Review in a few words: Â Surprisingly good breakfast that, in terms of food, easily surpasses a lot of the overhyped breakfast/brunch spots in New Haven. Â It should be noted that breakfast will be served in a dark basement and soccer will likely be on (these are plusses for me but not for everyone else).
The full review: Â Liffey's has one of the best breakfasts in town. Â No seriously. Â I am writing this review mostly to spread the word because I have been so underwhelmed by the other breakfast spots around town. Â The Pantry, Bella's, etc... have all been middle of the road (at best) and are always swamped. Â I came to Liffey's to watch a soccer game and was pleasantly surprised to discover that their breakfast was unbelievably good.
While you won't get an eggs benedict at Liffey's it is obvious that the chef, Shane, takes a lot of pride in his cooking. Â The portions are not only huge but also delicious. Â Breakfast features traditional English/Irish fare (think eggs, sausage, beans, fried tomato, and the sort). Â Whatever you order at breakfast you can expect to leave satisfied. Â I feel a little bit odd highlighting the fact that their homefries are great (given that I usually regard homefries elsewhere as plate filler) but man are they something to write home about at Liffey's. Â The lunch and dinner menu at Liffey's is a little run-of-the-mill but the food is still good and portions are large. Â I cannot stress enough how much they shine at breakfast. Â While lunch and dinner may not be worthy of a five star rating, breakfast certainly is.
The atmosphere at Liffey's is also great if you want some more action in the morning. Â I come here somewhat regularly for the Chelsea games and there is always a fair amount of folks in. Â It helps to make you feel a little less guilty about ordering a beer (or six) at 10AM. Â The bartenders who work the morning shift, the owner, and the chef are all quite personable. Â This is one of the first places I have ever felt like a regular at and this is largely thanks to the staff. Â Decor-wise Liffey's is essentially a dream mancave: stonewalled basement with only a razor thin sliver of natural light coming in through a window in the back. Â This fact is important to note for those mornings when you're nursing a hangover.
The only real downside is that beers are a bit pricey here. Â $6 for a draft is a bit rich for my blood... and while these aren't domestic beers we aren't exactly talking fancy craft beers. Â Occassionally they have specials but otherwise a trip to Liffey's can put a larger dent in the wallet than I had hoped if I am sticking around for a game or two.
Appalling service, so-so food. Avoid this place!
We went here on a Sunday morning to watch soccer and enjoy a nice meal. The lower level was packed so we sat in the bar on the main floor. We had to ask twice just to get menus, and the waitress said they didn't have enough for everyone. She finally took our drink orders, then told us that it would take a while for coffee, since apparently they only had one pot and it took a long time to brew. She finally came back about 10 minutes later to take our orders. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. After about half and hour she brought us a plate of bread and butter. Then nothing. Coffee refills? Non-existent. One of the waitresses finally went to the local Dunkin Donuts and came back with a box of coffee and proudly walked around the pub filling cups. Â
Still no food. Another small plate of bread was shoved onto our table about an hour after we ordered our food. We finally asked if they could estimate when our food would arrive, since the game was nearly finished. "They'll bring it out when it's ready." was the response.
The food finally appeared on the table, one plate at a time, two minutes before the game ended, about an hour and a quarter after we'd placed the order. We didn't order anything complicated, just eggs, bread (not toasted) and pancakes. When we finished eating we had to ask them twice for the check.
Did they offer an apology for the poor service? Of course not!
Never, ever again. There's no excuse for a pub like this.
Decided to stop in here for a low key friday lunch during restaurant week.
3 courses for $22 w/ tax & tip.
This Irish Pub's atmosphere is very ingrained in history, dollar bills covering the walls tell the story.
First up, spinach & artichoke dip. Â Can't complain about the temperature on this one, I was so hungry I dug right in and scorched the roof of my mouth, ouch!
The dip was better as the flavors mingled as it cooled down, i ate the entire monstrous portion myself.
The main course, Shepherds Pie that was also served molten lava hot. Â This time I waited it out, a good 15 minutes before I dug in. Â It too was delicious.
