Bear's Smokehouse Barbecue - New Haven

This restaurant was decent when it first opened, but since then, it has become quite popular, and the quality has really deteriorated. The food was served COLD, which is surprising for a barbecue place! Everything on my plate was below room temperature. I ordered brisket that seemed like it had been cooked the day before, and it wasn't even warm. My wife had the turkey breast, which was as dry as desert sand—absolutely unappetizing. To top it off, the cornbread was served cold. I don't think this place deserves its 4+ star rating at all. The fries were similar to the remnants you find at the bottom of a fast food bag. I'd rather drive an hour to get authentic BBQ at Nobels in Mystic. Additionally, I noticed some favoritism among the staff; the girl in front of me received a significantly larger portion of brisket than I did.

I surprised my father for his 62nd birthday, and he mentioned that he had always wanted to try this place because he had heard so many good things about it. Now, we’re wishing him a happy birthday!

--- If you're part of the Yelp Elite community, you need to check out Bear for their Thanksgiving-inspired nachos! The flavor combinations were absolutely addictive. They serve blue, white, and red tortilla chips topped with all your Thanksgiving favorites, including smoked turkey, stuffing, cheese, and green chilies. The gravy and queso were excellent as well. My only complaint is that I wish they had more sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. I barely got any of those three items—I think I only got two noodles of mac and cheese! But what I did have was fantastic, and I just wanted more. It was also great to see that Bear in New Haven has an outdoor terrace that opens during the spring, summer, and fall, where you can enjoy live music. They have a full-service bar too! One of my favorite dishes at Bear, although not part of the nacho special, is the burnt ends. They're absolutely delicious and a must-try! Bear also hosts DJ nights with themed events, so make sure to check them out for a fun experience overall. Thank you for having us!

One of the best grilling places in connecticut great atmosphere and good eating, north carolina style! good grill is hard to find here, I prefer texas memphis style itself, but this place is still great, the outside area is fantastic, many sitting and fire pits. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a good grill in the new Haven area

The place overall is great, the employee are helpful and friendly. The smell and the taste of the food is on point. The only complaint would be the temperature of the meat. The pull pork and brisket were at room temperature. I will definitely eat at this place again.