Apricot Bar & Grill

I wish I could give this place negative stars. After waiting 45 minutes, and asking for Splenda twice and some bread, we didn’t get anything mind you, we had enough and left. The party next to us waited 2 hours and only got their appetizers. Just awful. Don’t go here.

Excellent service, very Friendly, very quiet, they were able to make their Big Boi and Buffalo burgers for us even thou they were only available for lunch. We also ordered the buffalo deep fried frog legs which we’re amazing and spicy.
The Foods arrived and looked amazingly good. Big boi Burgers a little over coked from the medium I asked for. Overall the burger tasted ok, the steak striped on top of the burger were awesome thou.

Wow, where to begin. Let’s just say last night wasn’t their finest service night. We had 8pm reservations and hung at the bar while waiting for the rest of our party — probably sitting about 8:30ish. Our appetizers finally arrived at 10:45 and entrees at 11:15. Clearly understaffed and getting a larger crowd than expected, we had to finally beg to get something to eat, bread, anything. What staff we saw was smiling and apologetic and brought drinks — but they failed to manage expectations with the diners. Communication would have been nice along the way, but we were left wondering. At the end, the chef did apologize, they did reduce the check which was helpful. The sad part is that the food was delicious! I had the rib-​eye which was perfectly cooked and flavorful… others at the table said their food was great as well. We suggest better communication with the customers is critical. 3 stars purely for the food (once it arrived).

I was at apricot Saturday night and I walked in, I saw a few ladies at the bar that looks like they were already having a great time and we came in just by chance and of course we were asked if we had a reservation and I said we didn’t. It was great to find out that did not play a factor on a Saturday night, I must say the bartender did look a little surprised I guess they were expecting some reservation. We had some great drinks, it was a little disappointing to find out the burgers were only for lunch specials but they did accommodate us and made us the burgers which were great. I would definitely go back but I would make a reservation and make sure I check out the menu dinner to the menu for lunch. Great place, wonderful staff, and the service is very accommodation… looking forward off going back soon!!!

I use Unilocal often. And have never written or been so compelled to write a review…
Arrived Saturday night at 7 for dinner w my boyfriend. As we walked in the bartender and the 2 drunks at the bar looked at us like we had 4 heads. We decided to bite the bullet anyway.
No thanks to the bartender, we were seated by a woman who was less than enthusiastic to entertain our presence.
We proceeded to review the menu, only to find the whole burger/​sandwich section was not included, as it was online. I asked the waitress about the cheeseburger to which she replied «if you want a cheeseburger you can have one». Okay cool. Our appetizers were served by a man (maybe the chef) who seemed atleast slightly overwhelmed.
My boyfriend ordered the Bison Burger, no onions, and myself the chicken parm w the sides of pasta and salad included w that entrée.
In the mean time the place seemed to «fill up» w maybe 8 more ppl. The whole place seemed flabbergasted.
In short, the burger came piled high w onions we specifically requested not to have. The side of pasta was almost lukewarm.
We ordered 2 ketel one drinks which were actually exactly what we requested and expected (and that being their only saving grace)
I left still waiting for my side salad and wondering how Unilocal let me down so badly w a four star review.

Hidden gem of Norwalk. I live quite close to this restaurant and had wanted to try for a while. Cool bar and nicely styled dining room. Nice pours on the wine, enjoyed my food and owners very friendly. The chef/​owner seems quite passionate about what he does. I hope this hidden gem becomes a neighborhood icon.

I went to Apricot a few months ago. I was very pleased. It’s a very nice restaurant with wonderful food and a low key atmosphere. I was little nervous when ordering food because I have celiac disease and there isn’t anything explicitly listed as gluten free on the menu. I explained my health concerns to our waitress. She and the chef worked hard to ensure I was able to eat. What I received was an amazing and uncompromising meal without any indications that I was being an inconvenience. I honestly could not have been more pleased with my experience at Apricot. I will definitely eat here again and I recommend it to anyone with or without food allergies.

Checked this place out for happy hour. Had drinks and apps and really enjoyed my time. The atmosphere is comfortable and warm with a lounge area in the front, bar in the middle, and sit down table in the back. I had the spicy apricot ginger wings and they were so good, also the beef skewers were great — served with three different sauces! I don’t recall the name of my drink but had fresh blueberries and basil, my sister had a wonderful blue drink which was very tasty. I had wanted to check this place out and I’m glad I did. Prompt service and nice staff, pleased to say the least.