The only disappointing part of the meal was dessert. Â When I asked what my choices are, I was expecting to hear the usual pub offerings of Bread Pudding, Ice Cream w/ Whiskey sauce, Apple Crisp..etc. Â Instead, it was a couple choices of pie. Â I chose the Pumpkin and it was a microwaved slice of store bought pumpkin pie. Â I ate it because my sweet tooth had kicked in at that point, but it wasn't a particularly impressive way to end an otherwise excellent meal.
Looks like a great place to catch a pint & a game as well. Â I'll be back.
Excellent Irish pub, no doubt about it. One of my favorites in the state. Not many can say they've got two floors to grab an ale and a burger. I was here for The Great Guiness Toast, a completely artificial "holiday" in February, invented exclusively as an excuse to sell more alcohol. It was hard to care about the corporate sprawl though, I had a good time.
I'm not a huge European sports fan, but I hear this is the place to watch them. Not just soccer, but rugby and other stuff like that. The -1 star is for the food, which is not to say they have bad food. They have good food, but therein lies the problem. Half Door in Hartford, Molly Darcy's in Danbury... they have really excellent food, and Liffey's doesn't quite stack up in that department.
Still, good stuff overall. A must for a bar crawl in New Haven.
I do restaurant reviews on my blog for fun. Â I do enjoy this. Â My blog is listed in my help profile. Â Below are some of the things I posted in it.
I have two favorite places in downtown New Haven for dining. One is the Zinc, the other is Anna Liffey's. Both places have very different clientele. I would never go into Zinc wearing a T-shirt with sneakers on. It just would not be right for the atmosphere. I would do this for Anna Liffey's. In fact I am uncomfortable in Anna Liffey's wearing a tie.
I had the Portabella Mushroom on Ciabatta Bread. It is listed on the menu as "Grilled Portabella Mushroom with Roasted Red Peppers and Goat Cheese on Ciabetta Bread served with Irish Fries."
I mentioned in a previous blog post on how I am on a quest to find the best hamburger in the New Haven Connecticut area. I have yet to try the hamburger here as I love this sandwich that much. I discovered it during lent. I have tried similar plates at other restaurants and no one comes close to comparing. The French Fries here are my absolute favorite. I do tell people that Anna Liffey's has the best French Fries. If I child again I would just get a plate of it.
In 2011 my friend Cat was visiting from Ireland. She loves this place. Anyway I was meeting her for dinner one Tuesday night and while waiting for her I met a nice couple. They were kind enough to offer me one of their "Spicy Chicken Egg Rolls." It was fantastic. My friend Cat ordered the "Irish Style Vegetable Curry." I finished it for her and that was also great. There is a good reason why Anna Liffey's is one of my favorite restaurants in New Haven. I have yet to have a bad meal here.
I love this place. And then I brought friends here, who also loved it. The mashed potatoes are great, the potato soup was good, chicken pot pie seemed unusual to me but proved delicious, and so on and so forth. I'm personally not a huge fan of the ambiance (dark, loud, lively, very crowded for dinner), but the food makes up for it.
Review Source:I hate to give this place such a low a rating but the food is scary. The downstairs space they have is wonderful. Great place to have a beer.
 However, stay away from their food! I ordered the chicken if it had just been bad bar food I probably wouldn't be writing this but after the second bite I wasn't even sure if the chicken was safe to eat. Otherwise frozen vegetables and instant mashed potatoes for a price of close to 15 bucks. My wife got a sandwich which was edible but disappointing.
 The waitress who was far from attentive, even though I think we were about one of three tables at the time, ignored the fact that my chicken was barley touched.
This is a nice bar restaurant with friendly wait and bar staff. Â The Guinness is well poured, they have a few descent beers on tap, but their is not much to offer for the beer snob looking for a range of craft beers. Â
The food is good and is fairly priced for a restaurant need the center of the food district. Â They have a pretty good menu for a relatively small restaurant and kitchen.
Anna Liffey's is, quite simply, the best soccer bar in Connecticut. I
lived in the New Haven area for a while and have been to Christy's and
O'Toole's to see games. I now live in Stamford and have been to Tigin,
Tiernan's, Casey's and other places. I keep going back to Liffey's
because there is still no better experience.
