Ah, Toad's! I haven't been to this venue is ages. I caught the SiR show and it was great. I love the acoustics and intimacy of the venue. As someone who's 6'3, general admission never bothers me. In Toad's I can see the stage from anywhere I'm standing. Parking is always a nightmare so it's definitely worth taking the CT Rail down and bar hopping around New Haven before the show. read more

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Went to Bingo Loco. The event wasn't worth the money but Toads provided great drinks. They were pricey but good. Parking is terrible but it's New Haven. read more

Loved the space and vibes that come with a smaller venue. That being said, not great for shorter folks but the crowd was overall nice to the shorter audience to let them towards the front. The speakers were way too loud for such a small space. Had a great time though! read more

I went to see one of my favorite bands play in the lily pad... the band is so good but the sound here does each and every band no justice. i swear their vocals are tied to a four channel goodwill mixer that plays only to the bar that has two channels broken. fix it smh read more

As a cane user, this place was so lovely! All the staff was wonderful and extremely accommodating. As soon as I walked in I was approached by a staff member who alerted me of seating if I needed it and where his team members would be. The lady at the bar was lovely too. I wasn't feeling well so the little snack was great! They also sell sodas, snacks, mints, and earbuds at their stand which I appreciate. We did have to sign a waiver upon entry stating we acknowledge there will be moshing and crowd surfing. I find was reasonable and the staff did what they could to make everyone's night safe. Thank you Toad's for a wonderful night! read more

Toad's Place - Stage from the back - Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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I have seen so many good bands here throughout the years. Most recently I've seen Sebastian Bach and Mammoth WVH. I've seen other bands such as Our Lady Peace, Badflower, The 86, several local bands. The price is pretty good. read more

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Always the nicest staff and awesome shows! Yeah sometimes the floor is sticky, or there's a line at the bar but that's what the whole vibe is about. read more

2025 I went to see a band that I know all of their songs. I couldn't tell which song was playing the whole time. The sound from this "legendary" venue has been bad for years like they don't care anymore. Everything else about the place is great! read more

old concert venue that hosts a variety of artists. I have frequented this place many times and it has great energy. it's a bit old and rundown inside but the space is fun and open. it's a more intimate venue and I suggest it for smaller concerts. read more

I haven't been here in over 30 years, well somethings don't change, and that's a good thing however there are new people working there . I went to a Country show Lauren Alaina GTEAT SHOW. The bar staff treated this old lady very well, and young lady and fellow very kind to me .... read more

Toad's Place - Lauren herself - Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

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This place is an icon!!!! Fun venue to watch a show if you don't mind standing. Would love to see more big acts like in the past.

Went their to see Tana it was amazingggggggg Why does my review need to be so long wow read more

This place only exists for drunk college kids and burnt out divorcees. It's known for having hosted legendary acts throughout the 60's & 70's but no one you've ever heard of has played here in a decade. I go on the website every now and then and it's nothing but dance party nights and local bands. Definitely fallen from grace. read more

The girl bartender who has brown/black hair and small glasses is the rudest women I've ever met in my life. I love toads place, but she ruined my experience. We ordered a corona and a green tea shot and she ended up not serving us at all. DO NOT order from her if you go here. She was only going up to male customers and getting their Snapchat, Instagram, etc. worst bartender I have ever had. Small glasses brown/black hair I hope you read this. YOU SUCK!!!!! read more

This place is horrible, I paid the entrance I stayed 10min the place was very hot and I decided to leave my jacket in the car and then they barred me for no reason the security guards were rude and arrogant, I even tried to pay the entrance again and they still barred me with a lot of aggressiveness read more

Love this place and I've goon there for 52 years! Absolutely up close entertainment. I've seen some of the best shows there both local and international acts. read more

I went to see Set It Off this week. I'd never been to New Haven before. Upon arrival, I had to circle the block twice until I noticed the public parking across the gas station. It was a nice, short walk to the venue. It was a little smaller than I thought, but it works so well. read more

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I came from California to visit a friend in Connecticut and we ended up here at Toad's place on the venture for me to try his favorite pizza place. The band that was playing was called the interrupter's. My friend knew everyone there, and the staff was so friendly. We got some drinks, which weren't too strong, and headed for the floor to check out the band THE ACOUSTICS were incredible and sounded amazing- kudos to the sound guy Thy do have a little merch shop which I did not have the chance to go to- but I can say that I will definitely be here again when I visit to check it out. read more

So many famous bands have played here, many great drinks have been served and drunk, all kinds of great and tasty foods have been served and eaten. I have a ton of fun when I live there and went to Yale. read more

Dark, dank, and the music sounded like Toad from Mario Kart. Maybe that's where they get the name?

