80 Proof American Kitchen & Bar

We’ve walked past 80 Proof for too long, and I’m so glad my husband and I finally stopped in for dinner. It was beautiful inside, and the food was delicious! The Mac and cheese was really different - we had it with the blackened chicken, and it had a great flavor. Awesome drinks, and love the new spring specials! Definitely a great spot that we’ll be keeping in mind for future New Haven visits!

Happy hour is worth it, they have $5 cocktail deals. The apps were ok, but that wasn’t the point of the visit. Keith was a great host and Rick was the best server always checking up on us. Would definitely visit if you are in the area, but be aware that they can get packed VERY quickly so get here early if you can!

First of all I absolutely love eating at 80 proof. Good food inexpensive for happy hour and great Customer service. RAFEAL WAS AMAZING. He was attentive and he knew when to come back around to see if we needed anything. He didn’t hover but was al day there if we needed him!

We had a very large party. The waitress was nice and checked on us often. The food was really good. I would definitely go back again.

Don’t think about it, come on down! 80 Proof never disappoints. Food is always deliciously delicious 🤌🏼. the portions are great especially for happy hour, the service is always on point and the drinks are no exception. The owner is a lovely lady and she takes pride in her business.

Came in from Boston and visited this place twice in the 4 days i stayed in New Haven. Happy hour was amazing and the music was a vibe. Went for brunch on Sunday and had amazing service from Nora. Me and my friends loved her! Was not a fan of the live music during brunch though…who ever was on six had the right vibe.

I recently celebrated my birthday at this wonderful restaurant, and I couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out. From start to finish, the staff went above and beyond to make the evening special. The team was incredibly accommodating, helping us reserve our tables and even suggesting seating to have all the guests together. Our server was friendly, attentive, and made great menu suggestions—everyone in our party was impressed with the food and drinks. The kitchen even surprised me with a beautifully plated appetizers (on the house). It’s clear this restaurant cares about its guests and knows how to make a special occasion truly memorable. I’m so grateful for the warm atmosphere and top-notch service. Thank you for making my birthday unforgettable—I’ll definitely be back! Special thanks to Lovey, Sarah, Sonia, Keith and the young lady that was our personal server. Thank you ALL very much ~April F. ~

It’s my first time here and I sadly encountered a VERY DISTURBING AND DISGUSTING SITUATION. I went into the bathroom and a short chunky lady was using the bathroom honestly can’t tell she was going #2, and she completely walked out without washing her hands and right into the kitchen. Me being furious and getting ready to walk out my server Short hair Tattooed sweet funny girl Jo something asked of everything was okay. After her insisting I finally told her about the situation because I honestly didn’t want that women to be touching my food or anyone’s food. Gladly Jo took control of the situation spoke to management Mateo and both of them convinced me and my table to stay. They both are the sweeties employees and we could tell that they will go out and about just to make the customers feel comfortable and at home. Besides that incident food was beyond delicious, drinks were amazing, service was fast very friendly and professional. Jo really knows her drinks and food, gave us plenty of recommendations of foods that would be paired with drinks. She really just made a bad situation worth the try. Thank you so much Jo and Mateo for convincing us to stay. Really worth it all.

Jalinda was a great server. She was working the entire restaurant and still being very attentive to our table. she had great suggestions on what to eat. I've tried a few things from here and nothing disappointed me thus far.

Great service and food and drinks just like the other side of the restaurant Barracuda's! We had the gorgonzola apple salad and some of the best chicken wings ever! Had mango habanero flavor, sauce was like a laquer glaze. Great happy hour too! This side is a little more moody and classy, great for a date etc.

Open atmosphere, airy and we'll lit. Our server, Rick, was very friendly and not overly attentive. We werent starving, so it was a small selection -- wonton nachos (poke bowl on a plate) and mac n cheese. Both were really good. The wonton nachos were a large serving -- probably an appetizer to share with 3-4, and the Mac n cheese was a perfect size for a hungry adult. The poke was tasty, with lots of seaweed salad, which I love. The wonton chips were crunchy throughout, and the spicy aioli was a perfect addition. The Mac n cheese was a blend of cheeses, and though the sauce was a little on the runny side, it was flavorful -- heavy on the gouda. Margaritas were average and the strawberry lemonade was watered down. Overall, a good place to try again. Taco Tuesday looked very inviting!

