Anchor Spa

06/18/2026

What if celebrating a restaurant’s anniversary could help feed your community?

As Anchor Spa celebrates 10 years in New Haven, they’re also giving back to the city that has supported them every step of the way.

Throughout anniversary week, a portion of proceeds will benefit Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen, an organization dedicated to providing food, shelter, and support services to individuals experiencing homelessness and food insecurity.

During my visit, I saw firsthand the care, compassion, and hard work that goes into serving our neighbors every day. It’s a reminder that community isn’t just about gathering around a table—it’s about making sure everyone has a seat at one.

So when you stop by Anchor Spa this week, you’re not just celebrating 10 years of food, drinks, music, and memories.

You’re helping support an organization that’s making a real difference right here in New Haven.

❤️ Support local.
🍽️ Feed community.
🎉 Celebrate 10 years.

📍 Anchor Spa
🎉 Official Anniversary Celebration: June 19

Tag someone who believes in showing up for their community.

06/17/2026

Two nights. Two legacies. One Anchor.

As we continue celebrating 10 years at Anchor Spa, we're bringing back some of the people who helped shape our story behind the bar.

TOMORROW, Thursday, June 18 | 7PM–9PM

Marcio Ramos - Former Head Bartender of 67 Orange Street (Karl Franz Williams 's first cocktail bar) and now part of the team at Sip&Guzzle, recently named North America's #1 Bar.

For one night only, Marcio will bring two exclusive Sip & Guzzle-inspired cocktails to Anchor, giving New Haven a rare chance to experience the creativity and hospitality that helped make Sip & Guzzle a top cocktail destination.

Then stay after for a special edition of The Late Show (with some punch specials to help keep the night going)!

Friday, June 19 (Juneteenth) | 8PM–10PM

Greg "Bootleg" Bendelius - One of Anchor's most beloved former Head Bartenders returns to the place where so many great nights began.

Bootleg will be stepping back behind the bar to serve some of the cocktails that continues to make Anchor so special, and may even bring back a favorite or two from the early days! For one night, it'll feel like he never left.

Come raise a glass with us, reconnect with familiar faces, and celebrate a decade of community, cocktails, and Caribbean hospitality.

And in the spirit of giving back, a portion of sales during both guest bartender shifts will be donated to Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen.

06/15/2026

And Ten Years Later,
it Matters More than Ever

On June 16, 2016, renowned Bartender and Entrepreneur Karl Franz Williams (https://www.instagram.com/mrkarlfranz/) reopened Anchor Spa's doors and began a new chapter for one of New Haven's most beloved gathering places.

Originally founded in 1933, the Anchor has long been part of the fabric of downtown New Haven. When it closed in 2015, the community rallied to save it. Ten years later, we're honored to continue that legacy by preserving the room, the stories, and the spirit that generations of New Haveners have called their own.

To celebrate this milestone, we've put together a week of special events and we hope to see you there!

TUESDAY, JUNE 16

10TH ANNIVERSARY AND DESK FUNDRAISER

Help us kick off Anniversary Week with a special fundraiser for Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) to support its critical work addressing food insecurity and homelessness in Greater New Haven.

While the celebration goes all night, guests who RSVP will enjoy a complimentary welcome cocktail and light bites from 6pm to 8pm as we raise a glass to ten years of Anchor and the community that made it possible.

SPECIAL GUEST BARTENDER SERIES

FRIDAY, JUNE 19

SUNDAY, JUNE 21

06/11/2026

Weathering Storms
(The Reflection)

Last night, something remarkable happened.

Whether you're a Knicks fan or not, it's hard not to be inspired by a team that fought back from what looked impossible. Down by the largest deficit ever overcome in an NBA Finals game, they chipped away at the lead possession by possession until they pulled out a one-point victory.

As we approach Anchor's 10th Anniversary, that story feels surprisingly familiar.

Over the past decade, we've faced our share of moments when it would have been easy to walk away. When we opened without our full liquor license and lost much of our original bartending team, we didn't give up. When we lost key staff members, we didn't give up. When the pandemic challenged our entire industry, we didn't give up. And when a major gas line issue recently shut down our kitchen for weeks, we didn't give up.

Perhaps that's why the story resonates so deeply with us.

Caribbean cultures are built on resilience. Across generations, our islands and coastal communities have weathered storms, overcome adversity, and found ways to rebuild while never losing sight of what matters most: community, hospitality, and hope for tomorrow.