So. The previous glowing reviews were recorded because the people had great experiences and good food. I know from personal experience that the owner is a lovely person. So I wonder what Karen L. Did to warrant being told never to come back? Why not paint the whole picture Karen?
I’m so over pretentious fluffs. They probably give buffalo wild wings 5 stars and rave about the beer. Please. I’ve always had a good time at apricot. And once the 2^nd floor opens for the public I’ll be there too.
Again the muscles are yummy. The burgers are great and spending valentine’s with apricot was awesome as well. So visit them and formulate your own opinion and share with us.

We were the only people in the restaurant and still it took 40 minutes to get our food. Of our three meals, one was overcooked, one undercooked and one luke warm. As we were leaving the owner told us to never come back. For sure that will not be a problem.

Do NOT trust the positive Unilocal reviews! I went based on the good reviews but Apricot turned out to be a huge disappointment. I’m really wondering if the glowing reviews here were written by Apricot staff and friends.
The first warning sign should have been when I called ahead on a Friday night to ask how long the wait for two would be and they said no wait. So we got there and the front lounge are looked pretty nice. They took us to the back where the restaurant seating was and the décor was an odd combination of modern and nautical. The second warning sign was when were seated and there was absolutely nobody else eating there, as in not even one other table.
Anyways as for the food, it was marginal at best. The calamari sounded good but the flavor was bland and some pieces were on the rubbery side, the marinara also had an odd taste so we didn’t eat it. My wife had the linguine which was very garlicky and had some under cooked pasta in it. I ordered the big boy burger and it was just ok, nothing exceptional about it. I also removed the teriyaki strips because they weren’t so good. The fries were pretty much regular frozen shoe string type that come out of a bag. I will say that the martini’s were good however a bit over priced.

Stunningly tasteful modern renovation, big departure from the last few scruffy tenants. A challenged location, long time promised downtown turn around, still hasn’t happened. This seems the right place/​idea, but quite a leap of faith that the area will catch up to this class act. Quite a surprise how nice the place is inside — a lot of orange lighting, get it? — APRICOT Bar and Grill? Kinda messed with my rods and cones for the first few minutes. Very generous, tasty, nicely prepared main dishes of pasta and chicken cordon bleu, with plenty left over to take home. Didn’t care for the strangely spiced calamari app. Nice long spacious friendly bar. Definitely worth a try.

Tried Apricot’s for the first time last week, the Reuben was delicious and my fiancé loved the French onion soup. Atmosphere is very trendy, love the boat theme and the staff was very friendly. Bathrooms were very clean also.

This place has potential… and I really really wanted to give them ⁴⁄₅ stars, but I just can’t right now!
We decided to come here over the weekend, as it was rated a «Hot New Business» on Unilocal,and since my life choices in food and drink always stem from this website, I decided to check it out…
So we are driving along the street where Apricot supposedly is, and we pass it, TWICE. We are intentionally looking for this place, and it is so dark on the outside, that we wind up parking a quarter mile away, and walking to find it… So we arrive, and there is no one inside on a Saturday night…
That being said, the bar is still in «soft opening» status, so obviously the marketing and advertising has not been abundant.
So here was the inside experience:
You walk in and there is a staircase in front of you, and doorway to your right. In the doorway is a cozy lounge, with decent lighting, some soft seating by the window, and a bar… In the back, there is an old looking restaurant that does not fit well with the front.
We opted to sit at the bar, and I started with some wine (duh). The bartender/​waitress was great. I did not catch her name, but she was on top of her shit. The cabernet was great… I believe it was called «Carnivor» and I wish I had a bottle right now!
Let’s see… As for the food… We started with the Mussels… They were probably the best mussels I’ve had in a LONG time. They had citrus, ouzo and saffron served with garlic bread. Superb… For our meals, I had the Grilled Salmon Sandwich, since I am trying to be healthy-​ish (ugh)… I will pass on that next time… The bun fell apart right in my hands, and the the entire dish was lackluster.
My boyfriend had the Big Boy Burger which was topped with slices of teriyaki beef, caramelized onion, cheddar cheese… That was an awesome burger! He loved it, and the small bites I had were awesome. The sweet potato fries were tasty as well…
The bartender mentioned that the upstairs area has an outside deck with a bar that overlooks the water, and catering area (none are open yet)…
Unfortunately, for a place that has been up only two months, I was disappointed that the owners (one of whom was sitting only 2 – 3 seats down for us the entire time, not busy whatsoever) did not come over and ask how everything was… That is crucial when you are just starting out, so I would definitely suggest that they ownership becomes more interactive.
I was also disappointed with the prices. My $ 12 glass of wine cost as much as my $ 12 salmon sandwich, which was basically the lowest price on the entire menu. The most basic dishes were $ 25+, so the prices in and of themselves are enough to draw away potential clientele.
I will definitely come back during the summer to check out the upstairs area, but not sure I would return for the food, unless I had a Groupon or Unilocal deal :)
Good luck Apricot!