This was such a great brunch! We scheduled brunch pretty early, so there was no wait for a table and our server as very attentive with great recommendations. My first drink was the Summer in New Haven, which I loved because it was so refreshing and the watermelon chunk garnish was perfectly sweet. From there we got a round of mimosas and green tea shots which always hit. I got the Caesar salad with salmon. The salmon was perfectly cooked and lightly salted. The salad was very filling, I didn't end up eating until dinner. As far as the space, it's a great size and I like the separation between smaller parties and larger tables. We didn't have to worry about the noise level and everyone was able to have a good time. Looking forward to heading back.

New Haven is more than just pizza. This is a great brunch spot and bottomless mimosas. I'm no mimosa expert but this I loved...and probably the only reason why I'd return..they serve some mean mimosas @$3 a glass it's an unbeatable price... or go bottomless for $25. The brunch menu has a good spread but I was starving and was in mood for a veggie omelette with a side of roasted potatoes and bread with homemade jam...It was simply delicious.. the wings and burgers looked good too, but that's an order for next time I'm here. The dining room has a great vibe.. The patio seating during warmer months must be nice. Good service.

Decided to try this location for restaurant week. Their prix fixe menu seemed like a great value. The initial starter pre- appetizer was a fried oyster with a mayo and caviar. I was put off by the thought of both an oyster and caviar but this was delicious. So much so, that I wish they would make it part of their regular menu. The official appetizer was a kale and strawberry salad. It was nicely dressed and bright. A perfect opener. We were offered two seating options, the high top tables or the bar. We chose the tables. Decent atmosphere, loud reggaeton. So, hopefully you don't mind that genre. They have a great happy hour menu. A variety of tacos at $2.50 each but you must order 3 and they must be the same variety. Taco Tuesday, Wing Wednesday.. I highly recommend. My entree was the lobster ravioli.. of course. It was amazing & the portion was perfect. I was nearly stuffed when dessert came out, but this was my first time having crème brûlée, so I made room. Two drinks, and a 4 course meal came to $70 dollars but there was a drink added to my bill in error from my group (we paid separately). So roughly, $63. Great experience, and I now have a new happy hour atmosphere!

Overall, this experience was ok. Service wasn't that great. The table was sticky and had leftover reside from the people before us. The clam chowder was a little thin for my liking and the sandwich and tacos were straightforward. Nothing that really stood out to us. It's in a convenient location.

Before the St Pattys Day Parade a group of friends decided we would have brunch before starting our day. Never had brunch at 80 Proof but it did not disappoint! I shared . We ordered 2 different orders and we split which was more than enough. Not too much , not too little. I needed my coffee but others had mimosas and other cocktails! The bartender was awesome! Friendly, made great drinks! Service was just great all around! The Menu at 80 Proof offers lunch and dinner!

80 Proof is a New American restaurant and craft cocktail bar that opened in New Haven, Connecticut in June 2022. It was founded by business partners Sonia Salazar and Sarah Cornelius. The two previously had success in the Elm City with the opening of their restaurants Barracuda Bistro & Bar (a Latin American gastro bar) in 2014 and Te Amo Tequila Bar (a craft tequila bar and taco restaurant) in 2018. The restaurateurs' latest venture is a departure from their two other restaurants. 80 Proof puts focus on shareable plates as well as craft cocktails. The menu features classic American bar bites such as potato skins, waffle fries, sliders, and jalapeño poppers... but elevated to a whole new level. The cocktail menu features mixed drinks that are mostly made with vodka, gin, bourbon and fresh fruit, as opposed to the rum and tequila-based cocktails that you will find at Barracuda or Te Amo. I recently attended an exclusive tasting event at 80 Proof which was attended by a number of local foodie influencers. We were all invited to sample various plates and cocktails that were being added to the menu for the Spring; the menu changes seasonally. Some of the cocktails that were displayed included the "Martini Flight", the "Cupid", the "Peach, Please", and the "Rose, Marry Me!" My personal favorite was the "Let the MANgo!" (tequila, mango liqueur, pineapple juice and lime juice topped off with red wine and a hint of mezcal served in a tiki glass). The delicious tropical flavors almost made me feel like I was on vacation! Some of the late night plates that we were treated to included various flavors of "Wings", "Tacos", "Jerky Waffle Fries", "BBQ Pork Sliders", "Avocado Sashimi", and "Habanero Fried Shrimp." My favorite dish was the "Lobster Cream Mussels" (steamed mussels with wine, garlic and butter, finished with lobster bisque, served with toast points); they were some of the best steamed mussels I've ever had! Our group even was fortunate enough to sample some of 80 Proof's Brunch Menu items, including various "Mimosas", "Shrimp & Grits", "Chicken & Waffles", and "Avocado Benedict". Everything that I sampled was so delicious. I was so full by the end of the tasting that I could have rolled home. I look forward to returning with my family!

