Even the pickles. The place reminded me of an old bar with lots of brick and wood. Only made more modern. Nice separate dining room. To start we had the honey ricotta bruschetta. A classic pairing-very good. I had a cheeseburger wrap, my wife had a marinated bbq chicken sandwich. Both were very flavorful-excellent. Let's talk fries. All the cooking show 'legends' talk about twice cooked fries that yield a crispy exterior around a creamy interior. That perfectly describes their fries. Perfect. And... even the pickle, usually a throwaway was good. We'll done. I do have to say though they are a bit on the high price side-$17 for a cheeseburger an $12 for the bruschetta. Not really reasonable. So taste great. Ambience nice. Prices- not so much.
Gerrald Samraj
Good quality steak if you're around the Wallingford area. They will ensure that you're leaving the place with a smile. Big ups to chris, who was a great host.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Melanie Conelli
Excellent drinks, food and service, will absolutely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Brew S
What a great restaurant. My wife and I had dinner there tonight..first time visit. We will definitely be back. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was just really great. There was live music in the bar next door. Our waitress was perfect. Seriously great night there.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ella McDonald
Went in to grab a glass of wine with my boyfriend (I’m 22 he is 25), we were carded which was fine. The bartender and another employee held our IDs for about 5 minutes speculating that they were fake simply because they were out of state IDs (we are in CT for grad school). The bartender couldn’t give us a reason as to why she thought they were fake didn’t even bother to ask us addresses, birthdays etc. the real problem I had with this interaction is when the man asked us where we were from and my boyfriend (who is Indian) said Alabama. The man then appeared very shocked and gave him a funny look and said “really Alabama?”. We both were very offended by this seemingly racist comment as if someone who is Indian can’t be from Alabama. Very disappointed by the staff there and the way we were treated. Will not be going back and don’t recommend if you are not over the age of 50 because the bartender will probably ask you if you are from Choate Academy (the local high school).
Diana A.
Cute, cozy and welcoming environment. Appetizers:Pomegranate Brussel Sprouts 8/10Burrata Crostini 5/10 Seafood Rangoon 10/10The Pomegranate Brussel Sprouts were delicious in flavor; the only downside is that the Sprouts disintegrated... if they were whole, it'd be 10/10Burrata Crostini is receiving an average score because they only give 2 small crostini .... not enough for the amount of cheese, arugula, and tomatoes given. Seafood Rangoon was absolutely delicious. Amazing flavor & the sauce was just as delicious. Entrées:Rib eye steak with garlic herb butter & garlic whipped potatoes, parmesan truffle fries 10/10Beef tips with horseradish sour cream & sautéed fresh spinach and garlic whipped potatoes 10/10Pork chops with gargonzola cream & garlic whipped potatoes and parmesan truffle fries 10/10... the gargonzola cream alone was 12/10!New York Strip with garlic herb butter and glazed sweet potatoes & sautéed zucchini 10/10Drinks:2 cokesBottle of Relax Reisling (Paying $32 for a $10 bottle of wine doesn't ever sit well but it's a part of the dining experience .... I guess )
Regina Wolf
Great food, top notch. The people are very helpful and friendly. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Tenders, Filet
David Minsky
Randomly wound up here and I was glad I did. Service was great and what I ordered was.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lisa M Annecharico
Very cool vibe. I love the atmosphere. Everyone is so friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Gabriel Rosado
Small and quaint for a personal setting or a rowdy time in the bar section. J. Carver is an average to say the least. Loved the decor and aesthetics. The appetizers are on point 5 stars but the entrees were not as exciting for my taste buds. Selection of drinks were very unique and appealing. But there are some components that they can spruce up.
Previously had come here and had great experiences but tonight was not it. Not sure if they got new owners or chef but it was all off. Server was great I cannot fault her for the food/prices. She was attentive and worked the room quickly being the only server. Previously you always got a bread basket- it had bread and crackers- when you are paying over 20 per dish I feel like this is necessary. And since the portions seem to have dwindled were needed. We ordered the fried mozzarella appetizer which was fine for me , my husband who I will say is the fried mozzarella connoisseur said meh. It was $12 for the 3 triangles. I ordered the chicken carver for entree which I hadn't had before (usually I would get the steak or salmon when we had visited previously) and my husband got the seafood trio. I wish I had seen the other review about the seafood trio before we ordered. It was terrible. No flavor whatsoever- the seafood honestly tasted foul (2 shrimp, 2 clams and 2 bay scallops for $30) and the pasta which is definitely linguine tasted as if it had been cooked in old used water as my husband put it. They did take it off the bill for us, rightfully so it was inedible and we left it there uneaten. My chicken was very tough- not tender and honestly was still hungry after (here where that bread basket would've come in handy). It was one small cutlet with arugula. $22. My son had the chicken tenders and fries- which he's had every-time we have been there and these were not the same chicken tenders. Before they were clearly made in house- tonight they were run of the mill frozen dry ones. Disappointing because he loved the ones they used to have. $63 bill - without the meal we didn't eat- and we all left hungry and disappointed. I can't say we will be returning.
