Very nice casual joint Good BAR food and pool tables Friendly with parking in center of Southport read more

Longtime Southport dive that was once, l mean maybe a decade or so ago, a very cool spot with a good actual jukebox, pool table and booths. Now they charge prices that would make a shameless Midtown clip joint blush, like close to 10 bucks for a bottle of domestic beer and 15 for a short pour KJ. Oh, and the food stinks. read more

We decided to check out this cute restaurant and bar March 1, 2026 in the afternoon. First impression was good. A clean exterior and as we came inside, we were promptly greeted by Kyle L., the bartender. Johnny ordered a beer (Capt. Zig) and I ordered a glass of Chardonnay (Kendall Jackson) and two waters with lemon while we looked over the menus. We had a large breakfast but decided to try their wings as we are always looking for the "best wings" in CT. We ordered the buffalo as that's their hottest sauce, again CT isn't known for very many spicy lovers. Kyle said he would ask the chef to use whatever possible to bring some heat and he didn't disappoint. While they weren't quite as hot as we would've wanted, they were large, cooked perfectly and had great flavor. The blue cheese we dipped them in tasted homemade . The restaurant has adequate seating with a horseshoe shaped bar area with nice barstools. Plenty of TVs to catch your favorite game on, pool table and real dart board with steel tipped darts which was a welcome surprise. For a sports bar, they offer a really nice wine lists and while not cheap, they were reasonably priced for the offerings they offered. The bar area, restaurant and bathroom were clean as well. We will definitely come back to sample more of the food, and the only reason for 4 stars since we only had wings. Go with confidence. Thanks Kyle read more

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Exactly what an old school pub should be. Friendly staff and clientele. Beer is cold. Not a five star Fairfield County gastronomic experience nor should it be. Refreshingly classic bar that I frequently visit. read more

A nice and welcoming place on Southport, CT. A quiet Saturday afternoon can be spent shooting pool, watching sport on overhead large TV's or just chillin out. read more

Best neighbor bar in connecticut with the best bartenders. Super friendly and happening.

Such a cool, laid back place to get a great burger and beer, play a game of darts and relax. Classic local pub without the snobby, pretentious attitude like most of the other places in the area. You can relax and enjoy at The Shoe without being given side-eye by the cookie cutter Fairfield County Karens. read more

Don't bother. If you're not a regular you will not get service. Food is below average

I've lived in Fairfield for 7 years and this is by a country mile the most authentic, welcoming bar I've visited. As a foreigner, I've never found the American bar where the barman is friendly without being overbearing and the chatter is among old friends and regulars and the food is good without being fussy - but this as close as you'll get in my humble opinion. Dean was extremely accommodating. The bar is dark without being gloomy. It's the sort of bar where you could happily spend a day and have a few tales afterwards. Can't understand the poor reviews. read more

The place is a dump. When the roach walked out of my hotdog bun, that was it for me. Prolly going for the extra protein dogs that I've been reading about read more

This Place embodies a five star definition of a bar. There is nothing like darts, great company, cold drinks, and phenomenal music. There's just something special about sitting at on of the barstools at THE SHOE! read more

Which bar that hold from you $50 fucking bucks for a tab? I went there for one beer bc ITS A DIVE BAR and they charged me $50 on my card to open a tab/account. Meaning, was more expensive that my beer and the bartender didn't tell you anything. What a fucking joke Plus!!! I needed to beg someone to serve me read more

Happened to be driving through Southport; passed by the 'SHOE, and started reminiscing about the last time we were there, some 20+ years ago? So we thought, why not stop in, for nostalgia's sake. Not many people were there-- overheard the bartender saying that after Labor Day the business will pick up. The food is standard bar food. We got burgers, not outstanding but good. Probably a fun place to go drinking, not so much a dinner destination. We'll be back with our drinkin' buddies & give this place another try. read more