I noticed in my review that I stated I was in West Hartford. 80 Proof is in New Haven! I had such a great time that I forgot where I was!

I'm really at a 3.5 but the service was friendly and the food was great. I wanted a Kentucky Mule but they didn't have any ginger beer. Then I thought I'd do a vodka drink but they didn't have the vodka I like. So I settled for a concoction that just did not do the trick I did not finish it. But what I did finish were the Taco Tuesday special - short rib tacos ($2.50 each, but strings attached: must order 3 and must be of the same kind). That's ok. The short rib was truly fantastic. And I had the watermelon, feta, onion and cucumber salad. So good. Refreshing and tasty. Somehow those flavors all worked! Not sure I'd really come back, but if I did, I'd go with a simple bottle of beer. Can't screw that up!

Wow! Super relaxed, chill dining experience and excellent service! We went for the "Let the Mango" which was pleasantly topped off with red wine, fresh slices of fruit in a tiki tumbler! Worth the trip. Margarita was refreshing and balanced. Highly recommend the Lobster Cream Mussels, Famous Barracuda Avocado Sashimi.

Nice surprise. We were in town for a wedding. Stopped here to grab early dinner. Service was great. Our waitress was so sweet, young girl, think she had braces. We ordered the fried shrimp, Mac, wings, and fries, and some drinks. The food was really hot and fresh which I appreciated and it's a cute vibe to talk and catch up. Good music too. Whatever station they had on played songs I love that you don't ever hear anymore. My favorite was the fries. They had a spicy sauce on them and you get a large amount. So good. We parked in a deck close by because there wasn't any street parking available.

Place was half full when we arrived, two large groups were in two different areas. Our server was bright, bubbly, funny, and very on-the-ball. We had a significant dietary need and she wrote it down. Things turned south at this point. Our food took 56 mins to arrive, and Jalinda had apologized several times. The food came out and not one of our dietary requests were met (we wanted no sauces, no veggies on burgers). The guy takes it back and comes back to the table a minute later "All fixed, he says." I asked if they'd merely scraped the tomato and sauces off, or if it was a fresh cheese and egg on the meat." They'd merely scraped it off, and a member of our party is highly, medically allergic to tomatos, and didn't want onion. He took it back to the kitchen. Then, 15 minutes later (after others had received their food) the burger comes back out again, also with onions. Then, the water guy didn't refill our waters, nor did the food guy apologize. He merely growled. Jalinda apologized several times over, but spending a hundred bucks at this place? Won't happen again, as we won't be returning. Ambience was good (albeit noisy for being only half-full), and the food once we got it was decent (sans the cold fries). Jalinda, thank you for being so sweet and helpful. The rest of the staff; you certainly didn't make us feel like it's worth returning.

Bar hopping spot with food bonus. Best service at the bar which seats a lot of people 15+. Bartender service was great with two attending to everyone. The cucumber chicken wrap was very tasty. The fresh cucumbers were crisp and who doesn't love waffle fries.

I previously visited 80 proof while explore downtown with friends and reverently had a crazy for their fries !! The fries were crispy, not too greasy and salted to perfection. I would 100% go back just for the fries and stay for the awesome vibes. This place is fun and a great spot for happy hour or winding down after a long day. The staff that I interacted with were all polite and kind. No complaints about this place. Check it out!

Solid place, very solid. Very friendly staff and good decorating for the holidays and in general. I ordered the chicken tacos, they were delicious. Street-style soft tortilla, with pico de gallo and a cream sauce on top. So it was not traditional, but also not off the rails. All in all, satisfying meal that didn't break the bank.

This place has a great vibe. Loved the servers, ambience and music. My husband and I both ordered the meat lover omelette; the portions were large and well worth the price of the entree. We also ordered mimosas, my husband did the mimosa bar which was a good deal. The server brings you the mimosa, you don't actually make it yourself. We will definitely be returning!

