant and knowledgable waiter with a good sense of humor considering that we were drinking.... read more

We had a fantastic, first-rate experience at Heirloom. We shared two delicious appetisers - a baked ricotta with thyme, and a kale salad with some of the freshest and tastiest kale I've eaten. These also went very well with the complimentary fresh-baked focaccia with horseradish cream. For mains, my wife had blackfish which was great, and I had a brilliant duck dish with mushrooms, artichokes, and some great little pickles for tartness. We didn't drink, and the total check came to under 80 bucks, which I think is an absolute bargain. Plus our server, Bernadet, was incredibly helpful and attentive. There were a few very modest and friendly upsell attempts, but done with charm, and her recommendations and suggestions were spot on. Next time we're in New Haven we will be back. read more

Nice atmosphere, good service. We found the food mediocre but will try again. I think its a question of finding dishes they do well, which is not true of everything. read more

Fresh, local ingredients combined in surprisingly delicious ways. (Kale salad really delivered.) Sleek, modern space that can get a little noisy, depending on the size of the cocktail crowd. Fine if unspectacular service. A little pricey for the finished product. read more

10th anniversary Friday night dinner no kids. Gypsy pepper appetizer was great. Skirt steak entree was great except for some exotic "crust" that isn't a crust but a spread of something on top of the meat after its cooked. Fries and salad that came with entree were top notch, well seasoned and dressed. Wife got three appetizers. Iceberg lettuce was not the typical buttermilk wet disaster. The menu failed to mention the other dominant flavor is whole Parsley and our server gladly took it back and replaced it with a no Parsley version. Wife cleaned plate. The octopus appetizer was deep and rich. Too heavy in a good way and the portion size was appropriately mid-sized. All the baked stuffed clams (10-12) disappeared. Complaints: broccoli side dish should have indicated something more than "sweet and sour". When I asked the server, who was fantastic, what the ingredients were (after the meal) she said maple syrup and black anchovy oil. Would have liked to have known that ahead of time. Like on the damn menu. The bread was subpar. Either reheated for too long or just not good. Something like an overdone focaccia. The horseradish spread wasn't enough to get beyond the flaws. Service was exemplary. Staff knowledgeable. Atmosphere perfect. Interior comfortable. Portion size on my entree was a bit small for prime skirt steak but with an app i didn't leave hungry. A few little tweaks and this place could be a complete winner. read more

We met our daughters at Heirloom on Sunday morning to celebrate one's birthday with a delicious breakfast. What a great decision! The breakfast choices included something for everyone.....and everyone was impressed! From the chunky stack of blueberry buttermilk pancakes, to the eggs cooked exactly as we ordered, to the healthy choice "Study at Kale" Frittata, the food was exceptional. The wait staff was friendly, attentive and good at their job. We would highly recommend Heirloom for a delicious, home-grown breakfast!! read more

The ambiance of Heirloom is bright and pleasant and neat. The waiter was courteous and asked if we wanted refills for our drinks, etc. Unfortunately, the food took an absurdly long time to arrive. We ordered pancakes and french toast, and they took about 40 minutes. The waiter repeatedly told us they would be out in a minute, but the food still did not arrive. Other people who were seated later were served before us, and it was quite a frustrating experience. The food, when it arrived, was very good and hot. The waiter asked the manager what to do about how long it had taken to get the food, and they decided to give us dessert to take away. This was a rather odd choice, since both our meals were very dessert-like. It was also a strange choice of dessert: three little jars, one with a caramel custard, one with a lemon sorbet, and one with panna cotta cheese topped with granola. I tried them later and they were very good when eaten together. The mixture of citrus flavor, sweet caramel and slightly sour cheese went very well together. Still, an odd choice (they could have given us the drinks free, or something!). Bananas foster french toast: The french toast was made with thick-cut brioche. The slices were a very nice texture - crunchy and browned on the outside and soft on the inside. The bread was topped with softened bananas, pecans and a caramel toffee sauce. There was also a generous scoop of salted caramel gelato. While the combination of sauce and gelato and crispy french toast was an excellent mix of textures, the dish was perhaps a bit too sweet. The gelato added a hint of saltiness, but not enough to offset the rich caramel sauce and sweet bananas. Overall, be prepared for a decadent dessert if you opt to have the bananas foster french toast for brunch, and ask for a glass of water. Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes: I do not have pancakes very often but these four warm, fluffy pancakes could not have been any better. Stacked so beautifully and sprinkled with confectioners sugar, I almost didn't want to pour the Connecticut maple syrup over it. Instead I poured a nice puddle around the stack. The blueberries, although not very sweet, added a nice smooth texture to the fluff of the pancakes and most importantly were not sour. Simple, tasty, and very filling--these pancakes were the perfect brunch food to start the day. If it weren't a bit on the pricey-side, I would get this every weekend! read more