Average. Food average, beer on tap- limited, cleanliness- average. Prices- higher than they should be for the quality of the food. Service-poor. We were not checked in after we were served. Had to get our own beer at the bar because waitress didn't come to us (she was talking with guys at the bar) underwhelming read more

I went here last minute while I waited to pick someone up. I ordered a Whiskey Sour and it was delicious. Dean was helpful and chill. The place was very cozy and a comfortable atmosphere. There was a group there rehearsing some music or just having fun, either way it was entertaining. I'd definitely come back here. read more

Erica the bartender is so so hot and sexy. She has an amazing wagon. Her knockers blow my mind. Also there is a cute booty poppin boy named Kyle, he wears a black shirt that keeps getting tighter as he continues to be dedicated to the gym. All around a consistently incredible experience with amazingly hot staff. read more

If you are from a different state than CT don't bother trying to stop for a drink. The bartender/owner has absolutely no clue how to tell if a license is real or not, and turned away business from people that are more than of age. They don't have a scanning machine and tried to use an old book on IDs to try justify why the real NY ID was a "fake". When you have a location that close to New York, you should actually know the license of the customers that you could have. Absolute joke of a place, which was completely dirty anyways. Blessing in disguise. read more

A fun, comfortable, laid-back, chill place where you can go to relax or enjoy LIVE MUSIC in the gem of Southport. Returning to the US and Fairfield County after years of travelling and working abroad, I came back to Southport 6 years later to support friends performing at the Monday Open Mic Night. This felt like a great, authentic New England, all-American experience. The Open Mic Night on Mondays is filled with stellar and talented musicians - usually country or rock. I absolutely loved it! The crowd mingles and many people know one another and are friendly. - Service seems friendly - prices are standard for Fairfield County - Food seems good - age group attending tends to be people in 40s-60s, but basically anyone can go, be welcomed, and have a good time. *Note, this is NOT a place you go to if you want loud, party atmosphere or upscale place. It is a fun, chill, laid-back, musician-friendly place. read more

This is my favorite bar in eastern Fairfield County. Super friendly staff. Great neighborhood spot, a few blocks from the water. Delicious food. Nice assortment of beers. A must visit. read more

Very rude service and they didn't even know what a New York ID looks like and they don't even have a scanner they just kick you out. Mind you this was early afternoon and we are all 25. Either educate yourself on IDs or get up with the times and get a scanner and mostly don't be rude! read more

The shoe is a truly fantastic local bar. Nice selection of beers, and really, really good bar food (the wings and curly fries are awesome). I've lived in the city for a solid seven years, and there's nothing that compares in terms of being a comfortable place where you can grab a beer and food and just hang out. Now, that said, there are some people who do not seem to be happy with the Horseshoe, for one reason or another. It's not my job to defend an establishment just because it's close to my house, and the train, and is a great bar. For example, I'm not going to get into why the girl who forgot her ID and wasn't let in, then sat in her car while her BF drank in here without her, should maybe reassess why she's dating this gentleman, and not be so upset with the bouncer for legitimately calling her out as a dumb clown. And I'm not going to call out the guy that didn't like that his cocktail was $11.50, because Fairfield is essentially part of NYC, and that's what things cost, and if you don't like it move to Ohio. And I certainly won't say anything about the person that said this place was full of "old people", because I'm sort of an old person at this point, and maybe I don't like it when I'm enjoying my beer and some doofy dumbass like yourself walks in, demands the world, and ruins the very limited amount of peaceful time I have in each day. So you 1-3 star folks, do us all a favor and don't come here. Go to Chili's or Chuckie Cheese's or wherever it is that's more suitable to your truly sparkling sense of character and place. The Horseshoe is awesome. If you don't get it, go somewhere else. read more