Rodney Eyrich
I ordered the meatball salad for my dinner. I always wanted to try a meatball salad.I would go back tomorrow and get it again, it was that good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kaitlyn S.
Before anything else, allow me to preface by saying my fiancé and I are not picky, and the service was great. However when it came to the food, it was comically awful. On both our beef crostini appetizer and his braised beef entree, there were an ungodly amount of onion straws. Once again, we are not picky, but the only flavor that came to mind while trying the braised beef was vomit. It was beyond terrible. Then I ordered the flank steak. It initially came out medium well when I asked for rare. As the service was great, they fixed this issue no problem. However, once I tried it, I was disappointed. I got a jaw workout from the steak-- it was extremely chewy. Then the Brussels sprouts... as you can tell from the picture, they were cooked to a crisp and were flaking apart. All in all, do not recommend, but I encourage the amazing staff to find a new place of work. The wait staff also removed the beef without any request! We are now enjoying a classic McDonald's burger-- significantly better.
Michael B.
On my way to Toyota Oakdale, J. Carver's in Wallingford was my destination for a bite. Bar scene was packed with women, some wearing rings, some without. Might have been a work party instead of a concert crowd. Restaurant side room was much more subdued with a family of four and table of two and room for whatever you needed. I opted for a high top in the bar area. Wifey owner agreed to share her Basel Haden Dark Rye with me so I could indulge a proper Manhattan on the rocks. Water is served ice cold in a milk bottle and may have been some of the best water around. Hubby owner served my ribeye with mashed and sprouts. These are owners who care about details and work hard. Thought I was in a Chicago steakhouse for a moment. My only suggestion for the chef: more garlic please. If you're near Wallingford, check out this place, buy the steak, you'll wish you lived closer.
Mark Rosa
What a great spot. Great service very friendly awesome drinks food was fabulous meatballs incredible and delicious blueberry cheesecake I highly recommend this place
Even the pickles. The place reminded me of an old bar with lots of brick and wood. Only made more modern. Nice separate dining room. To start we had the honey ricotta bruschetta. A classic pairing-very good. I had a cheeseburger wrap, my wife had a marinated bbq chicken sandwich. Both were very flavorful-excellent. Let's talk fries. All the cooking show 'legends' talk about twice cooked fries that yield a crispy exterior around a creamy interior. That perfectly describes their fries. Perfect. And... even the pickle, usually a throwaway was good. We'll done. I do have to say though they are a bit on the high price side-$17 for a cheeseburger an $12 for the bruschetta. Not really reasonable. So taste great. Ambience nice. Prices- not so much.
Good quality steak if you're around the Wallingford area. They will ensure that you're leaving the place with a smile. Big ups to chris, who was a great host.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Excellent drinks, food and service, will absolutely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What a great restaurant. My wife and I had dinner there tonight..first time visit. We will definitely be back. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was just really great. There was live music in the bar next door. Our waitress was perfect. Seriously great night there.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went in to grab a glass of wine with my boyfriend (I’m 22 he is 25), we were carded which was fine. The bartender and another employee held our IDs for about 5 minutes speculating that they were fake simply because they were out of state IDs (we are in CT for grad school). The bartender couldn’t give us a reason as to why she thought they were fake didn’t even bother to ask us addresses, birthdays etc. the real problem I had with this interaction is when the man asked us where we were from and my boyfriend (who is Indian) said Alabama. The man then appeared very shocked and gave him a funny look and said “really Alabama?”. We both were very offended by this seemingly racist comment as if someone who is Indian can’t be from Alabama. Very disappointed by the staff there and the way we were treated. Will not be going back and don’t recommend if you are not over the age of 50 because the bartender will probably ask you if you are from Choate Academy (the local high school).