To start, I love New Haven and have had many wonderful dining experiences through the years. This was not one of them. It's not a particularly welcoming place, was relatively empty and the service was slow. We order fried mozzarella, a grilled chicken sandwich and short rib sliders. Fried mozzarella was good, not greasy and light. It was the highlight, as the entrees took forever and when we did get them, the short rib and chicken were cold/bland. To get the taste out, I ordered a Diet Coke, which was flat and tasted like club soda. Giving 2 stars because 1 is harsh, the drinks and appetizers were good. Good ambience, but ultimately, you want the food to be at least decent and it was just a poor experience, especially given the price.

Heard it was New Haven Restaurant Week and knew exactly where I wanted to try! This has been on my list for a while and I am so glad I finally got that push to go try it out. The special menu was only $45 for a four course meal and everything was phenomenal. I ordered the fried oysters, lobster bisque, lobster ravioli and the creme brûlée - everything came out hot and delicious. My mom got the calamari, artichoke chicken, and chocolate cake - I cannot lie I stole a bite of each and it was all yummy. I also want to mention, the service was great. Everyone was incredibly friendly and I was greeted the moment I stepped into the restaurant. The vibe is great inside. Dimmed lighting with modern artwork on the walls, indoor as well as patio seating outside and a full bar. Great for a date night, girls night out, or family dinner. Their menu had a wide range as well - from seafood to burgers and wings. I highly suggest making reservations because it gets busy on the weekend.

I came for happy hour and had a whiskey sour (for only $5!) and the mac and cheese with blackened chicken. Both were excellent, particularly for the price, and the portion size on the mac was very generous. With the prices in the area, I'm not sure you can do much better for happy hour. I don't know that I'd come outside of happy hour, as it looked a little pricey, but I'll definitely be back!

Super cute bar, and I'd definitely recommend going there for happy hour! They have a really nice selection of drinks at a reasonable price and even serve large portions of food for cheap during HH.

Each month we choose a different location for our Ladies Who Brunch and this month we chose 80 Proof! We had a reservation for noon and were seated promptly. Our waitress, Claudia, was extremely attentive and took our drink orders right away. Four of us chose the Mimosa Bar for $25 and they were delicious. Claudia always made sure our glasses were filled. For food choices, we had the Meat Lovers Omelet, Veggie Omelet, Shrimp & Grits, Lobster Benedict, and 3 Egg Breakfast. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their Brunch meals. While they have a 2 hour seating limit, we did not feel rushed at all. We had a wonderful time connecting over great food, great drinks, and great company. We will definitely be back for Brunch and the Mimosa Bar!!

Just wow met the owner amazing woman, amazing place they expanded on their menu love it even more. The drinks were perfect and had a beautiful night my fiancé. Service amazing as always .

A little loud during happy hour but not unbearable. I sat at the bar and ate - NY Steak was very good and cooked the way I wanted. Slightly understaffed the Thursday I went due to no shows, but the staff was handling it. Great place for drinks. Maybe find a quiet table for dinner.

80 Proof needs it's own identity.. 80 proof is a combination of the restaurant Te Amo's drinks and a subpar version of the restaurant Barracuda's food. I later was told that the owner of 80 proof also owns and Te Amo, both of which I frequent.... Went for "Happy Hour" which wasn't really Happying... It was far from busy. We were greeted and told we could sit anywhere. They have digital menu. I only had My work phone which isnt good at QR codes. I asked for paper, they had none. Server kinda just walked away and was like maybe u guys can share a phone. I googled their menu, guess the server didn't know it's on their website... Drinks were good. I didn't like the salt rim on my first drink a passionfriut Margarita. Maybe I should have chose sugar. But the happy hour food was a let down. First bite was the chicken wings. We ordered Garlic Parm and Mango Habanero The chicken itself wasn't seasoned. They were relying on the outside sauces and seasoning to provide flavor and while yes it was actually fried to perfection, the chicken itself was just bland. Next was the Bi-Polar(my nickname) Nachos. Some of the chips were overly salted. A lot of the meat(short rib I believe) was bland and the jalapeños did not bring the heat, almost like they were just decoration. We enjoyed a couple bites from the corners but the middle was not hittin.. Last I ordered the Mac and cheese with Spinach and mushroom. This dish was very good but it wasn't "Mac and cheese" as we know it. Well technically there was Parmesan sprinkled on top so there was cheese and macaroni in the form of fusilli but it definitely wasn't cheesin. It was more of like an Alfredo bowl rather than a mac and cheese. The energy was down. The staff seemed bored and was trying to keep busy. 80 proof tried, but In my opinion, this place isnt really necessary. Unless things change, I have no reason to go back here. I will continue to go to Te Amo and Barracudas which are the places that 80 proof tries to mimic, and both within walking distance. If the other 2 places were busy I maybe, big maybe, would return.