This is one of the best, most authentic, dyed-in-the-wool, authentic, despite-the-yuppies'-best-efforts-they-haven't-yet-screwed-this-perfect-place-up-just-quite-yet places I've ever been. The bartenders are pros, the beer is cold, the food is good and it's a slice of Americana that these goshdarn little twitter-instagram-twerps are going to look up from their phones one day and not even realize they missed this gem of a dive bar because they were too busy swiping right on the wrong thing. The Shoe is a national treasure and everyone should be required to eat some popcorn, shoot a round of pool, and be reminded that, hey, sometimes life just ain't that bad. read more

The bouncer here was horrible and ruined my thanksgiving. I was prepared to spend a ton of money until this man said "what part of closed don't you understand" at 11:30 pm when at 1am they close. So disgusted with this man. read more

Let's be up front about what to expect. This is a pure dive bar with mediocre food, the same booze as anywhere else, an average juke box and the worst pool table on the planet. It is clean, dark, and comfortable. It's got a great location and when Dean is behind the bar you can get a drink the instant your glass gets low. The popcorn is dry and salty (like movie theater corn) and the bathroom looks like hell. This place has more character than almost any place in Fairfield County that I've ever been to. Great to lose yourself here on a snow day or some night after work. Sports always on the TV and you can always find some interesting character to chat with (or be left alone if you prefer). Bring a group here and just relax and have fun! Seriously, they don't make places like this anymore! don't miss this one! Note: Sometimes the kitchen isn't open. When that is the case they let you bring in Pizza from down the street. You'll have a great time here! read more

I was a first hand witness to the account described above by Jeff on google maps(horseshoe cafe is their real name). It is accurate and I would like to add that the bartender refused numerous times to even look or check their ID's. He was looking for a reason to refuse them service the second they walked in. And when he saw they were obviously tourists he latched onto that. I regularly travel all over the country for work and never have I seen anyone refused service without the ID even being looked at. And believe me neither the reviewer above nor his associates looked underage. Both gentlemen were sporting swarthy beards no child could grow. Plus, they both wore wedding bands. One of them even pulled out a US passport which wasn't deemed an acceptable form of identification by the bartender. What was funny to note is that the friend of the bartender who was sitting right next to the guys who had come in, tried to make an excuse for the bartender saying he had issues with local police due to his serving of alcohol to underage children in the community very recently. Thus, he was reluctant to take any chances... which would have been reasonable if he had looked at any of their ID's before making a judgement. read more

I came to the horseshoe this evening for an after dinner drink. First impression when I walked in was a feeling of being unwelcome. Everyone in the bar was older than the people I was with which wasn't necessarily the issue. Everyone working in the place had this look like "what the hell are these people doing here? (I'm 28) I was with my brother, boyfriend and a few friends. Everyone was well over 21 but regardless we were approached by a "bouncer". He asked for IDs which is perfectly acceptable. Everyone but me had them but being the driver I assumed he wouldn't make a big deal about it since I wasn't drinking. When I told him I didn't have my ID on me he simply pointed to the door and said "well then it's time to go" I completely understand that it's your job to make sure no one underage comes in but he made me feel like total crap. He said that it's the law that EVERYONE shows ID. I left and sat in the car while they had their drink. While I sat in the car I watched 3 people walk in and NOT get ID'd. The same night I came back WITH ID and mentioned this to the "bouncer" who of course asked me for ID. He then said that this law was at HIS discretion and if I didn't like it I could leave again. If you look younger than 50 this may not be the place for you. It seems as if they prefer we all just stay home. read more

As someone who grew up and has lived in Fairfield for the vast majority of my life, I find "the shoe" to be so disappointing. It's one of the very few old time bars still left in this town. But that's it's only redeeming quality - imagining what it used to be like back in the day when Fairfield was a middle class town. The biggest problem here is the price. Again, I get that they can charge $7 for a beer because it's in Southport. But cmon. You're the Horseshoe! And while I haven't eaten here in a few years, it looks like the food prices are also ridiculously priced as well. read more

It's dark and dingy, a nice place to hide from the sun on a sunny day. I saw a pool table and one of the drunkest people I've ever seen. Don't worry, she left on foot. read more

