Amarante's Sea Cliff

We recently held our daughter's wedding and reception here and we could not have been more pleased with how our event turned out. Our wedding planner Dominick took care of all of our details and everything was done perfectly. On the big day, Darlene and Jose were always available to answer any questions we had about our ceremony and reception. They kept everyone informed as to where to go, what to do and what to expect next. They truly removed any of the stress of that day so that everyone could enjoy themselves. Earlier that week, Amarante's indicated that there was a smaller event happening that day at the Deck, another of their event spaces. If that event was complete by the time of our event, 6:00pm, we could use that location for our cocktail hour. When we arrived at Amarante's just around 4pm, that previous event must have been cleared out quickly because we saw no indication that another event had even taken place that day. They set up our cocktail hour in that area and we had a great time. The food that was prepared for both the cocktail hour and our reception in the Grand Ballroom was magnificent. We had steak, chicken and vegetarian options and everyone raved about the food. Our bartenders at both the cocktail hour and reception were equally efficient as there weren't any long lines for our guests. The large deck overlooking the harbor from the Grand Ballroom was the perfect place to have our dessert and catch up with family and friends. As it was a hot and humid evening, there was no need for the outdoor firepits that were present on the deck, but good to know they would have been available. We had our ceremony on the lawn using the gazebo which was beautiful and completely set up prior to our arriving at 4pm. We did not see any personnnel setting up anything so as not to detract from our enjoyment. Having both the ceremony and the reception take place at the same venue worked for us, and Amarante's was exceptional in providing everything we needed for both events. We would highly recommend Amarante's as your wedding venue. I can see us returning for some cocktails and dinner to listen to some music sometime during the summer and relive those magical memories. -Carolyn and Michael

My husband and I could not be more grateful to Dominic and the team at Amarante’s for making our day so special! From the food, to the service, to the spectacular grounds, we truly enjoyed every minute of our wedding. Amarante’s has been in the community for such a long time and their attention to detail and excellent customer service really showcases that. Such an incredible venue!!!!

We had our wedding this past weekend at Amarante's and it was an incredible day. Dominic made the planning process so easy and he was very prompt with answering all of my questions. So many guests came up to us during the reception to express how impressed they were with the venue. Darlene and Jose were amazing to work with and made our wedding day stress free. My husband and I did not have to think about anything besides just enjoying ourselves.

We recently got married at Amarante's and it was a wonderful experience. We worked primarily with Dominic during the planning process and he was wonderful, answering all my questions quickly. The venue also took on set up of most of the decor - table runners, pictures, welcome signs, etc. They listened to my instructions meticulously and everything was perfect. On wedding day, we were attended to with patience and care. We truly felt like the guests of honor. All of our guests raved about the food - I only wish we made more time to eat! Cocktail hour was abundant and the upgraded options were so delicious. We had the most wonderful day and I am so happy we chose Amarante's. Thank you for making our special day, the most special!

We visited the venue's Bridal Expo the year before our wedding and loved the views. All the office staff is super friendly and cooperative. Dominic is a great listener and a solution provider. Jose, the Maitre D', is very professional and pays attention to details. He had to move our ceremony indoors due to inclement weather and it all looked like it was planned that way from the beginning. The food was to die for!!! People are still talking about the brunch and wondering how things were cooked. Our Banquet Manager helped us run the event smoothly and was on top of everything to ensure the schedule was followed. She was an absolute sweetheart and super attentive. We are looking forward to attending venue-organized events in the near future at The Deck!

I got married on 9/3/22 at Amarantes and it was perfect I couldn't have asked for a better day and time to get married. As any bride i'm sure the feeling of anxiety of walking down the aisle hoping not to trip and fall, I started to have a mini panic attack and the staff was right there helping me giving me what I needed to calm down before I walked down the stairs. The staff make sure that my husband and I took time to eat our dinner and take a look around the room to enjoy that moment. Our guest was very impressed with how kind the staff was to assist all of their needs as well. Defiantly recommend going back there even if it is just to lunch some time their food was delish!

Amarante’s was the perfect New England vibe we were looking for, especially for the Fall. Kayleigh was so easy to work with. She answered my million and one questions quickly, and she allowed for me to stop by multiple times as I had family visit so they could see the venue. Everyone raved about the food, and the addition of oysters was a big hit. Outside of the initial cocktail hour rush, there was never a long line at the bar. They kept everyone moving along. Overall, Amarante’s runs a smooth wedding! You can’t beat the views, too.

Amarantes is amazing! We don't even know where to start. We decided back in 2018 that we would want to have our wedding at Amarantes in 2020. During the whole planning process the team was incredibly helpful, especially Dawn. I honestly don't think we would have had half the amazing wedding we had without her! She is so kind and patient throughout the process, even when we needed a lot of guidance/support wedding planning. Then COVID came, resulting in us changing all of our previously agreed to wedding plans. Dawn was so accommodating. We were able to postpone our wedding day until 2021 without any issues. Since we decided to do a small wedding in 2020 still and wanted to have a rehearsal dinner, we were able to do that at Amarantes. They are incredible here! The entire Amarante's team was really great the day of as well!