First time at 80 Proof and I'm disappointed in myself because I should have been one of the first people to visit this restaurant when it opened. The last time I was in this space was when it was Kelly's so it was exciting to be back. It was a Thursday evening and it wasn't so crowded so the hostess sat me at the bar with a few other patrons. My friends ended up joining me shortly after and we had a few drinks and some food. I got the mushroom sliders along with a French Bellini aka the bad bitch drink. The drink was so good and strong that I could barely finish the second glass. The French fries were also amazing!! So proud of Sonia for having three restaurants all within a 2 mile radius from each other.

There was one server for the entire outdoor patio and he was only on his 4th day. That's not his fault, management should know better. We did the happy hour which they have every day from 4-7 PM Food: on a scale of 1-10 - Wings: 6.8 - Brisket Nachos: 4.8 - Mushroom tacos: 3.4 - Mac n cheese w/ blackened chicken: 2.5 Wings were decent. The mac n cheese was good. It's not traditional Mac n cheese, but it's delicious, but the blackened chicken on it had pieces that were tender & juicy and some pieces that tasted like literal rubber. I couldn't even chew it. I don't even know how that's possible since it was the same piece of chicken. The mushroom tacos had decent flavor but the tortillas completely crumbled. Nice outdoor patio and ambiance. Overall, It was JUST ok if you combine the good and the bad.

Service The our reservation was at 1pm. We were unfortunately early. We were not welcomed. The hostess was kirt. Told us to go to the bar area to order drinks. No one at the bar acknowleded us. We get seated at 1pm and .at 1:12 a server, she who never introduced herself left a closed bottle of water on the table and called me "Love"? Actually, "hi, how are you be back Love" She said this without looking at any of us or waiting for any reply. I waited for 15 minutes and went over to her and her coworker who was on her phone to ask if I should pour my own water on Mother's Day? At 1:26 Manuela R., took my drink order. At 1:34 she finally inquired if we would like to order food. She has yet to introduce herself. I added her name after we recieved our check. 1:47 2 of our 3 orders came. Well almost. We recieved the wrong burger. We ordered the spicy one. The chicken and waffles which wasn't hot, tepid at best was tasty and tiny. I felt so bad not waiting for the other meal, but my food was not really hot therefore I needed to share my food. At 2:16 we recieved the last meal. It was tasty according to the person eating. Ambiance... confusing. There is indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor has half picnic tables. Dogs are only allowed in this area. Did I mention that the small tables are white, but the picnic tables are gray. I probably wouldn't notice if I was eating. The inside was very nice. The server took 10% off of the meal because of so many issues with the food. The server, Maneula, continued to treat me poorly through out the meal. At least she was consistent. Oh yeah, happy mother's day, at least it was after leaving!

Had an absolutely amazing experience recently at 80 Proof! I had the pleasure of sampling many menu items and drinks. Their muscles in lobster sauce was to die for. And their selection of chicken wings blew my mind. Perfectly done. Can't thank the chef enough. I will be back with the family very soon.

The craft cocktails were yummy and not overly sweet, and not over priced. I would come back here for the cocktails alone. We ordered the wings: which were good. (Mango Habanero was my favorite/ I was not a fan of the BBQ flavor) I had the grilled mahi tacos, my friends had the fried mahi tacos and the short rib tacos. They were all pretty tasty.

Good for happy hour that is just my opinion. I wasn't impressed with the food . The menu has a bunch of different options such as Mac and cheese, wings, burgers, tacos, mussels. The wings were the best item on the spread, everything else just wasn't crafted well . The drinks were good, I had two guava margaritas. Don't get me wrong it was def busy in there it just wasn't for me and that's ok.