Toad's place located in New Haven is in an ideal spot as you have Yale nearby and the located in the downtown area you are a short walk from other big name places that call New Haven home. The venue is small with some 18+ and 21+ events. I have been here twice to see Tritonal and Krewella paying about an average of $20-$25 a ticket for the event. Compared to some venues like Foxwoods or places in NY or MA that is pretty cheap. When I went recently they checked tickets at the entrance and if you wanted drinks they have a walled off bar where a bouncer will card you and give you a wrist band for drinks. I was a little taken back by the section off bar looking like they went to Home Depot last minute to make a wall. Because of the event, expect to pay a little bit more for the drinks. I would prefer to enjoy drinks over dinner beforehand and then heading there or however you plan to drink. The shows I've seen have had their share of positives and negatives. Since the venue is small, you won't be finding a lot of stage equipment giving you air cannons, strobe lights or things like that. They had screens with images and a loud bass which is good enough all things considered. The opening acts are pretty ehh as they are just filling time but the main acts do preform for a good amount of time. Security is in the front to take care of the performers so pretty much you the middle of the dance floor is survival of the fittest. You'll find it that it is a little bit more manageable to get to the front if you have had experiences dealing with crowds at festivals like EZoo. As always with shows like this be prepared for some conflicts and drama. I was in the front with friends and we did get crushed here and there with the sway and movement of the crowd and my female friends were hit on by some guys that had no chance at all. We witness two females fighting in the front with one girl yanking on the hair of the other with security trying to stop it all. Something just to be aware of. There is a police presence there so you can feel pretty safe but I always suggest traveling with a group of friends. It's always much more fun anyways. read more

Toad's is a great concert venue and a less than great bar. It gets some really fantastic acts - Built to Spill and Cloud Cult came through while I was here. These are two of my favorite bands, and it was such a treat watching them at Toad's. I've seen Built to Spill a handful of times, and the concert here was the most memorable. I got to the front without a problem and Doug gave me a guitar pick and signed my poster. Compare to New York, where I had to jostle my way to find a spot with any view. Likewise with Cloud Cult - I have a picture with this band. The space is split into over and under 21 sections, but from my experience, the young ones are drunker than the old. They're almost enough to dampen enjoyment of a really great concert. What really does the trick, though, is when Built to Spill is playing a sweet encore and Toad's management hurries them out to let in a slew of obnoxious trashy underaged patrons. I'm not kidding, almost as soon as the set ended, it turned into a house party scene from a bad coming-of-age movie. Which brings me to the other, less appealing side of Toad's. While I would recommend this place as a wonderful, low-key, intimate concert venue, I would steer clear of the grimy club portion of the program. Though I suppose if you're a man in your mid-twenties incapable of attracting women your own age, Toad's can be your playground. read more

Let's face it. If you go to college in the New Haven area and don't have a car, where else can you go dancing until 2 AM on Saturdays and 1 AM on Wednesdays with Top 40s Music? And where else can you hear good bands for decent prices? To start off, Toad's is a trashy club. Trashy in a when the lights turn off after Living on a Prayer is done playing you look around and just marvel at the amount of plastic cups and spilled beer bottles all over the dance floor and bar way. Trashy in a halfway through the night your flats start getting stuck to the floor and you can't move anymore way. Trashy in a people will grope and grind against you all night long so be ready to fend for yourself kind of way. Trashy in a once there was a MTV open casting call and someone got knifed here kind of way. And trashy in a once upon a time my phone was stolen here and I never got over it kind of way. But in all of its trashiness, there is something glorious about penny drinks, foam party, walking past the long lines, and watching people run to Toad's. And now, no matter where I am, we're halfway there is always going to cue four years of hilarious memories and for that, I can't bring myself to give Toad's a negative rating. Oh and one last comment: I hate it when Toad's has dub-step night....really really can't stand it. read more

Second time at Toads and it was way worse than the first. I was going down the stairs (about 4 steps) from the stage to the main dance floor and I slipped and fell right on my butt. The floor was so slippery and wet. There was no "caution slippery sign". I saw multiple people fall in the same area too. My friend even told me she saw a security guard grab someone's drink and just drop it on the ground. I now have a very large bruise and can't sit down peacefully. People pay so much money to get in and workers can't even keep the place tidy. read more

Toad's Place - Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

I came back last night with my boyfriend for the halloween party. Their halloween parties are awesome! There was good music playing all night long. I love the local live band aspect of this place! Drinks seemed to have gone down in price. I had a margarita, a side car, and a whiskey sour and they were all only 6 dollars! The margarita was like one of the best. I dont know what they do special but any time ive ever gotten a margarita there it tastes like those shots lime ice creams! The venue is super cool and intimate, everything is clean and the workers are friendly. read more