We recently had our wedding at Amarante's Sea Cliff October 2020. Due to Covid, our previous plans had fallen through, and we found Amarante's last minute. With just six weeks until the big day, Dawn was fabulous in making sure everything was taken care of and was so quick in responding to emails. She was so on top of all the fine details. The day was perfect - truly beyond anything I could have imagined especially considering the state of the world. Our maitre D' Darlene was AMAZING. Before the night even started she took my husband and I into the ballroom before anyone else to make sure it was to our liking. Throughout the night, she would continually check in with us to make sure there wasn't anything we needed. At one point, I wasn't feeling great from all the excitement and she brought me a "bitters drink" which made my stomach feel so much better. I could go on and on with how accommodating they are - if you're considering having your wedding or event at Amarante's - just do it! You won't regret it.

Amarante’s recently hosted my wedding and I cannot day enough nice things about them! Not only were they extremely accommodating with the Covid restrictions and rescheduling needs but they made my wedding beautiful beyond measure. Each of the staff were friendly and helpful, especially Dawn and José. The food was delicious, they set up all of my decor exactly the way I asked, and even accommodated our sparkler send off. I would definitely recommend them for any event!

The anxiety of getting married in 2020 is something I would not wish on anyone! We decided to go forward with our wedding, after a lot of back and forth, and honestly I don’t think we could have done it without this venue. Dawn was wonderful- patient, understanding, and truly helped us customize our day to feel as normal as possible. From first look photos, to the last dance of the night, everything was perfect. We didn’t have to think about a thing- it was seamless. The view is stunning, food was great, and the ballroom’s deck is unbeatable. It did not feel like a Covid wedding, and again, I truly thank the venue for that. I would recommend Amarante’s to anyone that wants an understated yet elegant, ocean front wedding venue!

Our day was absolutely perfect! Molly was such a sweetheart and made the planning process super easy, even with us planning our wedding from out of state. The entire wait staff and crew was amazing the day of. Highly recommend this venue!

I got married here on 9/6/19 and could not have been happier with our decision! Everyone we worked with was so helpful and responsive and made planning a wedding a lot less stressful. Molly was who we primarily worked with throughout the whole planning and she was fantastic, she would quickly get back to me to answer my lists of questions I’d send her (which became almost weekly towards the ends of planning). In the meetings we had in person she actually usually answered all the questions I had written down before I even had to ask. We also worked with Grace on the final meeting and ceremony rehearsal, who laid everything out step by step for us and explained how the whole day would go, putting our last minute concerns at ease. Unfortunately it rained and our ceremony had to be inside but my jaw dropped when I saw the room and how beautifully they had set up the decorations we had brought in (which they let us bring A LOT of our own, and set them up exactly how I had asked). Everyone raved about the food, specifically the appetizers, we didn’t even have the most expensive package and it still came with SO MUCH compared to other places we had looked. Darlene was our maitre d and she made sure we had everything we needed and were happy the whole night, made sure we took time to eat and made sure our drinks were never empty! We told Molly in a meeting that we loved fried raviolis, we had a plate of our own fried raviolis brought to our sweetheart table. I asked Molly if we could bring in cigars to have on the deck, she said of course we could and went above and beyond and had them put bottles out, decorate it beautifully, and we ended up with a cigar bar that I’ve seen other places charge like 8$ pp for. The views, staff, and food here are beautiful, and despite the rain my husband and I had the most amazing time and say we wouldn’t change a thing about it.

I had my wedding at Amarante's July 2019. The venue was gorgeous inside and out, the scene for pictures was gorgeous as it overlooked the water, and the food was good. The staff was also responsive and flexible. I was very happy about those points. I would have given them 5 stars. However, the reason I've only given a 3 is because 1) The entree delivery on the day of the event was very late. Noticeably so. 2) People received very poor drink services. Some background- Our guests comprised of a large number of non-alcohol drinkers. We were informed a few days before that the soft drinks & juice would be served at the bar, and not brought to the table. I found this strange and inquired as to how the guests would know soft drinks & juice would be served at the bar, since normally, only alcoholic beverages are served at the bar (or at least that would be my guests understanding). Grace, the owner at Amarante's assured me that the servers would inform guests at the table that there are free soft drinks and juice at the bar. So, of course, we paid for that option. But on the day of the event, most guests only had water to drink with their entrees, as the guests were not informed about soft drinks and juice at the bar. This of course, made me upset, as I wanted my guests to feel well taken care of and entertained with more than just water. 3)More upsetting was that when I informed the owner (1 week after my wedding) about my concerns, she denied that the food service was delayed. With regards to the drinks, her words were 'your guests should have known that there were drinks at the bar.' This came as a shock, because I specifically informed her that my guests WOULD NOT intuitively know this, thus, my prior expressed need to have the servers inform them since they were to serving drinks at the table. I felt that her response to me lacked integrity and professionalism. I was not asking for a refund, and a simple acknowledgement and apology would have been ideal My advice- If you have a large teetotal (non-alcohol drinking) crowd like we did and you want to provide them with a variety of non-alcoholic dink options, I suggest that you either insist on Amarante's serving your guests their drinks at their tables or have your master of ceremony announce that drinks are available at the bar. Do not rely on the servers to duly inform your guests about their drink options and where to get them.