Came here late last Saturday night for drinks with friends and had a great time. This is a lovely space. The bar has comfortable seating, a nice window front lounge area and the staff is extremely welcoming and friendly. While I didn’t get to actually dine at Apricot, we did sample a few of their signature cocktails which were innovative and very well made. Apricot Bar and Grill also has a stylish special events area upstairs for private parties.

Had what can only be described as a mediocre dining experience at Apricot.
First off, my tea was served without a plate, which in my book is indicative that the wait staff is not familiar with standard dining conventions.
Secondly, waitress got our order wrong, and there were only two other small parties in the restaurant… We were overcharged for a small steak frite dish almost double the amount of the menu price. We had to point this out to our server, who then realized that the restaurant’s computer system had this item mispriced and had been over charging everybody who ordered the item before us.
The food was fine, nothing spectacular. Definitely did not compensate for the mediocre service. Waitress was very friendly, just a little clueless.
Ambiance was questionable. Is meant to look and feel like you are below the deck of a ship, and needless say it feels slightly claustrophobic.

I loved the salad and Apricot’s Big Boy Burger with strips of teriyaki beef on top — it was a meal and a half and mouthwateringly delicious! I highly recommend this restaurant. I’ll come back for dessert next time.

Apricot Bar and Grill recently opened on in Norwalk next to Fat Cat Pizza. The building has an interesting and storied history with numerous bars and several adventure-​based occupants.
With its narrow and deep interior, the current owners divided the space into three sections. The front is a «lounge» with a sofa in front of a fireplace place two wing chairs. The mid-​section houses the copper-​topped bar with 10 bar stools, two HDTVs, a selection of 12 basic bottled beers, 12 smaller brewery bottled beers and five beers on tap. The drafts currently include Samuel Adams Winter Lager, Half Full Brewery, Long Trail Ale, Yuengling Lager and Miller Lite. The rear offers a more traditional setting with table cloth covered tables for thirty-​nine guests, plus four booths.
For my Sunday venture I ordered the HOUSE BURGER, an 8oz. patty of Certified Black Angus Burger, American cheese, and lettuce & tomato, served on a brioche roll. I requested bacon and was offered either regular or sweet potato fries, I chose the former.
When the burger arrived it looked fairly ordinary. There was a little juice from the patty seeping into the bottom bun, the cheese was half-​melted and a thin tomato and iceberg lettuce sat on the cheese. The fries looked like they were plopped out of a plastic bag into a fryer and dumped on the plate. I cut the burger in half and I have to admit it was prepared perfectly to medium-​rare. I tasted the meat, it had decent flavor, was medium compressed and maintained the grind of the meat. The bacon was nicely cooked to deliver just a touch of saltiness but was very basic. The tomato and lettuce were ordinary and the cheese was nothing special. The «brioche» was a more a grocery store bag bun. The kitchen did butter and griddle the bun for a nice buttery goodness with a good crunch. Other than the meat this was basic in all other aspects. The ketchup was also disappointing. It was Sysco’s «House Recipe» brand. This was an immediate turn-​off, and the taste was more vinegary than Heinz, which is my preference.
Overall this is an assembly of basic ingredients. The kitchen did an excellent job in preparing the patty and toasting the bun. But their hands were tied from the ingredients and they did the best they could.

My new spot. I might be partial because I live so close, but the staff and owners are great and the food is on point. I will definitely be a regular

Wonderful food and amazing environment! Nice addition to downtown Norwalk, and a variety of food on the menu!