Barracuda Bistro & Bar

New Haven, United States

4

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 475-355-7004
Website:
www.barracudanewhaven.com
Address:
1180 Chapel St, New Haven, CT, 06511
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
670 ftA&A/180 York
770 ft129 York
0.3 mi300 George
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Bitcoin
No
Good For
Late Night, Dessert
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Good For Dancing
No
Alcohol
Full Bar
Happy Hour
Yes
Best Nights
Tue, Wed
Coat Check
No
Smoking
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
Yes
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes
Has Pool Table
No

Today

Today 4:00 pm – 1:00 am
Closed now
Local time (New Haven) 1:52 PM Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Business hours

Monday 4:00 pm – 1:00 am
Tuesday 4:00 pm – 1:00 am
Wednesday 4:00 pm – 1:00 am
Thursday 4:00 pm – 1:00 am
Friday 4:00 pm – 2:00 am
Saturday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Sunday 11:00 am – 1:00 am

Description

Specialties

For those who crave not just a good drink but a cultural experience, Barracuda Bistro & Bar is an American restaurant with Latin infusion nestled in the rapidly progressing Chapel West section of New Haven.

The creator & Chef of Barracuda, Sonia Salazar grew up in Colombia but trained as a chef here in the United States. The menu she has created is a blend between the classic American cuisine she has perfected over the years and her favorite flavors from growing up in South America — from the Afro-​Latin island of Cuba and its amazing spices to the sexy aromas and sauces of Colombian cuisine.

The food, the drinks & our casually sophisticated ambiance is perfect for happy hour, dinner or a late night affair. The flavors will dance in your mouth as your mind wonders what your palate will taste next as you transition from appetizer to main course. Eat. Drink. Enjoy…

History

Established in 2014.

Barracuda Bistro & Bar opened in November 2014 and quickly became a favorite destination in the Chapel West section of New Haven, CT. When the kitchen first opened we were focused on small plates including arepas and ceviche, but by spring the menu expanded to include sandwiches and entrees and even added brunch on Saturdays & Sundays.

Meet the Business Owner

Sonia S.

Business Owner

My passion for food started when I was seven years old, cooking recipes passed down from generation to generation. Moving to this country began my culinary exploration and opened my palate to a new world of cooking and tasting, enticing me to learn the ways of food preparation from other cultures. My culinary experience working for the Hyatt & Westin hotels gave me the opportunity to work with and learn from many international chefs. My personal food creativity was further enriched during my time working with Chef Jean Pierre at the Union League Café and chef Franco at Rumba and my time spent at Morton Steakhouse and Prime 16 allowed me to focus on the details of simplicity in classic American cuisine.

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20 reviews of Barracuda Bistro & Bar