After this weekend, we can’t imagine having had our wedding anywhere other than Amarante’s. Despite our many odd requests and occasional disorganization (we’re based out of state and only arrived in town 2 days before the wedding), Grace and her team consistently went above and beyond to make the experience easy, relaxing, stress free, and all around fantastic. They made us feel that everything would go off without a hitch, and their rich family history of going above and beyond to make some of life’s most important moments truly memorable didn’t disappoint. Despite coordination with a number of vendors and many drop-offs (cake, flowers, bouquets, supplies), the Amarante’s “family” was incredibly patient and endlessly helpful. Able to make executive decisions, setting up our gift table, guestbook, photo table, etc, they made the space look incredible. The food was fantastic, and many of our guests complimented the service and atmosphere. The location is incredible, and our guests were truly blown away by the views, sunset, and pristine grounds. This all pales in comparison to the fantastic maitre d’ services of Dawn. She was basically a wedding planner, coordinated all vendors, solved problems before they arose, and still managed to make sure we were taken care of. From teaching us how to cut our cake, to bringing waters to the bridal suite, to constantly checking in to freshen our drinks or grab us a signature cocktail, to making sure our dinner wasn’t served until we were seated so that we could have it while it was hot. She was unbelievably friendly, accommodating, and made the day absolutely excellent. We still can’t get over what a fantastic weekend it was, and we owe that 100% to Amarante’s.

We had our wedding there June 22, 2019 and I can’t say enough about this place. The staff, especially Molly, was absolutely amazing!! So kind, friendly, attentive and over all just great people! The venue itself was beautiful and they did a wonderful job displaying all of our wedding decor. The outside ceremony area is gorgeous. A lush green lawn overlooking Long Island sound with pine trees lining the small sea cliff. The food was absolutely delicious as well and everything was so fresh! Highly recommended for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, business meetings, holidays or any occasion!!

The experience that you have while planning you’re reception with the staff was incredible. They really take the time to show how much they care about making your event a dream come true. The staff the day of was amazingly attentive and made sure everything ran smoothly and looked perfect! When you choose Amarante’s Sea Cliff you will be blown away at the fact that you don’t have to hire a day of coordinator. Our reception was the best and the staff went above and beyond to make the best fairytale 💕

We had our wedding reception here on May 19, 2018! The staff was incredible. They went above and beyond all our expectations in presentation and service! They are so family oriented, just wonderful to work with throughout the whole planning process! They are very courteous and flexible, and will not rush any of the meetings. Dawn and Grace were always willing to talk on the phone or send a quick email for any questions we had. Our Maitre’d, Ivan, had so much attention to detail and was very professional! He even helped bustle my dress! I also must say I have never seen such a reasonably priced venue with such incredible service, food, and stunning appearance. I have multiple people in my family who are in the food business, so we can be critical of food, but everything was delicious!! It felt like we were eating at a highly esteemed restaurant. We had 230 guests and it was the perfect venue! Our guests weren’t too crowded, and there also wasn’t awkward empty space. It also rained on our wedding day, so our cocktail hour was moved inside, they did a tremendous job transforming the dance floor with the cocktail hour spreads. And the deck was still available if people wanted to venture outside! When I asked for recommendations for vendors such as DJ, I received a list of their most popular. The DJ we chose from that list was phenomenal! (Music in Motion entertainment- DJ Mike) We still receive compliments today on the DJ! It definitely helps when they’re familiar with the venue. Would highly recommend and would definitely choose them again!

First, for our toast we discussed sparkling cider, we actually received ginger all. Meaning we paid $200 for JUST soda. Secondly, the guy in charge was really rude to my guests especially the kids that were there. He had no right to speak to our guests the way that he did. Thirdly, when they cut the cake, they gave it all out, I asked if I could have the remainings, (that were ALL on the tables, he then told me there was none left and threw them all out. When my groom and I went to our table we had no cake, I told him (the one in charge) and he insisted that we couldn’t have more cake because we already had some, once he realized he was wrong he quickly brought us cake after he said that there was no more cake!! What happened to our whole cake ?? The list honestly goes on, I actually called to complain and left a message, and no one ever called back.

Michael and I knew we wanted an outdoor ceremony preferably on the water. We visited Amarante’s for the first time and were immediately stunned! It was a gorgeous October day and we met with Dawn who gave us a tour, from the ballroom overlooking the cove to the beautiful lawn and gazebo, we knew this would be our wedding venue! From that point on Dawn had assisted us throughout every inquiry, question and concern. Dawn was prompt without hestitation and very professional. Our Maitre D, Darlene was by our side every moment throughout our wedding day. She went above and beyond to keep things smooth and wonderful. We are so appreciative of the staff, especially Grace for all their hospitality. Our families raved about the view and food which was one of our top priorities. Amarante’s exceeded our expectations and we couldn’t have asked for anything more!! Thank you!!