The decor is fantastic for a soccer bar - scarves hang all around the
low hanging ceilings in this dim underground bar. There is an upstairs
- don't bother. Always go downstairs. We've actually donated a scarf
and it still hangs there. The food is great - they have a range of
brunch options during their games and the burger is ridiculously well
seasoned. Try the Irish fare, which is also fantastic.
The best part about this place are the guys behind the bar. Rich,
Frank, and everyone else make the experience so much better. They will
banter back and forth with you, but it's always apparent that they
really care and want everyone to have the best experience possible.
Don't order a Bloody Mary unless you can handle the crap they'll give
you for it.
I'm taking the train there this weekend at a little over an hour each
way. It's worth it.
The pub atmosphere is great. But, the new "cooks" have made the Irish food horrible and very poor in quality and taste.
I don't know how to say this now that everyone is so delicate of other's opinions, words they don't want to hear, afraid of the truth and freedom of speech is a thing of the past, but here goes:
They used to have Irish guys cooking the food in the kitchen and everything tasted awesome; I used to eat here all the time. Now, Mexican guys are cooking and the food lost its great Irish quality and flavors and actually tastes quite bad. So, what's the problem?! If Irish guys started cooking in an authentic Mexican restaurant and someone said the food doesn't taste as good as it did when the Mexicans were cooking that wouldn't be a problem would it? So, stop deleting my review Yelp -- it is bullshit.
If I said the Mexican food tastes like it is being cooked by Irish guys would that be a problem? I highly doubt it. So, I say again, the Irish food at Anna Liffey's is cooked by Mexicans and it tastes like it.
Am I a hater of Mexicans? Read my review of Mezcal. I am friends with the entire staff of the restaurant and the owner who are all Mexicans. I was invited to their grandma's (the author of all the recipes) b-day in Mexico for Fuc*'s sake. Bunch of touchy fuc*s these days. Can't say a thing without someone's panties bunching up.
Who doesn't love a good pub? Â Who doesn't really love a really great pub? Â Who doesn't really love Anna Liffey's? Â
What a great spot to van Winkle an afternoon watching soccer (or football), mixing and matching various draft beers, scarfing strange little foods and telling stories and jokes with total strangers. Â I know there's a night scene and it's supposedly fabulous. Â I know there's serious food, an outdoor patio etc. etc. but I'm content sitting at the tiny bar downstairs and just letting the place carry me away wherever the Anna Liffey's current is going that day.
And yes, soccer is lame. Â Nobody scores and they are always crying and pointing at each other for touching them like a bunch of spoiled kids in the back of their mom's mini van. Â If it was a real contact sport (like rugby) it would be a lot more interesting but try to air that thought to a soccer (football) purist and you're likely to discover another contact sport. Â
So I watch the soccer and try to understand what all the fuss is about. Â I still don't get it, but that's no reason to downgrade this bar. Â This bar is awesome! Â This bar has awesome beer! Â This bar has awesome people working here, interesting eats and a cool clientele! Â There are plenty of street level places in New Haven and there are a lot of great places to eat, but Anna Liffey's is definitely a go to spot for me when I have no particular plan in mind. Â Try it out and find your own reason to make this a frequent stop when you're in New Haven!
The food is just okay, but Anna Liffey's is a great spot for soccer and trivia fans. They have a lot of specials on beers and I love coming for trivia (now if only I were better at it). I'm not a big soccer fan, but I have a couple of friends who can always be found at Liffey's for games. There's also a lot of space, making it a great venue for larger events.
Review Source:This is a pretty solid place to watch sports, not just fruitball, oh soccer, excuse me. Just kidding. Soccer is cool. All the scoring of hockey, minus the contact and fights. Haha ok no more ragging on soccer. Really, the owners are very accomodating for major sporting events.
This is also a good bar to get a cheap brew, as they almost always have some sort of special going. The beers regularly on tap are also reasonably priced.
That said...please don't come here expecting "Irish" food. Yes they have sheperd's pie. They also have curry ketchup! Let's just...leave it at that.
