The Blue Oar

Always wanted to have lunch or dinner here. My physical therapist who lives near the restaurant kept recommending this place. So I decided to try lunch here. The restaurant is mostly outside and is only opened late spring to early fall. It has a great view of the CONNECTICUT RIVER. Just having a meal looking out at the Connecticut River is worth having a meal there.
You must order at a counter which requires you to go up several steps. You get a number and you hope you can find a seat and then you wait for a server to bring you your meal. I ordered a cheeseburger and claim chowder. The burger was good but I tasted better. The chowder was good but again I tasted better. You can get soda or water in a bottle. You don’t get free refills.
The lunch with a soda cost about $ 18.00.
I will come back again,
NOW the most important feature. The rest rooms are quite a distance from the restaurant. I recommend you stop at the restroom before you park your car.
TRAVEL KAL

Very nice place. Kyle was an excellent server. You will not be disappointed. Seating is outside on a lake and the tables are mostly in the shade. Real nice cool breeze. I got the tuna and wow. Five stars for that one. Catfish there is a real winner as well. It’s great too because you are encouraged to bring your own bottle. So we had our wine. Just a great night.

Crappy food and way overpriced. With a beautiful location this could be a goldmine but they have a lot of work to do. $ 80 for a casual family of 4 dinner for crappy food. And it’s BYOB so that is food only… Bo drinks! No thanks. Haddam resident here and I’d rather drive 45 mins to pay the same price for food that I can actually eat.

This season I give it a a plus plus … They must have a new management system in there this seasons food is way better than lasts … Or should I say the end of the last few seasons but… they say that’s how it works… The beginning of the season is always good and the end is not … We shall see so far it’s been fabulous hopefully it continues to be amazing and not slacking at the end of the season as the other years … Hope the new management makes it fabulous all the way till the end this year … We have been here 3 times already this season and it’s amazing

I have been to this place many many times and as Long as you get used to needing to bring a lot of cash with you and no easily accessible bathroom then it’s definitely a good spot. I like that you can bring your own alcohol too! If you go on the weekends expect a long wait. I’m not sure if they changed the cooks back there but the last time I went the food was subpar and it is usually good (though a tad overpriced for what you get). This time my Portabella mushroom burger was burned, they said it was just the color of the mushroom which I get, but you could smell and taste the burnt parts on it. My grandmother’s chicken was chewy and we discovered pink/​undercooked. Not sure what’s going on in that kitchen back there but the griddle was also drifting smoke into the upstairs seating area. There was a fan that was not turned on that would’ve probably diverted some of the smoke and it was very unpleasant while we were eating. At least they brought us a new dish since ours was over and under cooked… Perhaps a new chef is needed.

Can’t beat the ambiance on a hot summer day. Nice cool breeze floating across the Connecticut River to an outside seating area second to none. Beautiful views of boats docked in the marina and moving up & down the river. Seating leaves a little to be desired as the cheap aluminum chairs are a bit hard, but perhaps more comfortable than the multi-​colored picnic tables. The set up is unusual in that you go inside to a tiny area to order off a chalkboard menu & then move outside to wait for your food. And that’s where things go downhill. Not in the mood for a $ 10 hamburger as almost everyone else was ordering, we went for the crabmeat and also a blackened catfish sandwich. Mediocre at best for both items followed by a great looking, but very average tasting key lime pie. We visited once before, but left without eating due to the wait. That won’t happen again since we’ll never go back. Reflecting back I’ve come to realize that this is very typical of what seems like every other overpriced restaurant with below average tasting food located in an area that you can pull a boat up to. The BYOB option is a nice touch, but your money would be better spent on a 6 pack at a barbecue pool party.

Way too expensive chowder was horrible but atmosphere was nice. Get a charge machine. This place was very cute and the location was pretty cool in a marina and had awesome view of the ct river that was the only reason I didn’t want to leave. They don’t accept cc so had to drive over a mile to the nearest bank. They were lucky I came back or maybe not cuz they were very busy. Overall it wasn’t not enjoyable

Excellent atmosphere. friendly staff. Worth your while.

Fantastic scenery. The food and dessert is delicious. They have the best crab cake I’ve ever had. A nice place to go for BYOB

Maybe my expectations were to high, as noted it’s difficult for first timers who sit at a table waiting for someone to take their order only to have staff walk by not saying you need to go in to order, i feel they think they have a niche and have a hipster feel where they are above the customer, no Debt or credit? who does this in this day & age, luckily i had the $ to cover two over priced lobster rolls soaked in butter that came with nothing else. i think if it wasn’t for the saving grace of being able to bring your own Booze and thankfully you can because i’d be frightened to see what they would charge for a glass of wine being the coolest place on the river n all, when we and others ordered everything the girl at the counter said just seemed so matter of factly instead of caring or helpful, i for one won’t be going back

Long awaited visit here, came by boat up river from Essex. The place was packed, but within 5 minutes a table opened up and we fought through the open dining area to claim our thrown! The ambience here is great, no frills, river front, cozy, family friendly. You order inside off a big menu board, then they bring you out the food.
Started with their clam chowder, New England-​ish. Thin milk based, great flavor, but needed more clams!
I had the scallops with potato hash. Simple dish, came with 4 scallops that appeared to have a good crust on them, but lacked crispness, more soggy then anything. It was good, but $ 26 seemed a little steep!
The rest of the table had no complaints, dined on ribs, grouper, and swordfish.
I was hoping they would have some raw options, clams oysters, but no luck!
I would try again, maybe for lunch and try a burger next time. Cannot beat boat friendly joints, CT only has a handful of them!