This restaurant is owned by the same people who run Te Amo. In case you didn't know Te Amo is an amazing taco and tequila bar in New Haven. It is one of our favorite restaurants in all of CT so it's safe to say our expectations for 80 Proof were sky high. The restaurant met my expectation, but my dining mate was a little less pleased due to the oysters she ordered. That is out of scope for this review, but perhaps a word of caution. The happy hour menu is excellent. It has great options and reasonable prices (for CT). I tried the wings. Wings are judged by 3 components: sauce, juicyness and meat quality. I'm happy to report the wings earned a solid A in each category. The sauce had a well-calibrated level of spice, and is flavorful without being too salty. The wings were definitely juicy - they literally were dripping after I bit in! The meat quality was also great. They were big and had a high meat to fat ratio. A 6 piece order is actually pretty filling. My only complaint is the wings arrived at the table warm, not hot. It was clearly a timing issue and not related to the wings themselves. Onto the drinks. The Paloma had an intriguing black coarse salt on the rim. The salt mixed with the drink and resulted in a sweet/salty combination. It was a nice appetizer but wasn't the best to wash down food with due to the salty flavor. The watermelon spritz was amazing. Super refreshing with an authentic watermelon flavor. All in all, 80 Proof lived up to my high expectation and will make an excellent alternative to Te Amo.

I had brunch here and it's a cute place. It wasn't crowed which was great. Our waitress was super sweet - it was her second day. I had the shrimp and grits which were decent. The grits needed a bit more flavor but they weren't bad. Oh and there were $3 mimosas!!!!!! Cool, cute space.

We had an interesting experience here. The restaurant itself is fairly small. It looks like they have a busy bar scene - large bar area with a lot of seating. There are a lot of high top tables that seat 2. It's not cozy and personally, when out on a date - I'd prefer not to sit at a high top table basically in the middle of the dining room. They had a room to the left with a party of at least 20, so maybe there would have been more lower table seating options had that party not been there. We also made the mistake of dining here 2 days before Halloween on a Saturday night. There was a busy college Halloween bar hopping scene. There was a fight between a bartender and someone who worked for their security team - phones were spiked to the floor, the cops were called - it was a lot of drama. We ordered our drinks and they took a very long time to come. We were nervous we had made a mistake coming here. Also - the party of 20 hadn't been served yet so we were concerned this would cause a back up in the kitchen but honestly - the food was pretty redeeming. For drinks - we started with Here's a Rose, Mary. I'm a sucker for gin AND rosemary. It was superb. My husband had the apple cider old fashioned and he thought it was really good, too. For food, we ordered the Habanero fried shrimp. They were good. A little light on the fry but big and fresh. The aioli was only mediocre and could really have been dressed up a lot. It wasn't really spicy. Sort of tasted like thousand island dressing. For dinner, I got the Famous Barracuda Mac and Cheese with spinach and mushrooms and it was delicious. Creamy cheese sauce, tons of mushrooms and spinach - it was perfect. My husband got the linguini and mussels. He had a choice of 3 different sauces - red, white or lobster bisque. He chose the lobster bisque and said it was delicious. All and all - I do think we'd come back for the food. Maybe with some friends as it definitely has a fun vibe.

Tried something different but a sister of the family restaurant barracuda . It was worth going here, we tried the calamari and it came out crispy and cooked perfectly. I choose a few things I liked off happy hour . Good ambience indoor ,outdoor dining areas . We tried outdoor, but the air was not so pleasant to smell . Great indoor space plenty of room . Cocktails were good and plenty of options to choose from.

If you're a fan of te amo tequila bar, then you might want to give this place a shot! They have happy hour everyday, from 4 to 7pm and amazing cocktails! I was really impressed with their drinks and happy hour food selection. The prices are quite fair and the customer service is amazing. I'm a huge oyster fan so I started with a half dozen oysters and they were just ok. My main concern was that they were somehow dry? They did not taste fresh because they were a bit dried out, however they did smell fine and didn't look bad. The short rib sliders had a good flavor, but again the short rib itself was kind of dry unfortunately. The calamari and sauce on the other hand was excellent! I also had some of my husbands Buffalo wings and those were really good too. None of the food was too salty which I find to be a plus - except maybe the dressing on my Ceasars salad which was very salty. I think I'd like to give this place another shot since the staff were so kind and the drinks were very good (awesome happy hour drinks). The food was better than your typical bar fair and I feel like there is a lot of potential!