Honestly I was impressed with the bartender and the food but I purchased a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> gift card there and they refused to take it. Â The bartender apologized and sent over a couple of beers but the manager / possibly owner dismissed my request to speak with him. Â I was bummed because the food here is great and the atmosphere is awesome but I just cant get passed how they treated us. I paid my tab and left with a bad taste in my mouth.
Review Source:Anna Liffey's is great for group plans - trivia, sports, seeing a band, happy hour.
Trivia: Hardest in New Haven, but gets the most people each week!
Sports: I'm not a sports fan myself, but I have tons of friends who will convene here for soccer, rugby, etc. Plenty of TVs.
Bands: I've seen several friends' bands here and there's usually a good crowd.
Happy Hour: also a good crowd, some good drink specials, free food upstairs, and some good live acoustic performers.
The tables here are all old sewing tables with platforms on the bottom that move up and down which is great for someone like me who has fidgety feet. They often have Magner's on tap, which is a personal favorite of mine.
What can you say about Liffey's that hasn't already been said?
One of the few bars in New Haven that really has a community vibe to it. Â The bartenders make an effort to get to know the regulars and there is definitely a Liffey's Crowd that hangs out. Â Mostly friendly folks who have a love for European football and local kickball leagues.
They also are one of the few places you can actually get a cheap drink in the city. Â They usually are running a few specials on cheap beer, whether it's PBR, Miller Lite, or something else. Â It's nice to know you can have a few beers without breaking your wallet.
The food is pretty good for Irish pub grub. Â It's a little better than average, but probably not something you'd go there for.
In the summer, the patio is generally kicking with a ton of people outside smoking, which is a nice feature if you're into that kind of thing. Â It's sort of an alleyway, but it works.
It can be a little difficult to get a spot at the bar on busier nights like Fridays or Saturdays, but that's the price of going to a place that has a lot of people hanging out and having a good time.
The beer selection is a little better than average and they have the usual stuff. Â Foodwise, I'd also recommend the Irish sampler if you have the stomach for it. Â It is not for the feint of heart.
Overall definitely has one of the best vibes in New Haven, combining Irish pub with local neighborhood haunt. Â And without a doubt, if you're looking for some European soccer, this is the place to be.
This pub has a real cool vibe to it, especially the downstairs. Â It feels cavernous with the stone walls, but the numerous TVs including projection screens brighten the place up. Seems like they've got soccer/rugby on a lot, but we came for some american football as we heard they were (at least at some point) a Bills backer bar. Â We were the only Bills fans there but as soon as we got downstairs the guy behind the bar came over and told us he'd switch a projection on to the game for us--great service man!
The brunch was delicious--especially the corned beef hash-- and the pints of Guinness were well-poured and very fresh. Â This is a great spot in New Haven. The quality was even enough to overcome the Bills blowing a 21 point lead to still earn a 5-star rating!
This place should easily get five stars alone for the amazingly authentic and delicious Irish food but sadly the service was a bit strange to say the least.
Based on Yelp suggestions and the fact that I took the train into New Haven my friend and I decided to eat a late night meal here. After heading down the stairs and standing around for a good 5 minutes without as much as a nod from a waitress we had to ask if we could get a table. We were instructed to just head upstairs and sit down which I found a bit rude and odd at the same time.
Turns out it was trivia night and the place was pretty packed downstairs and a bit quieter upstairs. Luckily once we got our food(Shepard's Pie for me and a Guinness Stew for my friend) we were absolutely blown away. For Irish Pub food this was as good as it gets. We were both waiting for something negative to come of the meal but the mashed potatoes alone were enough to make the meal 5 stars. Next time I'm in New Haven I'll try to avoid Trivia Night so I can give this place five stars!
Anna Liffey is one of those places in New Haven that you just happen to walk by, ignoring it, because it is not a specific destination on your radar. There was a time in Hans and Mendez's past when they frequented The Liffey for its famous trivia night. Since the infamous night when an enraged Mendez threatened the mc's life for saying "Floggers" instead of "Bloggers," they haven't returned. Hungry stomachs and the promise of air conditioning brought them to Anna Liffey's doors.