Nice location right on the river
Stopped for lunch. Wished they had a few appetizers.
BYOB

One of my favorite places. Beautiful setting, and unique décor. Everything is outdoor seating, so if it’s raining, pick another day to come. I’ve had their salmon which was excellent. The burgers are large and very tasty. I just wish there were more non-​sandwich (read non-​carb) options.

My family and I had a positive experience at the Blue Oar. We were looking to go somewhere off the beaten path for dinner on a summer night. The Blue Oar fits the bill. It is located down a country road, off a main route. You enter the marina and park at the bottom of the hill. As I said in my tip, if you have to use the restroom, it is located in the marina building at the top of the hill which is a bit of a walk for elderly or mobility challenged people. (Not sure how building code and health code allows the restaurant to operate without a restroom closer)
And as everyone else has said, be sure to bring cash (and your own alcohol).
You can either claim your table when you arrive or claim it after you order inside. The menu selection is great and the food was very good. Don’t be afraid to order apps and sides! The chips and Guac was delicious. Lastly, don’t forget to order dessert. They are so good and made fresh. To order more you can either tell your server or go back inside and add it to your tab. You pay at the end (I went inside but I noticed others pay at their table).

Cute place off of the river. You can park your boat or drive there.
On the menu: standard burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches, with a veggie option and lobster roll thrown in there. The dessert case is full of delicious goodies — I’ve had the key lime pie, coconut lemon, and peanut butter chocolate, and all were delicious.
I actually don’t think it’s pricey given that you can BYOB, and you’re right off of the river. I’ll agree with other reviewers in that it can take awhile to get your food. Regardless, it’s such a pleasant little spot when you’ve been boating that I can’t NOT give it 4 stars.

Don’t be put off by the list of rules at the picnic tables: BYOB, but not your own food or non-​alcoholic drinks, and stick to the two-​hour limit at tables. Can’t blame the owners; left to my own devices I’d linger all night. That’s the thing. Once you get to the Blue Oar on a gorgeous summer evening you won’t want to leave.
An expansive view of the river and a tempting menu of grilled fish, meats, fresh salads (watermelon and goat cheese on baby greens is a fave) and giant sandwiches will have you dawdling over dinner, too. Bring a bottle of rose or a pitcher of white wine sangria (click here for my recipe). Go early or expect a wait.

I’m not sure how another Unilocaler can say this place has beautiful sunsets. It’s nice and all, but the sun goes down on the same side as the restaurant, which is on the west side of the river. Some dolts have absolutely no sense of geography.
To those who say this place is merely a hot dog and burger joint, I have two questions for you. Were you blind when you visited? Did you miss all the appetizers and entrees written on the black board? Sure they’re a little more in price, but don’t be such a tight wad. The New England clam chowder I ordered was some of the best clam chowder I’ve ever had. Plus, my pan fried cod was absolutely delicious. I was slightly reluctant to pay $ 22 for it but after receiving it I was quite satisfied. It could have easily come from a more upscale city restaurant. This is not a fried seafood place by the way. I didn’t find any such items on the menu.
Below is the ordering process. It wasn’t confusing to me but I could see how it might be confusing to somebody who’s never been before.
1. Seat yourself and claim a table.
2. Walk up the stairs and place your order at the inside counter. Menu is on blackboard.
3. Return to your table and make your order number visible.
4. Wait staff will bring you your food when it’s ready.
5. Wait staff will bring you your bill.
6. Pay in cash only. They will bring change to your table if you need it.
7. …enjoy the sunset.

The Blue Oar was my first real job, and right out of the gate Jim and Jody Reilly created an incredible establishment for the warm weather foodies. By far, still to this day, my favorite meal from the grill is Jim’s Babby Back Ribs. They literally fall off the bone and have the best flavor and are so moist and tender. If you have not tried the ribs, they are a must! Jim always has very unique daily specials that you cannot overlook either. If you have not been here it is a must see.

I’m sad to say, that I was not as impressed by this place, as I had thought I would’ve been.
On the banks of the CT River, under the shade of the trees… the location is wonderful. With access by car or boat, it’s a busy little place on a sunny spring day.
Maybe it was due to this being my first visit, but I found it all a little confusing. You park in the lot and walk through picnic tables toward the restaurant, up a flight of stairs. Not sure what would happen, if you couldn’t make it up those stairs. Once you’ve placed your order at the counter, you are given a number and you make your way outdoors to find a table.
The wait for our food was pretty long, but at least you have the river to watch. Maybe they count on you watching the river, so that you don’t notice the food you’re eating. For $ 10, I got a crab cake on a bun with a pickle. It didn’t even come with a side of chips. I had to pay an extra $ 4 for $ 2 worth of potato salad. My husband ordered the Cajun Catfish Sandwich. I want to say that it was the same price (or more). While it was flavored nicely, the fish was ¹⁄₃ the size of the bun.
When we were done, we waited for someone to come with our check, but nobody showed up. I had to go back inside and get behind the people placing orders, just to pay the tab.
They are a cash only & BYOB (no outside food is allowed) restaurant. Be warned, there are no bathrooms on-site…they are a walk (or drive) from the restaurant.

Don’t come here to have a great meal. When it’s slow, I can see it being a relaxing spot, but it has the capacity to be a far more stressful and unpleasant experience than visiting a real restaurant nearby and paying the same.
The ordering system is confusing and inefficient and the food is a crapshoot. The grilled salmon was bland but cooked well. The scallops weren’t seasoned or seared so they were a bit slimy. The chowder might as well have been baked potato soup – loaded with bacon. Tasty, though.
It supposedly is a good place to take your kids but I would recommend against that, as I didn’t spot a single smile at any of those tables. Probably because it’s about as much work as eating at home.