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I think Heirloom serves up some of the best food in New Haven, however the service is inconsistent at best. They should focus on hospitality and the details of service. The food deserves it. read more

My family wanted a nice place to go to dinner in New Haven over Thanksgiving weekend and Heirloom was just perfect! I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a restaurant for a special occasion or just a nice and fun dinner with family or friends. Atmosphere: Very trendy and modern without being stuffy or uncomfortable. The restaurant is dimly lit with quite a bit of movement and a decent noise level (this is not at all a negative--it made it a fun and lively atmosphere). Food: So so good. We started with the charcuterie board and it was just delicious and a fun way to start the meal with everyone tasting all the different offerings on the big board. I ordered a delicious pasta with goat cheese and lemon and some some sort of greens that wasn't too heavy (we'd already had our fair share of heavy meals with Thanksgiving being that weekend but the menu was too good to resist). My sister ordered the scallops which were presented beautifully on a bed of the most delicious spaghetti squash that had such an interesting and wonderful flavor. Apparently our food was delayed coming out of the kitchen (we honestly didn't even notice...) so the chef sent out a few sides on the house--seasoned mushrooms and the most amazing Asian-style marinated broccoli that was probably my favorite part of the entire meal (definitely order this as extra if it's on the menu). I would definitely recommend Heirloom as a special dinner location--it was exactly what my family was looking for and we had a wonderful experience! read more

This classy eatery in The Study hotel is a great spot for drinks, dinner or as we enjoyed, brunch last Sunday. Mixing lunch with breakfast is a great way to get over the damage of the previous evening. The menu provides plenty of options. Baked asparagus and prosciuto washed down with a Bloody Mary did the trick of rme. My colleagues also enjoyed the frittata, clams and salads. Very pleasant and unhurried- my only niggle is the front of house, it's a mess, three people, slightly rude and none of whom seemed to know what is going on. This needs a fix as the remainder of the staff and all else is excellent. read more

Very good. As long as you are not in a rush to get anywhere. Take your time and enjoy the fresh food. I highly recommend the branzino.

I went to Heirloom for brunch today and it was phenomenal! The service t be food and even the mimosas were top notch. I'm excited to come back and try their dinner. read more

A colleague and I were recently in New Haven for a conference, and Heirloom caught our attention - boasting a fresh, local, farm-to-table concept. Their wine selection is varied and offered many by the glass and bottle selections. We both ordered the wedge salad and were quite amazed by it. A previous reviewer remarked about the fact that some appetizers/salads cost as much as a meal, well, in the case of the wedge, one could eat it as a meal. Rather than cut it into a traditional wedge, it is cut into a circle (see picture), drizzled with their house-made dressing, then covered with blue cheese, bacon, and walnuts. For dinner, we shared the sea bass and the scallops. The portion size of both was as expected and reasonable. The sea bass came with two sauces, zucchini, squash, and artichoke spears. I could not stop eating it, and in all honesty, wanted to lick remaining sauce from the plate - yes, it was that good. The scallops were fresh, sizable, and cooked perfectly, but the star for me in this dish was the spaghetti squash with capers, citrus, and sultanas. I was a bit hesitant to try a sweet twist on the spaghetti squash, but it was not overly sweet and complemented the sweet essence of the scallops. When faced with the desert menu, our instinct was to say something along the lines of, "We'll just look." In looking, the first item grabbed our attention - hot caramel apple donuts. We ordered them with a side of their homemade caramel sauce. These pillowy dumplings of caramel apple happiness were light yet flavorful, and once dipped in the caramel sauce, they were the perfect end to our meal. They were so good, in fact, that we had dinner at Harvest the following night and returned to Heirloom for drinks at the bar and another order of the caramel apple donuts. This place is definitely worth a visit while you are in town. read more