The wall leading to the subterranean basement bar is lined with pictures of various patrons, bartenders, and Irish literary celebrities showing a hall of fame of what once was , and perhaps what is yet to come. Haircuts and clothing change each step down, but once you reach the bottom, the color T.V.s bring you back to reality. Anna Liffey's was quiet, but with hell raising blood swirling inside, the bloggers sat at the bar. The gray stone walls add to the coolness (both temperature and otherwise) of the bar. Scarves once worn by soccer fans line the stone walls like woven tapestries of long ago. Senior citizens dine on bangers and mashed.
Mendez ate here once before during his lunch break from jury duty. "I know we're not supposed to talk about," He said once his veggie burger was ordered, "But did you notice the marks under the witness' eyes? I think he wears glasses." Upon re-entering the courtroom Mendez was asked to leave the jury, something about a conflict of disinterest.
The beer selection was good, but not great. Like one of Ireland's great folk heroes, "Nothing Compares" to Liffey's selection of flavored vodka. The most interesting is an Absolute collaboration with Spike Lee called Absolute Brooklyn. The bottle is beautiful, but the sour apple/ginger flavor was nothing to throw a trash can through a window about. If Brooklyn is the new Manhattan, we'll stick with gin martinis.
The menu is home to typical Irish and American pub fair. Some very impressive salads and burgers have made the bloggers agree that additional research will be needed at some time in the very near future. On a recommendation from an old friend, Mendez ordered the Shepard's Pie. Hardy and flavorful, the combination of mashed potatoes, beef, pees, and gravy, made Mendez pardon the crimes against humanity committed by Bono's hairdresser.
Hans ordered one of the specials, a dijon chicken sandwich served with steak fries. It had more appeal than other specials, such as, the Irish Spicy Thai Salmon Salad and Chicken Gumbo Soup. A blanket of swiss melted just fine on the chicken. The hard roll too was a nice touch, slightly toasted and adding a crisp bite. Whoever spread the dijon is more of a mustard fanatic than Hans is. The mustard spice tickled his nose and in need of relief he ordered a beverage. "I need something light and sweet...I'll take a Smirnoff Ice."
"Are you going to Ice someone?" the bartender asked skeptically. Confused, Hans asked for an explanation. The bartender pulled out a laminated sheet explaining the rules and regulations of Icing. We respect Gary's tact in not answering Hans final question: "Can't I just spin the bottle?
Hans "iced" himself and the two bloggers turned their attention to a rugby match. Like "Icing" the rules made little sense, the objective was blurry, and the participants where predominately fratty.
Anna Liffey's is a destination for good, solid pub food. It's a relaxed environment and our bartender Gary really added to it. He was friendly and talkative while pouring drinks. For twenty dollars good food and good drinks can be expected.
I love Anna Liffey's!
 This place is within walking distance from my apartment and It's a great choice for lunch or dinner.  Tim and I stopped in for an early (6pm?) dinner on a Friday and there were a few people at the bar but the back patio was empty.  We headed out there for a nice summer evening and I had a great time.  The place wasn't busy so the owner (I'm guessing he was the owner, he had the voice from the commercials and a dreamy Irish brogue!) came out to take our drink and dinner order.  I LOVE black & tans, and our beers were out in a jiffy. Â
 I also had the Irish chicken curry for dinner and it was amazing!  I have to admit I wasn't expecting much from this place in the way of food because it seems to be first and foremost a pub and well--I'm Irish so I can say this--Irish food sometimes leaves a lot to be desired.  What I got was a hubcap-sized plate piled with crispy fresh french fries smothered in chicken and vegetable curry.  SO GOOD.  The curry was rich and mild...packed with fresh veggies!  It was genius on top of french fries and I washed the entire meal down with a couple more b&t's.  The patio is rustic and fun...perfect for a warm evening.  We paid at the bar and had a chat with the owner before we left and he was a great guy.  Can't wait to go back!
We walked into a very festive atmosphere here the night before Christmas Eve. Â At 6pm the place was already crowded. Â The pub is downstairs which gives it a very cozy and authenic feel. Â One side of the bar has small tables and the other side has a proper dining area.
I ordered the grilled portabello mushroom sandwhich which came with fries. It was delicious but I couldn't finish all of it since the portion was so large.
