Liv's Oyster Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in Old Saybrook

Oysters at happy hour are a wonderful experience. Everything else was sadly disappointing

When I think of an oyster house I think of light refreshing and subtle crisp flavor. Unfortunately we got either overpowering or bland.

The swordfish dish, billed as an puttanesca, which is supposed to be a light subtly flavored tamato sauce dish; ignored the swordfish, and was an overpowering olive sauce pasta dish. It was an olive reduction ‘tomato’ sauce (though I could taste no tomato over the olive) with minced olives in it; and the dish had about a dozen sliced olives tossed in. Olive is already a strong flavor, this was overkill, and there was no way to escape the olives.

The swordfish itself was not dry but was over grilled/baked (not seared on all sides as one would expect from such a fish) to the point of toughness (for a fish) and seemed to have the texture of a ribeye or overcooked salmon. The pasta was actually really good, but there is no getting passed the overpowering olive flavoring and smell. Just having the dish in the table I could taste the olive in my other bites.

The tuna tartare was solid quality fish, but the portion relative to the avocado sauce (?) was off. It should be closer to 2:1 rather than 1:1. But my biggest complaint with this dish is that it seemed bland. Whatever was in the soupy guac seemed to overpower the natural tuna flavor. Same with the chips. I ended up eating just the tuna.

The croquettes were bland while the sauce was strong.

The baked stuff clams were not fully baked with the stuffing still battery/sludgy but warm when delivered.

The banana old fashioned had nothing wrong with it but was not a flavor combination I’d personally get again. That’s a flavor preference though and didn’t affect my review, it’s just an FYI

I will say that perhaps they were not on their A-Game early on a Tuesday, or maybe I just chose bad dishes, especially since they had a good crowd for such off hours, but chatting with neighbors my experience didn’t seem to be unique.

Lot of potential but the executions isn’t there; on a positive the oysters are fresh, the atmosphere is nice, and the...

We went there with no reservation. We were told that the only seats available were at the bar. We then sat at the bar. After we sat down, I counted 9 EMPTY tables. After ordering, we had to wait 45 minutes for our food. We ate our dinner. I had the " Hot Buttered Lobster Roll". The lobster roll was "Cold" and when I tried to pick it up it fell apart because the roll was drenched in butter. When we were done, after about an hour and a half, I noticed that 6 of the 9 empty tables were STILL EMPTY. OTHER PEOPLE, FORCED TO SIT AT THE BAR, WERE SAYING THE SAME THING ABOUT THE EMPTY TABLES. Poor seat planning, over priced, limited selection and not so good food. We will never go back. *Let me add to this review because of the response from the restaurant about this review. Yes it was this restaurant. You don't have the "Hot Buttered Lobster Roll" (@$40+) on the menu now, but you did on 09/14/19 when we were there. P.S. It came with Fries in a little bucket. They were good. I'm not crazy. I know what I ate. Know your business and your products people. Let me add a little more. I went through some other reviews and the Lobster Roll is mentioned, so it does appear on the menu from time to time. Sorry to tell you Liv.

**Liv, Thank You for the invite, but we will not be returning even if the lobster was free. You missed the point of the review. It was not the over-priced, cold lobster roll it was the treatment we received by not getting a table when there were obviously enough available. Everyone at the bar was saying the same thing about the empty tables. You fail to see that you have a...

During our visit to this exceptional restaurant, we were warmly welcomed at the entrance by Mary, whose friendly demeanor set a positive tone for the evening. Shortly after, our server Ava introduced herself, and from that moment on, we felt well taken care of.

The attentive service provided by Ava was truly remarkable, as she was knowledgeable about the menu and made thoughtful recommendations that enhanced our dining experience.

Now, let’s talk about the food — it was nothing short of outstanding! I opted for the seafood fried rice, which was a delightful combination of flavors and textures. The dish was expertly prepared, featuring fresh seafood and perfectly cooked rice, all brought together with fragrant seasonings that made every bite memorable.

Overall, this restaurant is a must-try for anyone looking for a fantastic dining experience. The combination of exceptional service, a welcoming atmosphere, and exquisite cuisine makes it a standout choice. I look forward to returning and exploring more...