Hit 80 proof for drinks and happy hour rate-reduced food. Excellent choice. Had the Mac n cheese w spinach and mushrooms. Yummy. Good portion, too. Tried the calamari. Small portion, but delicious. Then, ate the chicken quesadilla - fine but nothing great ( like the Mac). Finally, asked for waffle fries. Must be a communication thing. I got no sauce just plain waffle fries. Thus one star less than perfect. I was charged correctly, but if you offer Cajun waffle fries (a reach in name) then please ask the customer if they want plain waffle fries or the one and only 80 proof prepared waffle fries. Drinks were good. I ordered sangria red wine and my date ordered peachy martini. Good drinks and fair price. Overall, 80 proof was 86% great. Do better on the waffle fries next time. Ambiance was perfect for a date. Go 5-7 pm for happy hour. A bit lively and fun. We sat by the window. Has part privacy window- nice touch.

Always enjoy myself when I came here. Jalinda was our waitress and she was awesome. The food food is never disappointing. The owner Sonia is very attentive.

This was such a great happy hour! The prices were beyond reasonable, we got full size, strong drinks for half the price and the same with the food! It was sooooo good and it definitely felt worth the hour drive down to New Haven! It's also close to the parking garage, the noise level was quite low, and our waitress made sure to look at our accommodations needed when we made our reservation! Such a great experience!

Great for a quick dinner or late night snack and drinks! Jalinda provides awesome service and Jean always makes great drinks! Always a good time here!

Let's talk about Wonton Nachos- fried wonton chips topped with tuna tartar, seaweed salad, pickled red onions, spicy mayo, wasabi cream sauce and sesame seeds! This is the dish I went in for and this is the dish I ended off loving! I love all nachos creations and this one just tastes so good! You need to try it! My friend ordered the Chicken Sandwich and it was huge! I have never seen a bigger piece of chicken. We also started with the mussels and those were super large as well. I like the theme here! 80 Proof is a modern twist on classic fare with a focus on shareable plates, elevated bar food & craft cocktails in a vibrant atmosphere with two bars, a large private patio, and multiple options for private dining and events. Same owners as Barracuda and Te Amo Tequila and they are so awesome. Loved the design and decor. Will absolutely be back. Definitely for more nachos soon too!

Jalinda was a wonderful waitress l. She is so accommodating and a breath of fresh air. Thanks so much!!

This review is mainly for the drinks. I came here with a friend with a reservation so we were seated quite soon. We wanted a quick bite before heading somewhere else. We each got a drink and shared some fries. The drinks were okay - both of us thought it was very sweet which isn't too suitable to our tastes. I would be interested in potentially going to back to try more of their drinks, and also their food.

New England Clam Chowder Peach Please Chowder was good, really like the bread along side. Peach please was refreshing in a cute glass. Got there right when they opened, so it wasn't super busy, but was a bit more crowded by the time I left. Overall a good spot. Nice happy hour. Service well great. Would go back!

Amazing service to Jean our host, server and all round waiter. Jean presented with such smile and calmness The food was awesome also . Thank you again

I am always on the lookout for new restaurants and luckily New Haven offers that opportunity! My friend and I decided to try 80 Proof American Kitchen and Bar. After checking out their website for happy hour specials and menu, I was excited to try it out. Even more so after learning it is the sister restaurant to Barracuda Bistro and Bar and Te Amo Tequila Bar and Tacos-- both of which I had enjoyed my dining experiences in the past. The restaurant is located downtown on Crown Street, so parking options are limited to meters or paid lots/garage, but that's to be expected when dining in downtown New Haven. The atmosphere is welcoming, and we chose seats at the bar. Having arrived shortly after happy hour, there were still plenty of seating options available. I would recommend a reservation if you do not plan on getting there on the earlier side as it filled up quickly. The bartenders were attentive and knowledgeable, serving up unique and delicious cocktails. They have a lot of happy hour specials which made choosing a cocktail and appetizer/entree a challenge-- in a good way! I opted for the pumpkin caramel espresso martini which did not disappoint. My friend and I split an order of honey chipotle wings and short rib tacos. The service was quick, and the food was flavorful with each taco being served with a generous amount of short rib. My only criticism would be that although service was efficient, by the time the food arrived to us it was room temperature. I am excited 80 Proof has joined the foodie scene in downtown New Haven and will absolutely be returning!

Went to 80 Proof for happy hour on Friday night. Sat outside on the patio. Service was good, fast and friendly. Ordered the mac n' cheese and pulled pork fries. Got a Truly fish bowl for my drink. Fun atmosphere, will definitely go again.

Great place for a quick dinner and good happy hour deals! Jalinda always provides attentive and positive service and Jean makes amazing drinks