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Terrible restaurant. Worst service ever. My server was on his cell phone mroe than at my table. he knew nothing about the wine when I asked either. He basically shrugged and said i dont know, try it. The scallops I ordered were oversalty and dumped in butter. My date ordered a steak that tasted the same, too salty and buttery. I would recommend this place to no one . read more

My husband and I went there with some friends for a Sunday brunch around 12:30. There were quite a few people there, but no wait for a table. My husband and I shared the duck trotter salad and the smoked trout melt, and both were delicious! The duck was well-seasoned, and the smoked trout was on artisan bread, lightly toasted with just the right amount of melty cheese on top. Had a side of chickpea salad with the trout, which had a light, clean flavor. The chickpeas weren't amazing by themselves, but blended well with the rest of the food so as not to overwhelm the flavor of the main course. Cost about $34 for the two dishes plus one coffee (excluding tip). I really enjoyed the meal, but deducted one star for the service. I concur with some of the other reviewers that the service was slow, but since we were chatting with friends we hadn't seen for a while, I didn't mind that much. However, my husband arrived to the restaurant before I did, and said several staff members walked right by him and another couple who were also waiting to be seated without even acknowledging them, and they had to flag someone down to get tables. read more

MICE!! While having dinner at Heirloom a mouse dashed across the dining room. I froze and put my fork down. I told the waiter. He didn't look shocked, didn't say anything and quickly walked away to the kitchen area. We immediately left. I won't be back. read more

Pleasant setting and perfectly fine gastropub fare at New York prices. However, Indifferent service that the hippest east village spots couldn't dream of. Extraordinarily long time for good food. Plan 1.5 - 2.0 hours for dinner. And don't complain! The passive aggressive manager will blame the diner for ordering the burger 'well done.' A fun ambiance with repeatedly (4 or 5 visits) narcoleptic floor staff. read more

Salad was huge and the heirloom vegetables were amazing and impressive. Fish was a little over cooked and bland.

I visited a weeks ago for the very first time. It was a weird experience. The food was great; however the service was sub-par. When we first arrived, the hostess was no where to be found. We stood at the hostess stand for about 5 minutes. We finally walked over to the bar. We let the bartender know we had reservations. She directed us back to the hostess station. We informed her that the hostess was not there. She then pointed to the hostess coming out from the back and was like, "She's right there." We walked back over to the hostess station and said we had reservations. The hostess chomped on her chewing gum and kept pulling up her pants without saying a word to us. She stared at the reservation book for a while and then finally sat us at a table. Our waiter was very friendly at first, but after taking our order, he disappeared on us. I ordered the wedge salad and scallops. They were both delicious. I thought it was a bit expensive. 3 scallops for $28. We knew it was going to be on the pricier side, but walked out still hungry. read more

Food and drink are usually quite good, but I've had several negative experiences with the service here and I see from these reviews that I'm not the only one. My most recent terrible experience was this past Friday night when I went to get cocktails with a couple of friends. We ordered at the bar and gave the bartender our credit cards individually. When I came back later to close my tab, the other bartender curtly told me something like "When you drop your card at the bar we need to know what you're charging for. Just letting you know for the future." He said it so rudely that I had to ask him to repeat his complaint to me again, just to make sure I had heard him correctly and there wasn't actually something he should be mad about. First of all, I did not "drop" my card at the bar. I handed it to the man who took my drink order after he handed me my drink. If he got my card mixed up with the two people who were with me, that is his fault and not mine. Secondly, even if there were some confusion with my credit card, why does the bartender feel the need to be so rude about it? I am a polite and reasonable customer. I won't be coming back. The food and cocktails may be good, but it only takes one rude waiter or bartender to ruin your whole experience. Don't go here if you want to be treated well. read more