Toad's Place - Pretty lights - Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

the security guards are super aggressive and start issues over anything. i've been to the club multiple times and somehow ended up having more bad times than good due to poor management and bouncers that put hands on people. i'm a 19 year old girl and i was shoved out of the club and they didn't even let me get my jacket from downstairs that i PAID for them to watch. never again will i ever go here. read more

Toads is a piece of history!!! "Where Legends Play" is the motto and it's true. The greats like The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bon Jovi and The Ramones have all played there. It's so cool to think of those people beginning and playing there. I have seen SO many shows there over the years. Been going there since I was 16, and now i'm.. well... not 16, but still rocking!!! Venue is great! Bartenders are FUN! It's always fun getting into New Haven for a night out. Pizza then music. :) read more

Yalies speak about Toad's with the same kind of mildly disgusted affection that our parents probably reserve for us. On one hand this place is dirty and doesn't always play the most danceable tracks. Unfortunately, the clientele is often disrespectful, particularly if you're a woman. There have been times where I've experienced some pretty blatant harassment here, and the very first time I visited Toad's, a man attempted to steal my handbag while I was dancing. On the other hand, this place is a cultural touchstone that clearly resonates with generations of New Haven residents and Yale students alike. I saw my first concert here (with the Plain White T's!), and high-profile names play here on a regular basis. If you're over 21, Toad's also offers "penny drinks" in Lily's Lounge, a smaller bar area upstairs that offers lots of seating. In the middle of the week, dozens of Yalies crowd into Toad's for "Woads" - the weekly Wednesday night Yale dance party. On Saturdays, the dance parties at Toad's become one of the only social spaces where Yalies interact with non-Yalies. Yalies often enclose themselves in a very narrow and xenophobic bubble of socal interaction, and Toad's shatters this bubble altogether. Diverse socioeconomic socialization is important in any urban space, and I'm thankful that we have Toad's to play this part. Toad's isn't just a music venue. It's a cultural landmark, a rite of passage, and the backdrop for many bright and grimy memories. Toad's and the Yale Corporation have been locked in legal battles for ages, and for the sake of its history and beloved status I do hope that this place survives. read more

Toads is old, dirty and the bathrooms smell like piss. The acoustics are 50/50. 30 years ago Toads might have great. Today, its pretty rundown. I've seen two bands here. The first was The Darkness. They were great! I think I saw them the night they got re-signed. The second was Buckethead. He's a monster player with tremendous ability but lacks in the composition department. The nunchaku solo was interesting. Back to toads. Its a classic venue and an OK place to see a show. Pretty much any spot has a clear view to the stage. read more

Toad's Place - Buckethead - Bars Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

The venue is small so you get to be close to whoever you're seeing which is nice and the view is pretty decent from everywhere. But do not expect to get served alcohol just because you are 21 and have a valid ID. Me and my boyfriend both got refused service (we are 27 and 30 years old) based solely on the fact that I couldn't remember which zip code was on my ID within the 10 seconds he gave me, as we have moved three times in the last year. I offered an additional form of photo ID (with my birth date on it) but the guy told me "he didn't have time for this shit" and pushed me and my boyfriend out of line. Based solely on the rudeness of this experience, I will be avoiding Toads for shows from now on. It is one thing to refuse service to a customer, it is another to be purposefully and overly rude about it. read more

Music is good, but I think they need a new bartender. The one I had was horrible. The dude was definitely on drugs from the look of his face. Made the drink extra slow. The dude charge me $56 for some weak drinks he called Midori Sour? All he did was mix midori and soda water. The dude miss the most important part... VODKA!!!! Pretty much drinking sour soda. I'm not upset about the price. Just upset about what I got for that price. Just trash. read more

I went to Toad's Place growing up and always had a great time at the show. However, it has severely declined in quality. The crowd can be very young and raucous. Security does not do enough to control this. The drinks are inconsistent and there is one bartender who is SO. SLOW. He also did not have a sense of who arrived to the bar first, choosing to serve pretty girls before anyone else even if others were waiting 10-15 minutes. The floors were sticky everywhere. I was too afraid to even see what the bathroom looked like so I left the event early and went to another local bar. read more

Decent place for music events if you go to one of the many colleges/universities in the area. Only issue I ever had was when the employee checking IDs at the door tried to tell me that my out of state drivers license wasn't a a valid ID. read more

This is kind of a hard review to write. I have had a bunch of memorable experiences with friends at Toad's. But on the whole it is basically a glorified frat basement with a high ceiling. It is in the fine tradition of bad concert venues that book great acts. I recommend that you avoid it unless a band you really truly want to hear is playing there. My two cents. read more