Amarantes did an amazing job hosting our wedding! The staff was incredibly kind and patient, and executed everything we asked for perfectly. We really felt taken care of at Amarantes! They set up our ceremony and reception beautifully, and room excellent care of our guests. The food was terrific. All of our guests were extremely impressed by our venue!

Please excuse me while I ramble on as I'm still in shock over how ABSOLUTELY delightfully perfect our wedding at Amarante's was. I'm incredibly anxious and the staff at Amarante's took care of us from the moment we walked into look to the moment our husband and I left our reception. (For reference, I'm so anxious I wouldn't attend an event there I was invited to 2 weeks before our big day) Literally, it was perfect. Our guests are still raving about the food and the evening. Dawn, Molly, Grace and Darlene held our hands as much as we needed through the whole process without in ANYWAY being overbearing or pushy. The rehearsal helped ease my family's nerves especially my father who needed use of his wheelchair AND to be part of the ceremony. Our day was perfect. I wish I had better adjectives but perfect is the only thing that comes to mind. I cannot give any higher review. Thank you all again for everything you did to make our day we didn't know we dreamed of.

Hands down the most incredible service, food and atmosphere we could have had! The staff was on their toes the ENTIRE time. Our guests are still raving about the food and there was so much to enjoy. If you are looking, please consider Amarantes in your top search. You won’t regret it!!

We got married on September 8 and Amarante's was the perfect venue. Our wedding could not have been better. We were able to get married in the gazebo outside by the water and the sunset on the balcony was amazing. We originally booked at the Inn and then were transferred to the ballroom. The room was gorgeous and I could not have planned the look of the room better in my dreams. The food was incredible! The service was amazing and the package we ordered was not super expensive. Overall, I have nothing but good things to say.

Coming from out of town and planning our wedding from hundreds of miles away, the Amarantes staff really helped us with any questions we had and were quick to respond. Peter, Dawn & Grace are a great group. We booked almost 2 years in advance and they still honored every single thing that we had planned originally. The food was great, our guests raved about the open bar service, and I showed up on the wedding day with all of the decor in the right places. They really have the wedding day process down! The sunset outside is to die for also :)) great pictures her. N

The venue is beautiful, the food is delicious, and all of our guests enjoyed themselves and had a good time. HOWEVER, at the last minute we were informed that we would have a stand in maitre d (who was a server and still had serving responsibilities during the evening). We were not given any horderves, our bridal party needed to tell the staff to come down to offer us drinks during pictures, and we were not served our meal (something we were explicitly told would happen) and all of these things seriously cut into our time to mingle with guests. As I said, it's a beautiful location but the staff is less than ideal when it comes to the bride and groom.

It was absolutely an amazing and beautiful day! Our guests still cannot stop raving about how "perfect" everything was. You cannot get better than perfect, and it was incredible. The empanadas were amazing! But, I can easily say that about all the food. I just say that specifically about the empanadas because they were worth every extra penny. Everything we tried was so delicious! From the fresh food at the cocktail hour to dessert, it was a culinary delight for the taste buds. The service staff that I encountered, including the bartender, were professional and did a wonderful job. My friend was very impressed she was able to get her dirty martini and thought it was one of the best ones she had ever tasted. That reminds me: the red and peach sangrias. I almost did not do the signature drinks, and I am so glad I did. They were the best sangrias, I've ever tried. Finally, I saved the best for last: Ivan, headwaiter. He was wonderful! I feel like I meet very few people, who are doing what they love, and I definitely felt like Ivan loves his job. Even to the smallest detail, like having my favorite drink waiting on the sweetheart table for me, when we walked in (which I know is thanks to Dawn's meticulously note taking too), he had the night covered. I have to admit, it takes a lot to impressed me, and Ivan not only impressed but exceeded any and all of my expectations. Aramante's has an amazing team that made our night spectacular!

I cannot rave enough about Amarante's Sea Cliff. From start to finish I had the most perfect experience planning and having my wedding at this venue. Grace was truly wonderful to work with and organized the wedding of my dreams. On the day of, Ivan, my maitre d' provided top notch service for a smooth and flawless ceremony and reception. He walked me through the whole process and assured that everything went smoothly. The staff did an amazing job setting up my decorations and completely matching my vision. The food was incredible. My guests loved their entrees, which were chicken picatta and beef tenderloin. Cocktail hour Hors d'oeuvres were a hit as well! We also had a bacon egg and cheese station as our late night snack option. I can honestly say it was the best bacon egg and cheese I have ever had. They set up a table with fresh ingredients and made the most delicious sandwiches on warm croissants for our guests. Absolutely perfect! What I personally enjoyed as a bride was that my guests were able to mingle on the deck/patio connected to the ballroom. It really gave it a "party" feel and allowed for the guests (and myself) to really feel relaxed and enjoy the event! All night and the weeks to follow I've had people tell me it was the BEST wedding they have ever attended l (which means a lot coming from my guests!) Every transition throughout the event was perfect! The next day I went back to pick up a few things and Grace asked me how I thought it went. I started crying and told her that I can't even remember what i anticipated my wedding to look like and be because it genuinely exceeded any expectation I could of ever had. The setting was absolutely picturesque. I felt like I was at an inn in Watch Hill, Rhode Island rather than New Haven. Simply beautiful. FIVE stars to Amarante's for a truly perfect and personalized experience.