Visited Heirloom for the 2nd time for drinks and dinner. Sat in the lounge area and was forgotten, although there were very few people in the lounge. Had to chase bartender Ed. Asked for a specific table, and got it, which was a plus, but sadly only to be forgotten about by waiter Omar. We ordered dinner but waited 30-40 minutes, to the point where they were breaking down the restaurant and we had not been served, so we left. I won't be going back to Heirloom. read more

Very attractive place. Extremely noisy at Sunday Brunch. Always, a strange menu. Excellent staff.

My wife and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary here, on a crowded Saturday night. The noise level in the dining room was high, so I don't recommend it if you want to have an intimate conversation. The meal was good -- there some hits but also some misses, including a lengthy wait for dessert. The chef was responsive to my sharply worded email delivered through their website and apologized for the mistakes. Overall I would recommend with reservations. Maybe a good place to take a client you're trying to impress, or maybe perfect for Yale students to celebrate with their parents. read more

Heirloom is like a bad ex boyfriend who seems great at first but ultimately his douchery is the demise of your relationship. Sure the food here can be tasty; I've had amazing scallops, truffle cheese appetizer, and those apple donuts are divine. Not to mention, the dirty martini is perfect. In fact, Meryl Streep was dining next to us last time I was there. But I've also had horrible food here. When the service is consistently terrible and rude, when you have to wait for over an hour to get your entree, and when you do get your steak after an hour and it's all fat, I can't recommend this place. The other day I tried to give this place another chance at 10:30pm (kitchen closes at 11). They sat us down, handed out the menus, and then after 5 minutes the manager said they weren't serving food anymore. Another table was seated after us and they got food. We complained and they said there was nothing they could do besides dessert. I'm done with this place. read more

No complaints about most of the food. It was good but not memorable. Price is moderate. I gave it two stars because the attitude of both the hostess and waitress was very condescending. You definitely did not get the impression that anyone enjoyed their jobs! Don't expect a warm welcome or a high level of service let alone above and beyond service. I ordered an Irish coffee and was given a lukewarm cup of black coffee, a pitcher of cream and a shot class of Irish whiskey. Not only did I have to make it make myself but there were no garnishments ... No whipped cream, sugared rim around the cup or mint. My friend's tomato soup tasted like her Bloody Mary only slightly warmed up. My husband asked for fresh brewed ice tea and was told "we don't have that today". Most wait staff would have made hot tea and then poured it over ice. The atmosphere is unique but I would not return here. We didn't appreciate being made to feel any requests were a bother, especially since we aren't that difficult to please. read more

classy upscale bar, kinda fancy, huh. i got the boat in the backyard and thoroughly enjoyed it.

It has been a while that I wanted to check this place. Sadly it turned out to be a big disappointment. Yes, the setting is fancy and modern, but the food and service do not match the expectation set by the environment. We ordered one appetizer and two main dishes. We waited so much the main dishes came before tha appetizer, which we then decided to cancel. 10 min later the waitress comes with the appetizer and gets suoreised when we said we did not want that anymore and had already cancelled. The meat was (2x) not cooked to order and my hubby was told to keep his (cold) fries while the burguer ( that eh was suppose to pass to another plate) was sent back to kitchen! Food taste was not was just regular. The service (main manager man) was just quick when bringing the bill...There are no apologies for a place that looks fancy but overall service to customers is poor. Not going back, as New Haven has much more quality to offer than this place. read more

I'd recommend you go elsewhere -- for the price you can treat yourself to much better food and ambiance. My friends and I ordered cocktails, wine, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and several sides and didn't finish anything we tried --- too heavy handed with salt or oil or maple syrup or seasoning (and I normally LOVE salt and seasoning!). read more