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Don't take the 3 stars as bad. This is a dive bar that delivers on exactly what it should. Cold beer, good bar food. We had the chili to start, with burgers and the grilled cheese. The chili was tasty fully loaded and the bacon/cheese burger with horseradish was decent as well. The grilled cheese with bacon and Russian dressing was different, but still good. Overall the service was good, with lots of regulars drinking at the bar early on a Saturday night. I will be back. read more

Talk about a DIVE. Right in the middle of Southport too! I love that this place holds true to it's traditions, but it definitely attracts the dive crowd. Bikers and bigots alike. HOWEVER, they do have a solid booze selection and well... KARAOKE on Tuesday nights. Which kicks ass. They've got pool, they've got a jukebox, they've got food, they've got huge beer bong shooters... If you're looking for a hole-in-the-wall-to-get-hammered at, the Horseshoe is it. read more

Hit or miss spot...Sometimes it's lively and serving solid pub grub. Other times it's empty and smelling like ammonia and stale beer. I guess I'll leave it to YOU. read more

More tavern than restaurant I'd say, but just a clarification not a judgement. The space is vast and great for groups. We had a party of 4 and enjoyed a full meal in one of the booths. It was a great place for catching up with friends we hadn't seen in years. The staff was very attentive and friendly and the food was good though not memorable. The noise level was never a distraction though there was a game or two being shown. We stumbled upon this place early in the night, walked around town searching for other options but wound up coming back here for our meal. I'm glad we did. Super low key and enjoyable. I wouldn't hesitate to return. read more

Great dive bar. Stiff drinks. It's dirty, dingy and out of date, but it's suppose to be. Good place to stop in for a drink. Wouldn't recommend eating there. read more

I'll start this off by saying I love the shoe. Grew up coming here, live close by and love dive bars and the potential. However, thats what bothers me most about the Shoe, the lack of potential. It could be great. But unfortunately, I have never received worse service by rude bar tenders. They might as well spit in your drink. I've been there at 5pm when they advertise food specials and ordered something off the menu only to have Jose yell at us and say the kitchen is closed. I have been here with lots of people and they all complain about how rude the staff is. People come to the shoe because it's a great dive bar in southport, however every time I come here I find it harder and harder to support this non-grateful dump that the owner has been running into the ground for years. read more

Has a great small town feel. Good bartenders good drinks. Have only had the huge pretzel!

The Horseshoe has the Southport bar market covered so it doesn't have to try hard but it delivers. It's a tale of two separate scenes. During the day you'll find well-heeled ladies enjoying a cheeseburger. At night it's a busy bar scene with a lively pool table and sports fan crowd. Regulars get preferred service from the familiar staff behind the bar. read more

Attentive Bartender, a dart board 2 pool tables, hdtv, and the best chicken quesadilla I have ever tasted- the owner made sure the free wifi was working for me and I got a history lesson - use to be a blacksmith shop check out the old photos- still run by the same family- a nice dive read more

The 'Shoe is exactly what I love about Southport. This is a bar where a Hedge Fund guy will sit down to a guy who just finished a day of construction and they will hang out. Great ambiance, good food, pool and darts to boot! A great place to gather your friends for a good time. read more

Holy crap $11.50 for a crown on the rocks what a rip off. I used to go to that bar when I was growing up in my early 20s. I have stopped there every time I get back to Connecticut but after paying $11.50 for a crown on the rocks I don't think I'll ever stop there again read more

I was visiting my bro and sis-in-law in Fairfield from northern CA in May 2018. We went to the Shoe for lunch - my first time. I'm told the site was once the location for the local farrier and I noticed the horseshoes embedded in the sidewalk outside. The place appears divey or on the cusp. Service was pleasant and attentive. I had the Reuben - not the best I've ever had but respectable - better then respectable. I don't remember what bro and sis had, but I heard no complaints. Cocktails were well prepared and there was a smallish variety of craft/noncraft beers. I thought the prices were fair. I'd go back. read more