Ordinary

Wish I had taken photos, but loved this place! After living in New Haven for over three years I finally tried this place with my sister and boyfriend. The speakeasy meets cocktail lounge vibes were immaculate and unique- I love how dark and cozy it is. The wait staff were excellent and the drinks were delicious. We had already in dinner so we only got the pistachio cake to munch on which was good but the food menu looked amazing. Will have to try next time! HIGHLY recommend a reservation on a weekend night, especially when it’s around 9 pm and onward. We went about 945 on a Saturday night and if we didn’t have a reservation the wait would’ve been at least an hour. Update: went again recently and got some photos of the drinks! The bee’s knees and the Japanese whiskey drink were really great. We got a meat and cheese board, the beer cheese, and the fried cauliflower rice. The meat and cheese board was excellent for the price!

Pretty neat spot to check out if your looking for a craft cocktail. This would make a great spot for date night. Ambiance is quiet, relaxing, and intimate. Drinks are on the pricey side but again you're paying for that ambiance. I ordered a French 75 (not on the menu) but they made an excellent one. Only planned on getting one but decided to stay for another round because we liked it so much.

Husband and I made a point to go to this bar when we first moved to CT, since it was listed in the book “Where Bartenders Drink”. A beautifully historic, intimate place to get an amazing cocktail. We’ve been twice now. Definitely recommend getting a reservation in advance. They will also make custom cocktails if asked- which is always a great experience. EXCEPT, be cautious. They will ask you if you have any drink preferences and if you ask for anything similar in taste to a Long Island (I know, my husband was cracking up) you WILL get roasted. That’s too low class of a drink unfortunately haha. I don’t know if I can show my face there again!

The place is lovely! Great ambience. Beautiful decor. Got mad Harry Potter vibes. The reason for the 2 stars it was because we got Literally kicked out. We had a reservation for 2 and apparently there’s a 1hr limit. My friend and I only had time to have 2 of the many drinks we planned on having. Place was reasonably empty too. It’s not like there was a line out the door waiting to Come in. There were empty tables, and empty sits around the bar. Other customers were “kicked out” too. Food menu is very limited and portions are small but it was good. Just didn’t like being told I had 5 mins left when I was just getting started! Thankfully there’s other places near by you can stop by and have more drinks.

It's refreshing to be in a bar that stands out from the mediocrity that's commonplace in contemporary watering holes. I appreciated the variety in the drink menu and even though I'm normally a beer drinker, I enjoyed the Magic High Ball cocktail on the menu. It was a well designed beverage that had the right balance of complexity and common sense. I was a guest at a work gathering and as such had the chance to sample a wide variety of or bar bites. The food was as thoughtfully prepared as the drinks and the service was for both exceeded my expectations. The atmosphere was one of my favorite features of the venue, reminding me of the Owl Bar in Baltimore that I'm nostalgic for. The plaster ceiling and walnut wood paneling ooze character despite their understatement. The dim lighting and thoughtful accents amplify the atmosphere and serve as convenient conversation pieces, especially the stuffed moose. If you are visiting New Haven, put this place on your short list and you won't regret it.