As a DJ/Photo Booth Owner, (It's All About You DJ Services, LLC) we work at many different venues throughout the State of CT, and Amarantes is one of the best that we have worked at. The staff is very accommodating, friendly and helpful!! There are many venues that are not helpful and quite frankly very rude to outside vendors, and staff, i.e., Anthony's Ocean View. I don't know why anyone would choose Anthony's Ocean View over Amarantes, as their staff are very rude, not accommodating and quite frankly their food does not even compare to Amarantes. Amarantes is very clean and beautiful and the food is incredible!! Anthony's Ocean View presents their food well, but with regards to taste and quality, Amarantes Sea Cliff ALL THE WAY!! We are writing this review because we feel the best and most honest reviews should come from the people who work behind the scenes and see how things are done and how guests are treated, etc. Sometimes things can appear to be on point from a presentation standpoint, but when you work behind the scenes and you see how a venue such as Amarantes treats their vendors and staff that speaks volumes for who they are. Special Shout Out to Grace, Jose, Darlene and their entire staff!! Again, we have worked hundreds of wedding venues, and if you are looking to make a decision for your Special Day between Anthony's Ocean View or any other venue, hands down, Amarantes Sea Cliff is the venue for your Special Day! Pam & Joe It's All About You DJ Services, LLC www.itsallaboutyoudj.com

My husband and I selected Amarante's Sea Cliff after visiting early this year. We booked it the same day as our visit. The minute we drove up we were taken by the view! Peter, Grace and Dawn all made us feel so comfortable and we loved the family owned feel. Planning the whole wedding from DC things was a little hard for us. Peter and Grace helped us out every step of the way and always made sure we felt comfortable with how things were taken care of. They were wonderful and easy to work with throughout the whole planning process. They truly wanted nothing more than a perfect day for my husband and I. They invited us for a tasting and after that we knew that the view, the service and the food would truly knock the socks off our guests! During the wedding we heard non-stop compliments of how delicious the food was & how wonderful the service is. We were lucky enough to catch most of our cocktail hour and let me tell you it was worth it. The sunset, drinks and the food were all amazing! With the touch of our rented gold chiavari chairs, the ballroom was stunning. The staff set up everything exactly how I dreamed of it. I cannot thank them enough for being a part of our big day & truly making it the best day ever!

Amarante's is a good, reasonable place to get married. I'm not someone that grew up dreaming about my wedding and didn't even have a Pinterest before getting engaged, so while my fiancé and I wanted to have a fun wedding, we didn't want to break the bank. Pros: reasonable pricing, beautiful views of the New Haven harbor and good food. Our Maitre de Susana was also very helpful on the day-of and Grace was helpful during the rehearsal. The decor in the ballroom is also very pretty. We did not like the layout of the Inn because we had a band and it would have made it difficult for folks to see the band. Cons: We had some confusion upon booking and leading up to the date that caused some unncessary stress. We booked our wedding in late August for an October wedding the next year, for an outdoor ceremony and ballroom reception. Typically, the evening ceremony begins at 6:30 pm. However, in October, it would be dark at that time! Amarante's didn't bother mentioning that when we booked, and we only realized when a photographer mentioned it. I realize that's also our fault, but it still felt a little shady. Amarante's said they could potentially push the time back to 5:30, but would at least be able to push to 6:15, depending on events going on in the morning in the ballroom. Which just meant we had to wait until the last moment to order our invites. Not a big deal, but added stress. When following up a few months prior, I was informed that there was another wedding in the Inn, and the ceremony was at 3:30 pm. This was not an option we were informed of. The ceremony times presented to us at the sales pitch we're 11 am for the daytime slot and 6:30 pm for the evening. This impacted us in 2 ways- we couldn't really do first look on the grounds, and it made parking more challenging for our guests. I went into the agreement knowing there was the potential for a second evening wedding on the grounds, but not a second ceremony. So, while I thought it would feel like we were the only wedding for at least the ceremony, that turned out not to be the case. We were also told there would be plenty of parking, but I observed that a few of my guests had to park in the street. We had a fabulous wedding and tons of fun, but I would just suggest that couples be very careful upon booking that you know exactly what the logistics will be. There is definitely something to say for a venue that only hosts 1 wedding each day, instead of multiple- i.e., day and evening slots and 2 buildings. You're just going to pay a lot more if you book at that type of venue. So, the savings was worth it for us but the headaches might not be for another bride and groom.

The best venue that I ever see. The staff is amazing , love the way they plan , very helpful. The location is more than perfect I loved the view .I highly recommend .