No registration required
Place rating: 4
New Haven, CT
Happy to report that I took the plunge and returned to Barracuda, and was glad I did! I showed up right as happy hour was coming to a close and the place was packed! Had ceviche, lobster quesadilla, guac, and crab cakes and all were top notch. This place has definitely gotten it’s act together and seems to be doing well, which is a nice change of pace for restaurants at this location. Will be returning!
Place rating: 5
Hamden, CT
Our experience was nothing less than incredible… the food was out of this world and so was the service. They had live music playing that was beautiful and original that had people singing along. This is by far my new favorite place for brunch.
Place rating: 3
New Haven, CT
Mediocre food, but well worth it if you go during happy hour on a weekday (Sunday to Wednesday 10pm — 1am). I came here on a Tuesday and ordered some $ 1 oysters and a serving of yucca fries ($ 5 during happy hour). Yucca fries were a little too salty. My friend got the arepas ($ 5 also). Other things that are $ 5 include chorizo Mac and cheese and flatbread (essentially just a pizza with toppings).
Other times, I’ve been here for brunch a while back and it was extremely mediocre. I believe I got the omelettes, and it wasn’t anything outstanding.
I’d say the only time worth coming here is during happy hour on weekdays. Anyway, there’s not much else opened in NH during these times anyway that has food!
Place rating: 1
Enola, PA
Don’t waste your money. There are plenty of street food trucks that are a quarter of the cost of this place, better food, and probably more friendly service. I’m still upset I ordered $ 18 lobster quesadillas, and they were so fishy and tasted like canned lobster, bet that’s what they used. Cmon now… I don’t want fish juice streaming down my hands while I eat quesadillas. The people on both sides of us ordered them as well and said the same thing. We also got Arepas with mango BBQ pulled pork, and they were only $ 6 and were aiiiiiiight. I mean, they definitely make their BBQ sauce with regular old ketchup which I’m not into, but for $ 6 I’m not too upset about that. The Tostones were disappointing as well. they put avocados, mushrooms, peppers, and garlic with balsamic dressing on them and buried them. Tostones are so simple and easy… I would have been happy with just the garlic and avocado… give me some hot sauce options and I’m happy! Oh, but then the hot sauce carrier they brought me had hot sauce bottles that were empty! Our server kept disappearing… the manager was definitely conscious of it because she kept making eye contact, and my margaritas came without any salt… truly disappointed us in so many ways I’ll never go back. They didn’t get anything right. To make matters worse, it was crammed tight and I could barely hear. Yea, this place did not make a good impression… and I hope the manager reads this and makes some major changes. Hopefully they check their Unilocal reviews!
Place rating: 5
New York, NY
Great spot with amazing happy hours. Found them through arts and ideas. Very pleased!
Place rating: 5
Hamden, CT
Best Colombian food in New Haven!
I absolutely love this place, they have great food and drinks!
The staff is so friendly and accommodating and this place is always packed!
My favorites are the oysters for $ 1
The mango bbq pork arepas are to die for!
Awesome selection of imported wines and delicious variety of cocktails.
I always come here for food after night classes and I never leave disappointed.
Friends and I also love to come here to drink at the bar and talk with the awesome bartenders.
So happy to have Barracuda in New Haven!
Place rating: 1
San Fernando, CA
This is only for the Manger/​owner service, not the food.
I have been there several times since moving to New Haven and unfortunately I won’t be back.
Note: If you tell them you want a table for 2 and your partner/​other is not there they will REFUSE to seat you. They will REFUSE to seat you as a party of 1 if you are by yourself unless you look like you have $$. (even if they are not busy)
The manager refused to give me a table by myself (dressed down aka: jeans and shirt) rather I was waiting for a friend or not. Only offered me the bar… but gladly gave 2 other people who were by themselves (dressed up: tux party of 1, cocktail dress party of 1 until friend showed after) tables next to us. The table service is slow but the waiters are nice overall. The manager was just very petty and has no customer service skills.
When we brought up this concern her response was B.S. and incoherent. She was the one who refused to seat me in the first place so I should have expected B.S.
I won’t say stay away or anything like that but definitely be mindful that if there is a problem the manger will not respond in a professional manner.
The food is good which sucks that I wont be back.
I don’t recommend to support businesses that discriminate.
Place rating: 5
New Haven, CT
My favorite restaurant in New Haven. Incredible drinks and amazing, authentic food. Vegan and vegetarian options galore! Others have told me that the meats and seafood are divine. House-​made plantain chips, fantastic guac and sauces. Have heard wonderful things about the oysters (which are very inexpensive, too!).
Place rating: 3
Wallingford Center, CT
