Wine Bar
Unclaimed profileShell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill
New Haven, CT · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill runs a beverage program with unusual width for a seafood-focused grill. The wine list travels from Cava and German Riesling by the glass to Dom Pérignon and Opus One by the bottle, with half bottles and quartinos available. Cocktails split into classic, signature shaken, and signature stirred categories, using named spirits like Hornitos Plata, Stratusphere Gin, and duck fat-washed Whistle Piggyback Bourbon. Draft beer leans on Connecticut breweries, and a dedicated Temperance section covers non-alcoholic cocktails and fresh juices.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Nitro Negroni, built on Stratusphere Gin, Carpano Antica, Campari, and nitro cold brew coffee, or the Duck and Cover with duck fat-washed Whistle Piggyback Bourbon. For wine, the Leitz Dragonstone Riesling by the glass is a versatile pour, and the Gaston Chiquet Premier Cru Champagne half bottle suits a smaller table.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Drinkers who want a serious wine list alongside a full cocktail and beer program will find plenty here. The Temperance cocktails and fresh juices give non-drinkers real choices rather than afterthoughts. Beer drinkers favoring Connecticut breweries, including East Rock, Two Roads, and NEBCO, are well covered.
- When should I go?
- Happy hour is the value window, with Martinis at $12, cocktails at $10, wines by the glass at $10, and Narragansett Lager cans at $3. Lunch brings its own cocktail list, including the Breakfast Bloody Mary and espresso martini.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Cocktails run $14 to $19, with happy hour Martinis at $12 and cocktails at $10. Wine by the glass ranges $10 to $34, quartinos $15 to $51, and bottles $36 to $600. Draft beer is $8 to $9, bottles and cans mostly $6 to $8, and Temperance cocktails $10 to $14.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The wine list carries genuine global range, with bottles from Champagne, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, New York, Oregon, California, Argentina, Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Portugal, and Lebanon. Half bottles of Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Brunello di Montalcino add format flexibility that most lists skip. A house single-barrel Cruzan rum appears in the West Indies Latte.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
The cocktail list spans classic, signature shaken, and signature stirred categories, with named spirits and modifiers throughout. Ingredients include Hornitos Plata, Cointreau, Cruzan rum, Old Forester bourbon, Kraken rum, Stratusphere gin, and mezcal. Lunch adds a Bloody Mary, mimosas, bellinis, espresso martini, Irish coffee, and West Indies latte.
Menu strengths
- — Extensive list organized into classic, signature shaken, and signature stirred categories.
- — Cocktails use named spirits and modifiers rather than generic well pours.
- — Happy hour pricing drops Martinis to $12 and cocktails to $10.
Standout selections
- — Nitro Negroni: Stratusphere Gin, Carpano Antica, Campari, and nitro cold brew coffee, $18.
- — Duck and Cover: duck fat-washed Whistle Piggyback Bourbon, barrel-aged maple syrup, Fee's bitters, glacial ice cube, $18.
- — Geronimo Margarita: Hornitos Plata, Cointreau, agave, cold pressed lime juice, $17.
- — Alpaca My Bags: El Caravedo Pisco, Dolin Genepy, pineapple, cucumber, peppercorn syrup, lemon, $18.
Pricing: Classic cocktails $17; signature cocktails $18; lunch cocktails $14-$19; happy hour Martinis $12 and cocktails $10.
Wine
A global bottle list with depth in Champagne, France, Italy, and California, plus representation from Spain, Germany, Austria, New York, Oregon, Argentina, Uruguay, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Portugal, and Lebanon. Formats include by-the-glass, quartino, bottle, and half bottle. Happy hour wines by the glass are $10.
Menu strengths
- — Global bottle list with depth in Champagne, France, Italy, and California.
- — Four serving formats: by the glass, quartino, bottle, and half bottle.
- — Half bottles include Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Brunello di Montalcino.
Standout selections
- — Leitz Dragonstone Riesling, Rheingau, Germany, by the glass at $14/$21/$52.
- — Gaston Chiquet Premier Cru Champagne Brut half bottle, $79.
- — Dom Pérignon Champagne Brut 2015 by the bottle, $499.
- — Opus One Proprietary Blend, Napa, 2018 by the bottle, $599.
Pricing: By the glass $10-$34; quartino $15-$51; bottle $38-$122 by the glass list, $36-$600 bottle list.
Beer
Draft beers include Allagash White, East Rock x Shell & Bones Patio Pilsner, Cisco Whale's Tale, Counterweight Headway IPA, Two Roads Road 2 Ruin, and Black Hog Granola Brown. Bottles and cans cover Corona, Narragansett, Two Roads Passionfruit Gose, Stowe High and Dry Cider, High Noon Hard Seltzer, and Athletic Brewing Free Wave NA IPA.
Menu strengths
- — Draft and packaged selection with local Connecticut breweries.
- — Includes a non-alcoholic beer option, Athletic Brewing Free Wave.
- — Happy hour drops Narragansett Lager cans to $3.
Standout selections
- — East Rock x Shell & Bones Patio Pilsner, CT, draft at $9.
- — Two Roads Road 2 Ruin Double IPA, Stratford, CT, draft at $8.
- — NEBCO Fuzzy Baby Ducks IPA, Woodbridge, CT, bottle or can at $8.
- — Allagash White Ale, Portland, ME, draft at $9.
Pricing: Draft $8-$9; bottles and cans $6-$8; happy hour Narragansett Lager cans $3.
Nonalcoholic
A dedicated Temperance cocktail section lists Just a Spritz, Desert Raven, Stevie Ray, El Pilluelo, The Raleigh, La Dolce Vita, Placebo Effect, and Spice It Up across the by-the-glass, all-day, and lunch menus. A juice bar offers fresh Carrot Ginger, Orange, and Grapefruit juices, and Athletic Brewing Free Wave NA IPA is available.
Menu strengths
- — Dedicated non-alcoholic cocktail section with multiple options across menus.
- — Fresh juice bar offers Carrot Ginger, Orange, and Grapefruit juices.
- — Includes a non-alcoholic beer, Athletic Brewing Free Wave IPA.
Standout selections
- — Desert Raven: Seedlip Notas de Agave, lime juice, agave, mango, Tajin, $14.
- — Just a Spritz: Lucano Amaro Zero, Badger Tonic, orange, $13.
- — La Dolce Vita: Lucano Amaro Zero, lemon, grapefruit, honey, $14.
- — Natalie's Orchid Carrot Ginger Juice, freshly juiced, $8.
Pricing: Temperance cocktails $10-$14; fresh juices $8.
Spirits
Happy hour beverage specials feature Wodka Vodka, Stratusphere Gin, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Old Overholt Rye, and Old Forester Bourbon. A house single-barrel Cruzan rum, labeled Shell and Bones, is used in Sangria and the West Indies Latte.
Menu strengths
- — Happy hour specials span vodka, gin, rum, tequila, rye, and bourbon.
- — House single-barrel Cruzan rum appears in Sangria and the West Indies Latte.
Standout selections
- — Cruzan Shell and Bones Single Barrel Rum, used in Sangria and the West Indies Latte.
- — Old Forester Bourbon, featured in happy hour and cocktails.
- — Stratusphere Gin, featured in happy hour and cocktails.
Pricing: No standalone spirits pricing; featured in happy hour and cocktails.
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