That spirit has always been part of Anchor.

For ten years, you've celebrated life's biggest moments with us. First dates, anniversaries, graduations, reunions, promotions, and countless evenings spent with friends. Through every challenge and every success, you've been there with us, and for that, we are profoundly grateful.

Raising Glasses
(The Celebration)

June 16 marks ten years since Karl Franz Williams (https://www.instagram.com/mrkarlfranz/) opened the doors to the reimagined Anchor Spa and began the next chapter in the history of this iconic New Haven institution.

We'll kick off the evening with a special VIP Reception and Fundraiser benefiting Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) (https://deskct.org/) , an organization doing incredible work in our community. Then, beginning at 8:00 PM, our doors will open to the public as we celebrate ten years of Anchor with the people who made it possible.

Over the coming days, we'll continue sharing details about the full Anniversary Week and all the special events we have planned. But mark your calendars for

Like the Knicks last night, we're still fighting. Like the communities that inspire us, we're still dreaming. And ten years later, we're still standing.

Here's to the next chapter.

Cheers,

The Anchor Team

Click here for an update from The Anchor Spa!

06/04/2026

Celebrating 10 Years by Giving Back

As we begin celebrating for our 10-year anniversary, we're excited to officially announce a partnership that is especially meaningful to us.

Throughout Anniversary Week, Anchor Spa will be raising funds and awareness for Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) (https://deskct.org/) , a New Haven nonprofit that has been serving people experiencing homelessness and poverty since 1987 through food assistance, outreach, and community-based support services.

For nearly a century, the Anchor has been a place where people come together. As we celebrate ten years of stewardship under our ownership, it felt important to recognize an organization that helps ensure our neighbors have access to food, dignity, community, and support when they need it most.

We'll be continuing to share additional details about ways you can participate and support DESK throughout the week, but we'll be using proceeds and fundraising that entire week to support this incredibly critical organization.

A Sneak Peek at Anniversary Week

We're still putting the finishing touches on Anniversary Week - but trust us, there's more to come!

Over the next few days, we'll be announcing additional events, special guests, collaborations, fundraising opportunities, and a few surprises along the way. But we couldn't wait any longer to give you a sneak peek at what we're planning.

Tuesday, June 16
10th Anniversary Reception & DESK Fundraiser
We'll officially kick off our anniversary week with a special reception for community leaders, elected officials, media, partners, and supporters while launching our fundraising efforts for DESK (https://www.instagram.com/deskct/) .

Thursday, June 18
Guest Shift with Marcio Ramos | 7 PM – 9 PM
A full-circle moment.

Marcio Ramos (https://www.instagram.com/mr.shakewiththeright/) began his hospitality journey with Karl at our sister bar, 67 Orange Street in Harlem. He now works at Sip & Guzzle (https://www.instagram.com/sipandguzzlenyc/) in New York, recently named North America's Best Bar.

Join us as Marcio brings his magig behind the bar at Anchor for one night only.

Friday, June 19
Juneteenth Celebration & Official Anniversary Party
We'll celebrate Juneteenth with an evening centered around community, culture, and connection.

The festivities begin with a special Happy Hour on the Plaza in partnership with Downtown NHV (https://www.instagram.com/downtownnhv/) and continue with our Official 10th Anniversary Party at Anchor Spa.

And because no anniversary celebration would be complete without a few surprises, we'll also be welcoming a very special guest whose connection to the Anchor story makes this moment even more meaningful.

You'll have to stay tuned for that announcement.

Sunday, June 21
Father's Day BBQ | 2 PM – 5 PM
We'll close out Anniversary Week with a Father's Day BBQ gathering.

Bring Dad, bring friends, and join us for one final celebration before we wrap up an unforgettable week.

Click here for an update from The Anchor Spa!

06/02/2026

Why Ten Years Matters

When the Anchor closed in 2015, New Haven made it clear this wasn't just another bar. More than 2,000 people signed a petition to save it!

In comes Yale alum Karl Franz Williams (https://www.instagram.com/mrkarlfranz/) , who reopened the space in 2016 (before the gray hair and three wonderful kids). But he wasn't simply opening a restaurant. He was helping preserve a piece of New Haven history. The original name stayed. The iconic façade stayed. The booths stayed. Most importantly, the spirit stayed.