Barracuda was our 3rd and final stop last night while celebrating a friend’s birthday. Walking in, I realized I had been here before (RIP Meatball House) and the décor isn’t all that different. The drinks were good and our bartender was friendly and attentive. I had a mojito — I had ordered the flavored one off the chalkboard and he brought me a classic, so I was a little annoyed but it wasn’t the end of the world. The appetizer we ordered was fantastic and even the margaritas were good, which is surprising because I don’t usually drink margs. I caught a glance at some of the entrees and now I want to come back for dinner!
Place rating: 5
New Haven, CT
Love this place. Hands down best happy hour around. Not to mention the food is insanely good and the drinks are delicious (especially the mojitos!).
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
3.5−4 stars. This place is such a go-​to on campus because it’s right behind my residential college. Items on the menu can be a hit or miss, but they do have an absolutely unbeatable happy hour (hours and prices are on their website). You just gotta know what to order: Personally I really like the mojitos. I’ve tried guava, original and mango. Would say that the classic original is actually the best. I’ve also tried the margaritas but the alcohol tasted cheap and extremely strong, so I wasn’t a fan. Can’t complain toooo much though because both are $ 5 during happy hour!
Foodwise I really like their chorizo mac and cheese (not even a fan of mac and cheese normally) and OMG their fries are to die for. It’s a great late night place! Be warned though that it’s basically always packed and service can be extremely slow.
Place rating: 2
Naugatuck, CT
We came here for brunch. Ordered our food and waited for over 45 minutes in a small, crowded, noisy, loud bar atmosphere. Sure, I get that it was busy, but we still sat there on our hard bar stools, watching people who had come in after us, order, and get their food before we did.
I even had to leave to go outside and put more quarters in the meter.
When we finally got our food, it was okay. Yuca fries tasted good, but the lobster cake Benedict was a miss. And after I was halfway through the meal, I found a long, blond strand of hair in my salad.
Place rating: 5
Washington, DC
I’ve only come here for happy hour, but it’s a great deal. Basically everything on the happy hour menu is $ 5, including drinks (mojito, beer, wine) and their small plates.
+ Arepas — GET IT
I’ve tried all of their arepas and they’re all pretty great and filling!
+ Mussels — GET IT
Mmmmm moules marinieres… mussels in white wine broth. For $ 5 this is a steal.
+ Yucca Fries — GET IT
Hearty, crisp, soft on the inside fries with delicious dipping sauce.
+ Flatbreads — GET IT
These are just pizzettes with some yummy toppings. Easy to share!
+ Mac and Cheese — GIVE IT A TRY
I’ve had all of their mac and cheeses. Nothing objectionable, just not really that big of a portion and nothing spectacular about them. I guess get them if you’re a total mac and cheese nut.
Overall anything on their happy hour menu is worth getting, and there is happy hour every day of the week! Just a heads up, the place can get a little noisy and crowded, but it’s a place I’ll keep going back to!
Place rating: 5
Middletown, CT
So I’ve gotta admit. A restaurants mimosa game weighs very heavily on my brunch/​breakfast review. $ 18 at Barracuda will get you 1 hour of bottomless mimosas with fresh squeezed oj, heavy on the champagne. They keep your glass full & you absolutely get lots of bang for your buck. I was happy right from the jump when I saw this.
Food was very good. I’d go back again just for a plate of the yucca fries. Holy crap. Light, crispy, garlicky, goodness. A must have for brunch. I had the veggie omelette & the bf had the bacon egg & cheese sliders. We cleaned our plates. Delish.
We had reservations for 11, & the place filled up very quickly. They had some pop music playing over the speakers but soon the live music started. It was a nice touch but I could’ve done without. Service was good & prompt.
Our total was $ 70, including tax & tip which is pretty hefty for brunch-​but we both got the bottomless deal. I told my bf I couldn’t wait to go back!
Place rating: 5
Branford, CT
I am a major fan of this place. I regret only that it took me so long to visit… can’t figure out how that happened.
I returned to Barracuda for my second trip last night. My first visit one week prior I was with friends celebrating my birthday and I forgot my earrings my friend gave me. I thought I would never see them again. But upon walking into the door my night was made. Raul’s flooding smile assured me he kept my forgotten gift safe. He was very excited to give them back. All of the staff and the owner recognized me from the last visit and said hi. The staff gives off very good vibes and they keep the drinks flowing. Customer service: 100.
The food was delicious. We ordered arepas, which are my favorite thing on the menu so far. I’m always a sucker for yuca fries and Barracuda’s doesn’t disappoint. Also– the guacamole is a must! The tamale is good too but I was expecting traditional corn. I guess the Columbians do it different. The drinks are solid, too. Nice draft beer selection. I look forward to exploring the menu more.
The ambience and customer service will keep me coming back. Its unique for New Haven. Definitely excited to have another favorite go-​to!
Place rating: 4
Richardson, TX
Well so far service is ok. I sat at the bar and I would give it a 3.5 out of 5. The guy barely acknowledged me. He spent most of his time talking to a couple about Barcelona.
Food was 4.5 out of 5. If I lived here I would come back but sit at a table.
