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

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

waitresses were sweet and the food was delicious! The cinnamon waffles were the best item on the…read moremenu.

We had an okay at Elm City Social! We were hoping to sit by the bar, but it was packed, so we ended…read moreup in the quieter back dining area, which was actually really nice. We also wanted to check out the upstairs, but it was closed for a private event. We both ordered the ECS Burger, and it was juicy and flavorful even cooked medium-well. My friend added extra cheese, and the burger did not disappoint. We wished they had sweet potato fries, but no luck. She also ordered the Rubber Ducky cocktail, which was really good and I enjoyed the Modelo Special served in a nice glass. The only small issue was with the coffee--the spoon was too large to fit in the cup, and they didn't have a smaller one available. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. My friend had fun taking pictures by one of the decorated walls.

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.

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.

This place is great. Stumbled across it via the InKind app, and have been back multiple times,…read moreincluding making a special detour via New Haven on our last night before leaving Connecticut. The Ordinary is one of the oldest purpose build bars, with lovely dark gothic wood. A wacky gothic humor and excellent staff, who really care about the clients and the drinks. Good selection of gins. Outstanding cocktails on the list, at fair prices (especially happy hour). Or better yet, ask the expert staff to recommend and invent one for you. The bacon is a thick, crunchy, sugary must. Add it to your burger. And an egg. Get the shishito peppers. And the chocolate chip cookies. And if you're lucky and hungry, the coffin-full of sliders is a delicious bargain (with plenty for the next day).

I've been to Ordinary perhaps 3-4 times. Being a New Haven native, I've been to about every bar,…read morerestaurant, or eatery in the city, and Ordinary has been no exception. First few times I went was during covid, and they were one of the few that allowed folks to just be. They resembled a real speakeasy during lockdown because you had to ring a bell and be let in. My most recent visit was with two of my long time friends on a rainy Wednesday night. We got seated by the "fireplace" and browsed the menu. I landed on a mocktail old fashion, my friend got the bee's knees and we got the big pretzel and the candied bacon. Pretzel was great, old fashion could have been better but the ambience was just what we needed. You really get a feel of old school New Haven being at Ordinary. The staff was great so I'll be back.

80 Proof and Barracuda now serve Brunch on Saturday!! Went to Brunch on a Saturday to check it out…read moreas we usually go there for brunch on Sunday's. It was the same great service we always expect from Clarissa! This time we had the Chicken & Waffle, Shrimp & Grits, Meat Lover's Omelet and Chilaquiles, and of course the Mimosa Bar!! All were delicious. It's always a fun vibe at 80 Proof. Good music, good food, good energy is what keeps us coming back!!

Food came quick but our overall service was pretty horrendous. There was little to no communication…read morewhich caused more confusion than anything. It wasn't the most pleasant time. When we got seated the tables were super sticky. A lot of people were getting up and leaving due to the lack of service. Granted we came in during the World Cup game, it was not that packed or crazy busy. They were clearly unprepared but there was one person there who held down the fort very well. I didn't get his name but he had dreadlocks and he was helpful. I've been here in the past and I must admit the service was also slow and careless. But the food is great and the happy hour is worth it.

I usually take the time to drone on about meals that I've had…read more I simply wanna say the service was impeccable. Our server was polite, informative very helpful. Our drinks were exactly as described on the cocktail menu and obviously mixed by a professional The ambience is welcoming, classic comfortable. The restaurant stays quiet, even with many people in it. It's a very cozy family orientation, intimate environment. The food was impeccable. I did not have much experience with dishes serve family style, but we were a table of 10. We completely enjoyed her meals having the ability to taste a little bit of each one of the many dishes that were brought out was a culinary treat. These dishes were not only well prepared and well seasoned and well presented, but they easy to enjoy their easy on the pallet. No one dish was over seasoned or overcooked. The ingredients were obviously fresh. Nothing was overcooked. Nothing was tough. Nothing was harsh and the pallet this was excellent food. Cannot wait to go back this is a must go restaurant

BRING BACK CHEFS with ATTITUDE. I had the pleasure of dining at The Luke Brasserie today. Totally…read moreunplanned. I was searching for something that could match up to Maison Bar Vins back home. First off can we talk about the bones of the place. The Taft building which once was a hotel now sits and houses a very charming French restaurant with a chef who could care less who you are or if your camera is permanently to your hand. I sat at the bar and the chef seated me. I opted out for their three course pre fix bar menu. Chef and owner Vincent who had trained under ICONS in the culinary world met me with this good old fashion old school attitude that today's foodie influencers could never understand. Serious poised stern energy that I love so much about old world cooking boh lore. The food was great. The playlist was upbeat, the kitchen had energy. This place should be the hardest reservation to get in New Haven.

I was on Holiday and my son and daughter in law have been meaning to take me here. We did a walk in…read more(we got lucky) I suggest reservations. We had a time limit to eat (due to a reservation at the table) inside or on the heated patio. It was cold so we ate inside. Our waiter Brendan was cool, knowledgeable and attentive. I ordered a burger, fries (came with it) I don't like fries I opted for a salad. My daughter in law got octopus and a pasta dish. My son a steak in chili butter sauce .Everything was delicious and the presentation was lovely. My son's only vice was the steak pre cut (it was new on menu) He preferred to cut himself. The ambience was low level lighting and relaxed. I had a delicious meal and a pleasant experience. I'd patronize this place again. Oh we had dessert too. They had tiramisu, we shared a lemon tart it was delish

Interesting menu, but underperforming. Skip the gem salad (Caesar salad): consists of finely…read moreshredded Parmesan with meager bits of anchovy and hardly any dressing. It was mediocre. The presentation of the main dish was nice, though the ricotta was hardly noticeable and the serving was meager for the price. The host was nice, but the waitress (Holly) was unpleasant. Not helpful at all and also bland, as if she doesn't care. We still tipped to be fair to other staff, but don't think we want to return to be waited on by her. As for cleanliness, watch out! They don't clean their upholstered seats, as it became plainly obvious on my clothes after having sat on the upholstered benches in the dining area. Now my clothes are permanently stained. All in all, I'd give it a 7.5/10 and take my money elsewhere.

Only went for drinks but loved the service a super cute hole in the wall. The atmosphere was almost…read morespeak easy like. Will definitely be back

We waited approximately 25 minutes just to receive our drinks and over 35 minutes for our food. To…read moremake matters worse, several items we ordered were never brought to the table at all. When the food finally arrived, the quality was unacceptable. The jerk chicken was raw, which is a serious food safety concern, and the rice and beans were undercooked. After such a long wait, we expected much better. To be fair, the restaurant did remove the jerk chicken dinners from our bill after we brought the issue to their attention, and that was appreciated. However, it did not make up for the excessive wait times, missing items, and poorly prepared food. Overall, the experience was frustrating and disappointing. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this restaurant based on our visit.