Despite the crowd and our large group the bartender was very quick. Â They also have bands play here some nights. Â Out the back door is a small partially heated patio with tables. Â I have always like this place and have had a great time each time we've visited.
I really like this place. Â Maybe it is my natural affinity for the Irish with their Guinness and their music. Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphy's. Word. Â
I invited my class to join me for birthday festivities in July where the weather was nice and the outdoor patio upstairs was perfectly amazing. Â We had just had an anatomy exam and we were ready for a alcoholiday. Â And drink we did. Â What a great atmosphere with plenty of irish music, friendly staff, nice dimly lit bar and even plenty of PBR to remind me of home. Â
Tis a grand place. Â So take a trip to Anna Liffey's, put on that thick Irish brogue, and yes, it'll be happy to see you.
This place is absolutely amazing. Â It has the perfect ambiance for relaxing and having a couple drinks with lunch/dinner. Â You are greeted with a friendly laid back atmosphere in a dimly lit basement where everyone seems to be enjoying their own company. Â This is a perfect place to go when you want to escape reality and just hang out on an idle tuesday afternoon. Â
Make sure to attend  the live irish jam session held every sunday from 4-7.  Don't be surprised to find yourself tapping along to the music with a huge smile spread  across your face.  Maybe it's just the irish dancer in me, but irish  music always makes me  happy!
Definitely worth checking out.. especially if you're looking to reestablish your irish pride.  All are welcome, the more the  merrier!
An Irish Pub that can't make decent Corned Beef and Cabbage...
Service was absolutely terrible, virtually non existent, and even complained about the tip (which was actually above 15%, but split between cash and credit cards), and was offensive about it. Â Very dimly lit, and no atmosphere...
Was the first place we went to in New Haven after moving in 2006, and haven't been back there since. Â I'd recommend going to the Playwright down the street if you're in the mood for a guiness...
Ahh Anna Liffey's.... in my single years, this was a great bar for meeting guys. the downstairs room is very poorly lit and good for drunk single people to strike up a conversation...or more. What can I say, I have a weak spot for Irish accents!
Umm..but the whole atmosphere is really great here. This is an institution for St Patty's in New Haven. It gets VERY crowded, but worth it if you come a little early before it feels like you are packed in like sardines.
I've never really eaten at Anna Liffey's. Once I ordered mashed potatoes to go, because I was walking by, and I was supposed to make them when I got home, and I didn't want to. They were pretty good actually. And I've found that if you can find a place that makes good mashed potatoes, chances are they do other things well, and contrarily, if the mashed potatoes at a place are bad, most of their other food probably is (go ahead and test this theory out... I'm convinced it's almost foolproof).
Anyway, food aside, Anna Liffey's is a great bar to hang out at. I prefer the upstairs bar, when it's actually open, but the downstairs bar is fine as well. The only time I don't really like it here is when it's too crowded, because it's kind of tight and you can't really move around. But other than that, this is a great place to chill, watch some football (soccer), and throw back a few pints.
I came here with a friend for dinner on a Friday evening. The main dining and bar area is downstairs, giving it the cozy, legit, Irish pub feel. The soup of the day was delicious (though ask for extra Irish bread!), and their daily specials menu was up to snuff at decent prices.
We didn't order drinks, but they have a satisfactory selection of beers and whiskeys, plus hot drinks like Irish coffee, etc.
They attracted a decent-sized crowd for a Friday, no one too rowdy or annoying; it must be a pretty fun scene on St. Paddy's Day! Â Our server was a little scattered, and they're coffee's not the greatest, but I'd definitely come here again for a drink after work or dinner with friends!
Based solely on their brunch... Â This place is decent. Â Not too many brunch options, but each item is definitely heavy on the meat. Â And the potatoes weren't too bad, although they were a bit lacking in the seasoning department. Â Stay away if you are a vegetarian. Â But the waitress was very very nice and thoughtful. Â It was a quiet, dark place to have Sunday brunch.
I haven't eaten their lunch or dinner, nor have I visited for drinking reasons, although I hear they are pretty reliable for the boozin.
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