Atmosphere the bar chair are really uncomfortable. You don’t notice until about 15 minutes of sitting but it wears on you. Definitely designed for a quick drink not an entire meal. Normally I would drink a 2nd beer but I wanted to get up ha.
Prices this has to be the best priced place for quality I have been to in the area. Very reasonable
Place rating: 4
Boston, MA
First time coming to barracuda’s and it made a good first impression!
We first got there there weren’t any tables for 4, so the host told us we could wait at the bar, which we did. We grabbed a few drinks and the bartenders there were awesome! Really great service and great to talk to. The host was really accommodating, took us to the table when one came up. So far so good.
We ordered and the food was on point. My friend and I ordered the flank steak which tasted amazing. Arepas are basically corn flour flat bread, but the way they make it at barracuda’s is really tasty. Almost like it was fried! The sauce was good and it came with a good serving of steak! We were impressed.
Then we had the seafood paella, and that did not disappoint either! It was a good serving and it came with a ton of mussels, shrimp and chicken! It wasn’t stingy on the seafood like some places where they throw in a few pieces of seafood and call it a day. This was legit! It was a very savory dish.
Both plates were very filling and very inexpensive. Good enough to share for two. They also have brunch with bottoms mimosas, definitely going back!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
My go to bar to start off the night. The atmosphere is perfect – intimate without being crowded. Dim lights and music loud enough to create mood without forcing you to use your stage voice to talk to your friends. The bar is well stocked and appropriately priced – I’m a big fan of funny names, even for drinks straight on the rocks (telling the bartender «Honey, I’m on Fire» is way more fun than just ordering Jack Daniels Fire + Honey).
The seats are tall enough that your legs dangle a bit. My favorite place to sit is the corner table to the immediately right. Advice: Don’t be afraid of chili. Get a summer drink. Tequila, rum, mango, pineapple. Any and all of the above. Besame is sweet, tangy, wonderful (no wonder it’s called «kiss me») but I’m really a sucker for their mango mojitos. Perfectly muddled mint with just a hint mango nectar. And where else can you get anything that tastes like Guava in New Haven?
And now for the food. The plantain chips and guacamole are not only beautiful but also delicious. The arepas were glorious – a good mix of green and red peppers, onions, and beef. The little corn cakes were hardy and the leafy greens at the bottom balanced it all out. Very affordable during happy hour (and I’m definitely coming back to try the duck confit arepas). My friends ordered tamales, and they were also delicious. An exterior made of rice filled with chicken and olives. Large serving sizes make them shareable too.
Place rating: 4
New Haven, CT
So I may now have a new 2nd favorite place to go with friends. Happy hour really is happy. Nice looking after work crowd (I know. Shallow.). Great variety on the app menu. Decent drinks on the happy hour menu as well. I really really liked the mussels. The arepas with chicken was surprisingly yummy. Yucca fries are seasoned perfectly and so dang good!
I will venture to try a la carte next time. Because seriously there WILL be a next. Will meet with friends to talk about my sad dating lufe while consoling myself with dessert. Of which I have not tried yet. :)
Place rating: 4
Boston, MA
I was really impressed with Barracuda! We decided to come here on a Saturday evening for dinn and drinks. The place is pretty small with a row of high booths & tables and a bar area. We came around 7 and didn’t have a problem with seating though.
After much deliberation, we decided on 4 small plates to share for the 3 of us. BUT let me start off with the MOJITO
–Peach mojito was so good! They packed so much flavor into it like you could tell they muddled the mint and lime so there were chunks in your drink. Ok with that kind of description it sounds gross, but it was so delicious!
–Yucca frita– YES. must get. Fried yucca seasoned perfectly with the best cilantro sauce ever! I highly recommend this even though it’s such a simple dish. It tasted fine on its own, but the cilantro sauce added even MORE to it. If it wasn’t so heavy, I could eat these for dayz
–Empanadas– these were ok. I’ve had them in the Dominican before so I had something to compare to. but also maybe because we ate them when they got cold. The dough just wasn’t as chewy as I like. The filling was made of potato and chicken and just seemed a little bland without the sauce. Good to try, but I’d probably pass on this the next time
–Raw oysters: yum! A dozen for $ 15 is a pretty good deal in my opinion when it’s not happy hour. They only have blue point oysters though. Sizable and worth it! But come when they have $ 1 oysters!
–Churros: o m g. I am SO glad my friend ordered these at the end because even though I was so stuffed, it was an amazing finish! I absolutely LOVED that they were stuffed with this dulce de leche type sauce, so that first bite was the best surprise! I wanted to get another order of these, but at $ 6 for 3 pieces – just a bit too steep. highly recommend though!
**HAPPY HOUR (weekdays 4 – 7, Sunday-​Thursday 10pm-​1am): Drink specials $ 3 – 5 and $ 5 apps!
**BOTTOMLESS MIMOSA BRUNCH! Sat & Sun
**$ 1 OYSTERS Mon-​Wed