~The Intern Series~
Visiting 80 Proof in New Haven, CT was an incredible experience all around! While you may come for the amazing food, you will want to stay and spend the rest of your night drinking delicious drinks, and listening to amazing music. The staff was incredibly attentive, accommodating, and definitely knew how to make a good cocktail!
Here’s what we tried:
To drink, we sipped on the Strawberry Margarita and the Martini Flight:
To start, we enjoyed the Garlic Parmesan Wings and the Habanero Fried Shrimp:
Next, we had the Famous Barracuda Mac and Cheese with Blackened Chicken:
For our main courses, we had the Chicken Cutlet Wrap along with the Burger on Fire:
To finish off, we tried the delectable Chocolate Mousse Cake:
As you can see, we left with full stomachs and were incredibly satisfied with how delicious everything was. Time to try it for yourself! Whether you visit 80 Proof for the nightlife, the delectable delights, or the exciting events, you will have a night you will never forget. Be sure to check out the interview with manager and creator of many drinks at 80 proof, Eric Matamoros, to find out about upcoming events and deals that could be heading your way!
See our Q&A with Manager of 80 Proof ,Eric Matamoros , below!
Tell me a little about yourself, why you wanted to work in the food industry, and what made you want to work here at 80 proof?
“I’ve been in the food industry for over ten years both serving and bartending. I worked at the other location, Te Amo Tequila, and I love working for Sonia. I like working for someone who cares about their business. I also love making drinks, and Sonia gives me the liberty to make the drink menu. I like being able to show my creations!”
How would you describe the food and the atmosphere?
“We try to make it a family restaurant and a restaurant for everyone. We try to have a little bit of everything for every guest. During the daytime we like to have a family friendly crowd, but towards the end of the night, especially on the weekends because we’re going to be having DJ’s, it’ll be more of a 21 and over crowd. I think it’s a fun environment with great food and great prices.”
What do you think is unique and special about 80 Proof?
“We are known for our great happy hour. I feel like a lot of restaurants around here don’t really have that. Sometimes we even have two happy hours. Sunday through Thursday we have two happy hours from 4-7 and then 9-11! We also always have specials on Tuesdays. We have Taco Tuesday specials where we have specialty tacos you can only get on Tuesdays. We have Wing Wednesdays where we $1 wings all day long and $3 beers all day long for select beers. In the summer we have a great patio with a lot of tables and a backroom where we always try to have new things like parties, DJ’s, and brunch. We have a lot of special stuff going on!”
Can you tell me about your happy hour prices>
“We have $1 wings, $1 oysters, $6 Martinis, $6 Margaritas, $6 Wines and $4 Draft Beers .”
If you could recommend one drink, what would you recommend?
“Definitely the First Date. It’s made with Bulleit Bourbon and fresh muddled strawberries, fresh muddled ginger, and fresh lemon juice. The fresh fruit and the bourbon go so well together.”
What are your top three favorite menu items?
“You can’t go wrong with the Blackened Chicken Mac and Cheese, the muscles with a white wine sauce, and honestly just a nice burger!”
Are there any special events coming up?
“We recently started to DJ on Friday/Saturday nights. It’s still going to be a chill vibe, it’s not going to be like a club scene. There’ll still be tables where you can sit down and have a nice conversation with your friends, but you’ll be able to enjoy nice music in the background.”
About 80 Proof: A modern twist on classic fare with a focus on shareable plates, elevated bar food & craft cocktails in a vibrant atmosphere with two bars, a large private patio, and multiple options for private dining and events.
By: Alexa Lopez