My fiance and my two best friends and I toured here when we were looking for a waterfront venue for our May wedding. I had emailed with Peter before we went, and he sent me sample menus with pricing, and we scheduled a tour. The pictures on their website and their menus were amazing. We had high hopes. The first thing we noticed when we arrived was the small and full parking lot. This is advertised as a handicapped accessible venue (my fiance is in a wheelchair) and not only could we not find a handicapped space, but the only space we could find was way out on the edge of the property. We got up on the porch (not accessible unless someone can help push the chair) and went inside, only to find an event going on. We were quickly ushered back outside and someone went to get Peter. After several minutes, Peter showed up and took us out back to the waterfront. When we asked about going inside, he said they had a event and we couldn't see either building. So what was the point of scheduling a tour? The grounds were beautiful. Imagining the sun setting over the water in May was a beautiful mental picture for our wedding. However, the grounds weren't accessible either. The only way to get down to the waterfront was down a very steep paved driveway that my fiance needed help on. And going back up the driveway was impossible without two people pushing (he only weighs 150lbs and I push him and carry him all the time - it was not his weight that was so tough). We all sat on the deck and discussed our options and asked Peter some questions. He immediately made us feel as though we were not important to him, and it didn't matter if we didn't book with him because he knew other couples would come along. For example, when he asked us how we met, we said online, and before we could elaborate he said, "oh, I've heard better stories." We felt like, we know you have, but this is our story, and it's important to us. When we got to pricing, he looked at the menus I had printed out from HIS email, told me that they were all wrong and he had no idea how I'd gotten them, and gave us new ones that were far out of our budget. We also asked about getting dressed at the venue. He said that only the bride could dress there. The groom, groomsmen, and bridesmaids all had to get ready elsewhere. When we asked about their centerpieces (flowers in vases) and whether we could lean a small photo up on each piece, he said we could either use theirs or ours, but no mixing. Overall, we were so unhappy with this venue, mostly because of Peter and his policies. There was another reviewer on here who mentioned feeling like this place was just a wedding factory, and that's exactly how we felt. The grounds are very beautiful, but I can't even comment on the insides because we weren't allowed in. Everything about Peter was unhelpful, and quite the opposite of where we ended up booking (for a better price and more flexibility - Merlot on the Water). Everything about the venue we chose is what we wanted, and the owner (Victoria) couldn't be more willing to move things around and let us make our day OUR DAY. We made up our own menu, we're moving furniture around to make room for a photo booth, we can use a mix of her centerpieces and ours, and she has let us tour three times with no problems. I wish I could recommend Amarante's because of its setting, but the bottom line is I can't in good conscience wish this place on a couple looking for their own beautiful day.

The venue is gorgeous. I had my surpise bridal shower here. I didn't know the location until I arrived and it was breath taking. We looked at similar venues but the prices weren't even comparable. The staff was helpful setting up and cleaning up. There was a vast array of food (buffet style) and the food was very tasty. The best part. They have you any good left over to take home. I had breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week

While it looks very pretty on-line, I have been extremely disappointed with the lack of service. I had stumbled across Amarantes Sea Cliff in my search for a wedding venue on the water. I got so excited when I viewed the website that I immediately asked for pricing, but that's where my excitement ended. While the pricing was great, the response rate has been sub par. I sent an email to Peter on a Saturday with no response, I then followed up by calling the main number in which I received no response. While Peter did end up responding a few days later, it was too late, as my fiance and I had moved on to another venue. We did let Peter know that we would reach out at a later date if we were still interested. After a few conversations, we choose to view this establishment. I sent an email on Friday night (not expecting a response), so Saturday at 10:00 and again at 11:00 and again at 12:00 I tried to call this establishment to schedule a viewing and I got voicemails. I tried calling the the business office and got voicemails, if this is any indication of how I will be treated once I am a customer NO THANKS! I like to speak to people not voicemails. If I can't get a hold of someone as a potential customer. I don't expect it to be any different as a customer. All I ever wanted to do was view this establishment and maybe book my wedding, but the lack of response has been unsettling. Brides to be please don't waste your time. There are venues out there who do want your business and who will pick up the phone on a Saturday.

I selected Amarante's Sea Cliff after visiting early last fall. The minute you drive up you are taken by the view! When I met with Peter and Grace I knew they had my best interest at heart. They were wonderful and easy to work with throughout planning and wanted nothing more then a perfect day for my husband and I. After our tasting we knew that the food would knock the socks off our guests and boy did they deliver! Everyone complimented them on the taste and tenderness of the beef. Having that myself I can say WOW amazing! Although I missed cocktail hour for photos all of the guests were excited with all the options and the fact that the trays were never empty. I had a personal attendant by my side the whole day who walked me through everything like a trusted side kick! She was amazing and I will never forget her! The ballroom is beautiful and lets talk about the back drop of the sunset through the big windows!! I had the most perfect weather as it clearly "never rains" at Amarante's! I cannot thank them enough for a wonderful day and memorable experience with a fantastic price I would recommend them to everyone and anyone who is willing to listen!!

