The Quail & Ale Neighborhood Pub

A+ food, drinks and service!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: blt w Fries, The Q & a Signature Burger, Onion Soup, Chicken Milanese, Roast Pork, Soup, Calabrian Honey Brussel Sprouts, French Onion Soup, Modelo Especial, Bacon-Wrapped Scallops, Chicken Piccata, Brussels Sprouts with Calabrian Chili Honey, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Home Fries, Steak Frits, Shishito Peppers, Bang Bang Shrimp, Crab Ragoon, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Grilled Salmon

Great food, great atmosphere, friendly owners! Love that the menu and specialty drinks change weekly. An awesome find that won’t disappoint. ~Rich & Aimee

The Quail and Ale is hands-down one of the coziest spots in Derby! If you’re looking for a warm, inviting atmosphere and incredible comfort food, this is the place to be. Their Sunday Pot Roast is absolutely divine—perfectly tender, with rich, flavorful gravy that tastes like it’s been simmering all day. Pair it with their creamy mashed potatoes and buttery roasted vegetables, and you’ve got a meal that feels like a big, warm hug.

The staff is friendly and attentive, and they really make you feel like family. The drink selection is top-notch as well—whether you're a craft beer enthusiast or just want a perfectly mixed cocktail, they have something for everyone.

What sets The Quail and Ale apart is their attention to detail. From the rustic decor to the thoughtfully curated menu, it’s clear they care deeply about providing a memorable dining experience. Whether you’re stopping in for a casual dinner or celebrating a special occasion, this place never disappoints. Highly recommend!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The Quail is my new hidden gem! The service is great and the food is always amazing (they have delicious food and drinks specials regularly) I'm currently obsessed with their pumpkin and butternut squash ravioli. The atmosphere is hard to explain but definitely a good vibe. The owners are great people who regularly check in on customers and I couldn't have found a better home town hole in the wall.

Parking: There's a lot near the building that has free public parking and there's free street parking near and in front of the restaurant

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We’ve passed by The Quail & Ale a few times and have been really curious to see what it’s like, so my family stopped in for dinner last night! It’s a small neighborhood pub, and it was pretty packed on a Saturday night! We were very lucky to snag a table for 4 and know next time to make reservations. The vibe is a cross between Americana and goth, and it was a cool time to visit with all of the Halloween decorations. Drinks were solid, and some dishes were better than others. French onion soup was really delicious, and so were the chicken bites in an Asian sweet and sour sauce. The knotwurst special was also tasty and was almost like a milder hot dog. One of our critiques was on the ravioli dish, which was basically swimming in butter - I know it was a brown butter sage sauce, but it was swimming in the butter and could’ve used a little more flavor. Bacon was good in it through. Our other critique is that my dad ordered a smash burger, and what came out couldn’t have been farther from a smash burger with how thick the patty was. It was okay, just didn’t match the description of what he thought he was getting. Fries also weren’t our favorite and were better if you tried to think of them as chips. Overall not a bad spot, I would definitely come back for drinks and apps! Service was fine, they handled the volume of customers well and they checked in often enough.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: French Onion Soup

My buddy is a regular at this place and recommended it. I was reluctant, based on it being in Derby but we gave it a shot. My wife and I popped in and grabbed two seats along the bar. We literally sat there for 20 minutes with dirty glasses in front of us and were ignored by the 3 people who were waiting on customers. It was busy but a simple , “ I’ll be with you in a few minutes” never happened. 2 sets of “regulars”came in and were immediately handed a drink while we sat there ignored. When the 3rd came in, and were served a drink, we figured it was time to go and got up. It wasn’t until then, the bartender that took care of everyone else said she’d wait on us. Too late at that point. We are pretty patient people but this was a bit ridiculous. Being busy is one thing, but to wait on 3 sets of people and ignore us was enough for me to get up and go. That said, we drove down the street to the Dew Drop Inn (which is almost impossible to get into) and lucked out with 2 seats at the bar. Every person working in there was attentive, greeted you, kept your drink full and thanked you as you left. Q&A needs some improvement on service. We will never go back.

Service: 1

I have lived close to Quail and Ale (Q ‘n A) for almost three years but never checked it out until today (2024.05.03). The food, vibe, patrons, and staff were all welcoming and pleasant.

I had the wings and a burger - both were great - the fries were great too and need to be mentioned; and I typically don’t eat fries. The sirloin beef they used in the burger tastes super fresh with a better-than-home beefy taste, it just hit the spot.

They have a nostalgic but uniquely crafted specialty drink menu and a great selection of spirits without being high-brow or pretensive.

Parking is good, but first timers like myself may get confused as the parking is adjacent to it (same side of the road) just slightly.

Check it out if you want a casual but slightly lounge-like vide. For fun, tell ‘em Mike sent you as I plan on being a regular.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: The Q & a Signature Burger, Our Signature Home Fries

My wife and I have been going there since they opened, our first choice for relaxing meal

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: The Q & a Signature Burger, Our Signature Home Fries, French Onion Soup, Grilled Salmon

Really enjoyed my dinner! Love the atmosphere.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Our Signature Home Fries, Steak Frits

The atmosphere was warm and inviting. Felt like you were in a speakeasy in NYC. The drinks were good, but the service wasn't that great. This place isn't that big of a place, and not that busy, took 40-50 minutes to get our entrees for a group of 4. When the food came out it was just warm, you would thought since it took long for the food it would be steaming hot. We ordered the brussel sprouts came out burnt and black. Which they said it's just how we make it and that it's not burnt. We had that taken off the bill. Not a great experience, wouldn't come back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 2

Great atmosphere and great place to have a drink at, but the food is extremely disappointing and took 50 minutes to get to a table of 4, even though they were slow. The service is also pretty poor if you're at a table instead of the bar. By all means, stop by Q&A for a drink, but go to the nearby McDonald's if you want anything to eat. It'll be faster & better.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 1

Service: 2

I love everything about it !

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Amazing, great food, unique drinks, awesome vibe, spotlessly clean, attentive service.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Went there for ? ? for the BoE of Derby. Nic quaint little facility here in tiny Derby Connecticut.

Parking: Surprisingly not parking behind the facility only out on the street and a lot away from the facility. At night time you really need a lot more lighting to see where you're going.

Wheelchair accessibility: Thank God for the ramp but they only handicap parking spot I found was way back in the back down by Derby glass.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Tha best plays in derby ct we come

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5