I have only been to one show at Toad's. The night before I saw the same one at Lupo's in Providence (am I a good fan or creepy stalker?). The show was 100x better. The energy the sound the crowd... everything. There was minimal interaction with the staff on my part but what there was was great, polite and on top of things. The night I went was a NIGHTMARE for the security. As soon as the headliners went on the "barrier" between the over and under 21 was demolished) but they did their very best and kept it as under control as they could without ruining the show for anyone. (I was ON the barrier on the over side and saw it first hand and was not hurt). It's a bit of a hike for me (about 2 hours) so I usually will see a show closer to Boston if I can but would not think twice about going here again. read more

Toad's is actually a pretty cool venue. I like the layout, and I've always had a good time here, because there's an intimate vibe. My only real complaint is that they don't have enough really good shows. They go through some serious dry spells where their biggest shows are crap like Darik and the Funbags. But, I have seen Fiery Furnaces, Yo la Tengo, Built to Spill, Wolf Parade, Reverend Horton Heat, and some other really good shows here. It's pretty much all just a matter of timing. When it comes down to it, they should be able to get some better shows, because now that the Coliseum is gone, this is the biggest concert venue in New Haven. C'mon, Toad's! Let's get with the freaking program... read more

I really shouldn't complain about another music venue in the area, as we need all we can get, but this place really needs a revamp. When you visit the far superior College Street Music Hall for a show, you can see why. Acoustics are subpar, and they oversell popular sold out shows to the point where it's miserably hot and overcrowded. It's dirty, the staff DGAF, and the bar selection is lacking. On the plus side, I've seen some great shows here: The Darkness, GWAR, Explosions in the Sky, Aesop Rock, among others. Just wish they put forth a little more effort... read more

It's a historically dive-y, grungy and acceptable place to be if you're musically inclined or don't mind drinks like a "red death" served in plastic tumblers. Many a great band have played here, but dear lord, I think I even saw a Doors and Alice in Chains cover band here when i was 18. Yes, you heard me right. It's in need of an upgrade and still has the potential to be a great place to go, but choose your nights wisely. It IS in the heart of Yale, so be prepared to battle drunken wits with either underage geniuses or roadies from '68 who reek of Steve Miller and can't wait to keep rockin' YOU, baby. read more

I adore Toad's Place for the fact that it is one of the last non-commercial divey type music venues in CT. The sound quality varies greatly depending on where you are inside, the floor is sticky, the bathrooms filthy, but it still makes for an amazing place. Looking up at the walls and seeing the legends that played Toad's over the years is just astounding- talk about a place with history! Bob Dylan played his longest concert ever there in the 90s (over 4 hours!!!) and my dad was in the audience. It would get 5 stars but nowadays they only have well known acts once in a while and the rest is local (yeah!!!) or cover (boo!!!) bands. On another note (and I guess for disclosure) I played a gig at Toad's last year with my band. They weren't the best at communicating with bands but it may have just been because we were a bit disorganized ourselves. The sound and lighting people work well with the performers though. Another thing worth mentioning is that there have been many issues with underage drinking over the years and one time they got busted and had to close for an entire summer as punishment. So it is probably safe to say it is harder to get a drink if you are a minor. Every concert I go to people smoke in the crowd that is crushed up against the stage railing. It isn't allowed but it doesn't really seem to be enforced. So in all a really great place to see a show. read more

This place is grimy. Came on a Saturday which is a Top 40 dance night. Entering the club is complicated-- they check your ID at the door and give X's to under-21s. Then once inside you need to have your ID scanned again to get a wristband, then they check your student ID before selling you a $5 ticket. Annoying process. When we finally got in the place was packed. No room to breathe. It took about 30 minutes to get a drink, and they only sell one drink per person at a time, so it's not like you can get two and go dance for a while. When I got my second drink the bartender ignored me for several minutes, helping people who must have been regulars. He even took my money and put it in the register, then proceeded to take the order of the customer next to me without even starting to make my drink. WTF. The crowd is TRASHY. Reminded me of high school, with random guys coming up behind us trying to grind without so much as asking. Even got grabbed once or twice. No thanks. The bathrooms are downstairs, and they are disgusting. The floor is slippery with spilled drinks and god knows what else... Literally just gray mud all over the floor. Half the stalls didn't lock and there was NO toilet paper in ANY of the stalls. No paper towels either. That said I can see it being ok as a music venue with a smaller crowd. They had nice laser lights and a big dance floor area. But for club nights? NEVER AGAIN. read more