THE CROokED GOAT KITCHEN & BAR — Restaurant in New Haven

My friend and I stopped in this past Wednesday and ended up having way more fun than we expected. I don’t usually leave reviews, but I genuinely felt like this place deserved one. The food, drinks, service—just all around awesome.

Our server, Liz, was so great. Super friendly and didn’t rush us at all, even though we kept asking a ton of questions. I wanted to try one of the cocktails on the menu but with a different liquor (I’m a dark rum girl), and she totally made it happen—and actually made a suggestion I wouldn’t have thought of, which ended up being perfect. My friend kept it simple with a Jameson and ginger ale, but even that was really good—he actually said it was the best one he’s had in a while. Clearly Chrissy, the bartender, knows what she’s doing.

The menu had a ton of stuff we wanted to try, so it was a struggle to decide. We ended up splitting the portabella mushroom fries to start (Liz said they were her favorite and I see why—so good), then I went with the chicken tenders and biscuit and my friend got the goat grilled cheese with tomato. He asked them to put the tomato on just one side so I could try it without, which was sweet—and the staff totally made that happen without making it a big thing. Little stuff like that really sticks out.

The food was delicious. The chicken was super juicy, the house chips had this voodoo seasoning that I legit want to take home in a jar, and the grilled cheese was fancy but still comforting. You can tell everything’s made fresh and with love.

One of the owners, Joey, came over and talked with us for a bit and he was so down-to-earth and fun. You can tell he actually cares about the place and the people coming in. It honestly felt like we’d been going there for years, even though it was our first time. That kind of vibe is hard to find.

Honestly, I’m already trying to plan another night to go back. This place just has it—good food, chill atmosphere in, great people. Totally worth checking out if you...

I really wanted to like The Crooked Goat. The name is awesome, and the vibe was decent—cool atmosphere overall. Unfortunately, the experience just didn’t live up to my hopes.

We had to send our drinks back multiple times. The bartender was super nice, so no shade there—I think they just need a bit more training. Hopefully that improves with time.

As for the food... it was a total miss for me. I ordered the biscuit tenders, voodoo fries (or chips?), and the mushroom fries. The regular fries were bland and had a coating that actually cut my gum. The voodoo chips were the highlight—some were soggy, but the flavor was solid.

I could go on, but like I said, I wanted to love this place. I probably won’t be back, but who knows. One thing I’ll say: it’s definitely an upgrade...

As a new regular and resident of over three years, I was surprised when I heard about the crooked goat. I thought I knew all the breakfast spots in the area. Boy was I wrong.

This was a truly unique breakfast experience in the New Haven area. Drinks were cheap and tasty without lacking on the liquor. The food was the highlight though with everyone in our party loving their dishes. (Eggs Benny, chicken and waffles and hangover helper were all highlights.)

Beyond this though, the best part of our meal was the friendly warm atmosphere. We sat by the window, sunlight streaming onto our dining surface. Server Jamie L was extremely professional and was extremely helpful in accommodating us and our requests.

great brunch for good price in New Haven area, will certainly be...