Ten years later, the Anchor remains one of downtown New Haven's most distinctive gathering places, the city's only Black-owned bar downtown, and a place where students, neighbors, artists, hospitality workers, and visitors continue to gather under the same glowing sign.

In the coming days, we'll share more details about what we have planned to celebrate (you won't want to miss any of it so stay tuned here and on our socials). We'll also be sharing some candid stories that take you on a journey through the last ten years of Anchor Spa - one year at a time. We'll talk about the triumphs, challenges, unforgettable moments, and the people who helped shape this chapter.

But for now, as we prepare to celebrate this milestone, our first thought is simple:
THANK YOU!

Thank you to every guest who has shared a cocktail at our bar, celebrated a milestone, hosted an event, brought a friend, recommended us to a visitor, or simply chosen to spend an evening with us.

Thank you to our incredible staff—past and present—whose talent, hospitality, creativity, and hard work have shaped the Anchor into what it is today. From bartenders and servers to cooks, managers, DJs, musicians, and everyone in between, you have all helped write this chapter of the Anchor's story.

This anniversary belongs to all of you.

Click here for an update from The Anchor Spa!

05/27/2026

In town for the 2026 Innovation Summit? Make Anchor a part of your experience.

Surely you grabbed one of those Black Passport books given out by as you were taking in all those nuggets of wisdom!

If so, you'll see the Anchor is listed in there with a FREE Happy Hour cocktail with your purchase of any Entrée or Appetizer on our regular menu.

05/22/2026

Welcome back to campus
Yale Class of 96!

Thirty years later, the city may look a little different, but some things are still best experienced gathered around a great cocktail with old friends.

And what better way to celebrate your reunion weekend than at another Yale alum’s establishment? Sure, Karl is Class of ’97… but for this weekend only, we won’t hold that against him.

To celebrate the Class of ’96, we’re offering a few reunion weekend specials all weekend long at the Anchor.

This weekend feels especially meaningful to us because it’s a celebration of milestones all around. While the Yale Class of ’96 celebrates 30 years, we’re also approaching a major milestone of our own. It's been 10 years since Yale alum Karl Franz Williams took over the historic Anchor and restored it into the vibrant gathering space it is today.

What started as a vision to preserve an iconic New Haven institution has grown into something truly special for both the Yale and greater New Haven communities — a place where people from all walks of life come together over cocktails, music, food, culture, and conversation.

And if you’re local, or planning another trip back to town next month, stay tuned. We’re currently planning a very special 10 Year Anniversary celebration this summer and can’t wait to share more soon.

Specials available exclusively for Yale Reunion guests with reunion credentials.

Come raise a glass with us this weekend.

Click here for an update from The Anchor Spa!

05/16/2026

Congrats Yale Class of 2026 🥂!

For generations, students have passed through New Haven while the Anchor has remained part of the rhythm and spirit of this city, and we're deeply honored to help carry that legacy forward.

As we get closer to celebrating 10 years at the helm of Anchor, weekends like this remind us exactly what the Anchor is all about - community, celebration, culture, music, and of course cocktails!

Come make memories that stay with you long after you leave New Haven.

And tonight, enjoy the amazing sounds of starting at 10pm for a night you won't forget!

05/16/2026

Congrats to the Yale 2026 Grads!

After four years of late nights, big ideas, unforgettable friendships, and somehow surviving New Haven winters… the finish line is finally here. Congratulations to the Yale Class of 2026!

Tonight feels especially meaningful for us at the Anchor. Long before it became what it is today, Anchor's owner Karl Franz Williams (https://www.instagram.com/mrkarlfranz/) was walking these same streets as a Yale student himself — graduating back in 1997 (which somehow sounds both like yesterday and about 100 years ago at the same time). The Anchor has long been part of New Haven’s story, and being entrusted with continuing that legacy for a new generation of students and guests is something we never take lightly.

And now, as we get ready to celebrate our own milestone - 10 years of stewarding this historic space this summer - moments like graduation weekend remind us exactly why we do this. The Anchor has always been about people, memories, culture, music, community, and those nights you somehow never forget.

So before you pack up and leave New Haven behind, come spend one more night with us at this iconic institution. There are no private events tonight, just our amazing team, great cocktails, good food, and the kind of atmosphere that feels distinctly Anchor.