we had our ceremony and our reception at Amarantes and I would highly recommend this to anyone searching for a beautiful location with reasonable prices. Amarante's wedding coordinator Grace went out of her way on the day of my wedding to give me the ceremony I wanted. The weather had been somewhat of an issue all day long and she knew tha tmy heart was set on an outdoor wedding. She told me that they "treat every wedding as if it were their own daughters wedding" and that they would do everything they could to get me outside. There was a small window of opportunity and we took it! the staff wiped down all of the outdoor furniture and quickly set up for an outdoor ceremony. The result.... amazing skyline in all of my photos! The food at the cocktail hour and reception were also amazing! My husband also bought some nice cigars that he wanted to display at the reception as a cigar bar of sorts. Amarante's loved ythat idea and not only set up the cigars and humidor but also set up a Cognac station. It was a hit, all of the guys loved it! Amarante's staff also surprised us and our guests with cheeseburger sliders later in the evening which I thought was a really nice touch. I cant help but mention that you really do get the most for your money at this location. I searched through a lot of venues and truly felt this was the most reasonable in cost. I highly highly recommend Amarantes sea cliff.

I’m so happy we planned our wedding at Amarante's Sea Cliff, New Haven! The ball room was beautiful; the planning staff was easy to work with and the service the day of the wedding was perfect. I rate the overall experience 100%.

Amarante's was the perfect venue for my wedding. The views were just beautiful from the room. And the outdoor area for cocktail hour was amazing. By taking care of all the food, wedding cake, linens, and centerpieces, Amarante's made my wedding planning so much simpler! And on the wedding day everything was executed smoothly. The dinner was also delicious, we got many compliments from guests on the entrees.

My wedding was absolutely fabulous. Food was awesome. Grace and Jose Jr. were very helpful and attentive. My wedding day went off without a hitch. The view and the grounds are awesome.

A venue that knows what they are doing. It was my second choice venue at the end of our search - the view was gorgeous but the buildings themselves weren't as estate like as I would have wanted. Due to unavailable dates at another beach side mansion we ended up booking with Amarante's & in retrospect it was for the better. Amarante's was not only a nice venue but came with a very experienced caterer & was much more affordable. The food was fantastic (never seen a piece of steak that big before my wedding day) & the staff on the day of went above & beyond to help us out & make sure things went smoothly. Probably would give 4.5 stars if half was possible for the lack of tasting and some delay in communication before the big day but everything on the day of worked out wonderfully!

Amarantes was the ONLY place we looked at. We had so many referrals that it was hard not to go with them. They were professional from the very beginning. They have been in the business long enough to know what they are doing! They were so helpful with everything. The day of the wedding i did not have to worry about a thing! They took care of everything and I was able to enjoy my reception even that much more. I had soooo much fun at my wedding reception that it did not feel like my wedding! Highly recommend Amarantes!!!! No need to go anywhere else!

everything turned out just as beautiful as promised the vendors that are recommended are worth looking into too! Thank you Peter and Grace!

Amarante's was the only venue I looked at and coming from a very indecisive bride that means a lot! I knew right away that was where I wanted my reception. The know what they are doing and planned a perfectly flawless evening. They are well organized and didn't miss a beat. I love that it is a family owned business and know they take pride in what they do. Grace, Peter, and Jose were wonderful and answered all my questions and requests during the planning process. For the service and view from the deck you cannot beat the price value! We were married in the ballroom, which personally I like much better then the layout of the Inn, but both are nice. We had great weather and had cocktail hour on the deck, which was amazing! I barely ate but I was told the food was GREAT! I wanted a cigar station outside and they threw in a Cognac bar with it (it's included in the open bar bill). It was a big hit! Downside could be that two weddings can go on at the same time, but I wouldn't have known! Also parking could be an issue, I shuttled my guests so no problems there but something to look out for maybe? Also no bridal suite.. again which I didn't mind at all. But a heads up for any brides that are looking for that :) Overall everything was WONDERFUL! Highly Reccommend!

Amarantes Sea Cliff has a beautiful view and the venue was amazing I would recommend Amarantes they make wedding planning easy and stress free. The owner Grace was wonderful. However, I expected more from the hosts. The hosts were unhappy that I was having my pictures done during cocktail hour and kept telling my photographer to hurry up. When I explained to them we need an extra half hour to take pictures and to please stop rushing my photographer. The host then went and got my dad to come and scold me for taking so long. Later, when my Pastor was filing out our marriage cert the host told him the wrong city. This mistake has stopped me from getting our marriage cert. almost two months later and I still haven't changed my name.

Absolutely unbelievable service, attention to detail and concern for our needs. The food was DELICIOUS - everyone raved about their meal. Amazing views, sunset was terrific!! AWESOME place :)

This was truly the best place for our wedding. Our maitre d was amazing. She met us in the parking lot when we arrived, told us everything we needed to do and the rest of the night went by flawlessly. If it hadn't been for her that night I don't know what would have happened. The food was perfect, and our guests truly agreed. Our friends and family were commenting on the food,drinks, location and service after the wedding. Peter and Grace were a pleasure to work with as well. We had 190+ guests and the room was perfect for that. We had the photobooth in the room and there was still enough room for everyone to move around and dance.