Cute, cozy and welcoming environment. Appetizers:Pomegranate Brussel Sprouts 8/10Burrata Crostini 5/10 Seafood Rangoon 10/10The Pomegranate Brussel Sprouts were delicious in flavor; the only downside is that the Sprouts disintegrated... if they were whole, it'd be 10/10Burrata Crostini is receiving an average score because they only give 2 small crostini .... not enough for the amount of cheese, arugula, and tomatoes given. Seafood Rangoon was absolutely delicious. Amazing flavor & the sauce was just as delicious. Entrées:Rib eye steak with garlic herb butter & garlic whipped potatoes, parmesan truffle fries 10/10Beef tips with horseradish sour cream & sautéed fresh spinach and garlic whipped potatoes 10/10Pork chops with gargonzola cream & garlic whipped potatoes and parmesan truffle fries 10/10... the gargonzola cream alone was 12/10!New York Strip with garlic herb butter and glazed sweet potatoes & sautéed zucchini 10/10Drinks:2 cokesBottle of Relax Reisling (Paying $32 for a $10 bottle of wine doesn't ever sit well but it's a part of the dining experience .... I guess )
Great food, top notch. The people are very helpful and friendly. Highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chicken Tenders, Filet
Randomly wound up here and I was glad I did. Service was great and what I ordered was.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very cool vibe. I love the atmosphere. Everyone is so friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Small and quaint for a personal setting or a rowdy time in the bar section. J. Carver is an average to say the least. Loved the decor and aesthetics. The appetizers are on point 5 stars but the entrees were not as exciting for my taste buds. Selection of drinks were very unique and appealing. But there are some components that they can spruce up.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Restaurantji Recommends
Previously had come here and had great experiences but tonight was not it. Not sure if they got new owners or chef but it was all off. Server was great I cannot fault her for the food/prices. She was attentive and worked the room quickly being the only server. Previously you always got a bread basket- it had bread and crackers- when you are paying over 20 per dish I feel like this is necessary. And since the portions seem to have dwindled were needed. We ordered the fried mozzarella appetizer which was fine for me , my husband who I will say is the fried mozzarella connoisseur said meh. It was $12 for the 3 triangles. I ordered the chicken carver for entree which I hadn't had before (usually I would get the steak or salmon when we had visited previously) and my husband got the seafood trio. I wish I had seen the other review about the seafood trio before we ordered. It was terrible. No flavor whatsoever- the seafood honestly tasted foul (2 shrimp, 2 clams and 2 bay scallops for $30) and the pasta which is definitely linguine tasted as if it had been cooked in old used water as my husband put it. They did take it off the bill for us, rightfully so it was inedible and we left it there uneaten. My chicken was very tough- not tender and honestly was still hungry after (here where that bread basket would've come in handy). It was one small cutlet with arugula. $22. My son had the chicken tenders and fries- which he's had every-time we have been there and these were not the same chicken tenders. Before they were clearly made in house- tonight they were run of the mill frozen dry ones. Disappointing because he loved the ones they used to have. $63 bill - without the meal we didn't eat- and we all left hungry and disappointed. I can't say we will be returning.
I ordered the meatball salad for my dinner. I always wanted to try a meatball salad.I would go back tomorrow and get it again, it was that good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Before anything else, allow me to preface by saying my fiancé and I are not picky, and the service was great. However when it came to the food, it was comically awful. On both our beef crostini appetizer and his braised beef entree, there were an ungodly amount of onion straws. Once again, we are not picky, but the only flavor that came to mind while trying the braised beef was vomit. It was beyond terrible. Then I ordered the flank steak. It initially came out medium well when I asked for rare. As the service was great, they fixed this issue no problem. However, once I tried it, I was disappointed. I got a jaw workout from the steak-- it was extremely chewy. Then the Brussels sprouts... as you can tell from the picture, they were cooked to a crisp and were flaking apart. All in all, do not recommend, but I encourage the amazing staff to find a new place of work. The wait staff also removed the beef without any request! We are now enjoying a classic McDonald's burger-- significantly better.
On my way to Toyota Oakdale, J. Carver's in Wallingford was my destination for a bite. Bar scene was packed with women, some wearing rings, some without. Might have been a work party instead of a concert crowd. Restaurant side room was much more subdued with a family of four and table of two and room for whatever you needed. I opted for a high top in the bar area. Wifey owner agreed to share her Basel Haden Dark Rye with me so I could indulge a proper Manhattan on the rocks. Water is served ice cold in a milk bottle and may have been some of the best water around. Hubby owner served my ribeye with mashed and sprouts. These are owners who care about details and work hard. Thought I was in a Chicago steakhouse for a moment. My only suggestion for the chef: more garlic please. If you're near Wallingford, check out this place, buy the steak, you'll wish you lived closer.
What a great spot. Great service very friendly awesome drinks food was fabulous meatballs incredible and delicious blueberry cheesecake I highly recommend this place