My husband and I were married at Amarante's on Saturday, May 19, 2012. I cannot brag enough about Amarante's. From the food, to the service, to the atmosphere...everything was simply perfect! If you are a bride to be in CT, I would highly recommend looking at Amarante's!! Grace and Darlene were extremely helpful in accommodating all of our special requests. They set up our cigar/scotch station and candy bar with minimal guidance. All of my friends and family raved about the food at the cocktail hour and at dinner. We selected the Classic package. With all of the craziness going on around your wedding, Amarante's made it so that you were not stressed out and made it so that you didn't have to think and make decisions the day of. The staff was very professional, the ground are beautiful and the food was out of this world! We feel like every single penny spent with Amarante's was well worth it. I had an incredible wedding day :)

Everything was simply amazing here. They were an awesome venue, all of the wait staff was extra helpful and accommodating before and during the wedding. The food was out of this world, every time I talk to someone who was at my wedding they rave over the food, the cocktail hour and dinner! Grace and Peter were awesome during the whole planning as well. We loved every detail they provided.

Amazing! Amarantes is a wonderful venue and perfect in every way! The view is beautiful, the service professional and friendly, and an amazing deal. Great food, great space- extremely happy with them!!! Highly recommend using them!

Amarante's has a wonderful view and location. The food was amazing!! Everyone was raving how great the food looked and how awesome the reception hall looked. THey did a wonderful job decorating. We got married on 10/1 and the prices were very reasonable. Love this place!!

A beautiful location for any outdoor wedding/reception. I was so overwhelmed the day of the wedding with everything, and they took care of every detail for me! They made me feel really prepared before the wedding, and they kept the night flowing for the full reception. While the price per plate is a little expensive, their packages offer open bars, a fully decorated room with floral centerpieces. I was really impressed with the service I received.

great service, beautiful place

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Amarante's exceeded our expectations! We originally booked The INN room, well before our final meeting they asked us if we would like to upgrade for FREE to the Grand Ball room b/c they did not have an event going on in there at that time. The Grand ball room was awesome! They were so flexible with us they did everything for us and decorated it beautifully! We had two workers with us the day of the wedding that insured me and my husband had everything we needed drinks, food, etc. They were awesome we loved him! and I recommend to EVERYONE that I know that is getting married!!!!! A++++++++

I requested information for this venue and no one ever has gotten back to me. So, if they lack getting back to potential clients, then I can imagine how they would take care of your reception.

I had both my ceremony and reception at Amarante's and I loved it. The staff is wonderful and very attentive. The food is amazing. The view is priceless. I had so many guests tell me that it was the best wedding they had ever been to.

I'm overall very happy with our choice to have our wedding at Amarante's. The venue was everything I could have hoped for, with both a cozy inn-like feel and gorgeous views of the sound. The staff was great to work with as well. I would say that the food was above-average, but didn't blow us away. My one qualm is that I was given the impression that I would have use of the bridal suite for the entire event, but as it turns out they had to kick us out in order to accommodate for the bride preparing for her event in the other buidling...a bit of an unexpected inconvenience.

Amarantes was beautiful, the food and service was wonderful. They did a great job setting up the grand ball room and followed all my instructions and diagrams. there were a couple things they did wrong, but with every wedding its gonna happen.

The views, setting, and food are a fantastic deal for the price. You get a bargain payment but not bargain quality on either the food or the setting. Many guests complimented both. My one problem was with the management. Everyone we dealt with was disorganized, had lost our paperwork, etc. Plus, the overall manager was incredibly rude to us, almost prompting me to forfeit our money and go elsewhere. In the end, I'd recommend it as a good site, but know that you are paying for the location and the food, not the service. Be organized and on top of all your details, and things will go smoothly. And don't be offended if managment crosses the line -- I am apparently not the first, nor will likely be the last.

I have been dreaming about this day for 30 years and never in my wildest dreams could I ever have imagined my wedding day as wonderful as it turned out. I can’t even tell you how many guests came up to us and/or emailed us to tell us that it was the best wedding they have ever been to. Your staff is attentive, courteous and just all around fabulous!!! Every detail was attended to and the work for the bride and groom during the planning process was minimal! You are all amazing and Amarante’s Sea Cliff is phenomenal!!!! Thank you for making our dreams come true!!!!

Amarantes went out of their way to make us feel welcomed and special. Our wedding took place in the ballroom. The food was delicious, all of our guests were happy and full by the end of the wedding. I did not hear one complaint about service or food. The decor makes it easy to put your special touch, and bring in your wedding colors. I highly suggest this reception hall to others.

First the perks- EXCELLENT FOOD Oh my did we love the food. People who were there are still raving about the wonderful foo. Cake was included If you went with one of two vendors, one of whom has a recommendation from Duff Goldman the Ace of Cakes. Third they were super flexible with our plan (might have been because we got married on Halloween) But they let us totally customize our day from the room we choose to the time we had the wedding. They also arranged everything beautifully the favors, table numbers, candy table, card table, and place settings were so classy and elegant. The negatives were minor-they put out the wrong cardbox so we are pretty sure we're missing cards. And they were a bit too quick with the clean up. By the time we had a chance to sit down our table had been cleared. We also held our ceremony here as it's on the water. Some snafues with the ceremony that prevent this from being given a five.