Portsmouth Publick House
600 Clocktower Sq, Portsmouth, RI, 02871
Portsmouth Publick House Menu
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Burgers
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Burgers
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Address :
600 Clocktower Sq
Portsmouth, RI, 02871 - Phone (401) 682-2600
- Website https://www.portsmouthpublickhouse.com/index.html
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dessert
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Dominic W.
We came here without reading prior reviews - what a mistake. "Oyster bar and grille" I expected a lot more seafood than just $1 oysters, $1 little necks, and shrimp. We got the pasta with little necks - it came with only 6 small clams (yet charged $16) with overcooked little pieces of clam in the pasta. Barely seasoned, I needed to add so much salt I thought I was crazy. 4 out of 6 of the clams were so sandy I had to spit it out. Read these reviews - it really says a lot about a place! Ways to improve: clean the clams better, please add more seasoning?
(2)Joan S.
I am so sad to write this as I live 2 minutes from here. Have tried them 4 times hoping each time the experience would improve, but each time was subsequently worse. Food: everything we have tried on the menu had either been overcooked or undercooked. Or items we wanted weren't available. Service: at the bar, it was good, but at a table very poor. and timing was off. Went there with a party of 4. Took 45 minutes to get apps and dinner came out 5 minutes later. Overall I have this place 4 tries before writing this. If you are looking for good food in the area, have had great meals at fieldstones the last few years and the other night had an amazing dinner at Roberto's in Bristol Sorry publick house.
(1)Tim L.
Do not come here if you are looking for quick service or expect to get your order right.... It's Thursday night....not too busy... Ordered an appetizer... Which never came... Our burgers came... Mine was undercooked... Sent it back and it came back overcooked! Huh????? Drink service was S.... L...O....W....!! But hey.....they offered me a free desert......wow... thanks.... Avoid this place unless you're sitting at the bar, or on Friday nights for the free oysters!!!!!!
(1)Hank D.
Excellent spot for breakfast and lunch. The service was great and the food was prepared perfectly! Use the 10 percent coupon and it's worth the trip! The atmosphere is calm and comfortable.
(4)Sara S.
After hearing from my parents how good the Portsmouth Publick House is my brother and I tried it ourselves. We used a Groupon. Service was friendly and attentive! The food was also great. For an appetizer we had shrimp cocktail and for dinner we had a Cobb salad with chicken, chourico and pepper calzone, tortelini with cheese sauce and truffle fries. Everything was great and big portions. I will definitely be back again soon! Also, the dessert is delicious.
(4)Frank H.
I visited for the first time today and the breakfast was subpar. The potatoes were fried too hard and my flap jacks were dry. The link sausages and cold water eere my favorites! The customer service from my waitress Lauren was much better than the food. I would not recommend this to my friends or family. Mahalo.
(2)Stacy Q.
Great local place! Went for dinner last night for the first time and had a their "stuffy cakes" for an appetizer (cross between a stuffie and a crab cake. Very interesting and tasty!), a "thanksgiving feast" sandwich (lived up to it's name), a beer (nice selection available) and tiramisu martini for dessert. The service was a little slow but very friendly. While there I noticed they serve coffee as well. So I went back this morning and tried their super caffeinated "zombie killer" coffee. It was pricey, but delicious! Again, service was friendly but slow. That's the only thing keeping the place at 4 stars instead of 5 because I loved the food and atmosphere. Perhaps they are short staffed? But it didn't seen to be the quality of the staff because everyone was great. I will definitely return! Maybe I'll be brave and try their raw oysters! I saw they shucking some for quite a few guests so they must be good!
(4)Annette L.
We've been here 3 times over the last month, courtesy of the Groupon special that is still running (and is a pretty good deal so grab it if you can). I honestly avoided this place based on the Yelp reviews alone but after seeing the Groupon deal I figured you can't really screw up a burger now can you? So I purchased the deal and went. I will be honest and say upon arrival I wasn't exactly impressed with the reception we received from the waitress. She warmed up over the course of time, though I still think she should have given a better reception no matter what mood she happens to find herself in at the time a patron is walking in. Their fries are weird and I get that if you don't ask any questions or interact with the server, asking questions regarding their menu - you will be disappointed for sure. Their sweet potato fries are more like potato quarters and baked, not fried. But they are served with a sauce that is pretty good. I think it's was something like brown butter & sugar, sorry forgot the name, but I remember the taste. And it was good. But had I not talked with the server and inquired on what it was, how's it prepared etc - I would have been let down. So I get that part The open face turkey sandwich is very good, it tastes just like a homemade meal. The stuffing & the gravy are so flavorful. I loved it. The Burrata appetizer which is a mozzarella ball, with soft mozzarella like cheese inside is to die for, literally. And not expensive, only $10. It comes with pita style bread cut into triangles, very tasty and lightly baked, served warm with a great pesto sauce served on the side. The only thing I will say is that there isn't enough bread to accommodate the amount of cheese served, but I didn't realize this the first time around. I only recognized that after returning the next week & ordered the same appetizer for the 2nd time. When the waitress, who is an awesome young 20'ish girl - Lauren - asked how it was I told her it was awesome but the chef should consider including more bread. She said she'd definitely mention that & if we come again just be sure to ask her to include more bread and we will. The one thing that is a definite problem is the wait drinks/martinis. Very slow. But since we have been 3 times now we now know to order another drink expecting at least a 10 min wait, maybe longer if it's really busy - which usually it is since we typically go on a Friday night. Don't let the nasty reviews on here deter you from trying the place out, especially if you are smart enough to use the Groupon deal they still have going on. It's a great savings. It's tough being an entrepeneur. It's even tougher when you have the social media platforms to contend with.
(3)Chanel G.
Loved this place. Service was great. Employees were so nice and attentive. Our waitress answered all my questions knowledgeably and made us feel very welcome and not rushed. The food was AH MAZE ING!!! My husband had the ultimate grilled cheeseburger, I had the bison burger. Fresh ingredients very filling and generous pricing. We also had a brownie espresso with marshmallow topping and ice cream. So decadent and yummy. Very roomy place. Nice atmosphere. Definitely returning.
(5)Molly K.
Stopped January 3 for lunch. Food was fabulous. Dollar raw bar and burgers perfect. The service was not. 3 active tables including ours. 3 waitstaff, 2 behind bar. Had to hunt down server twice (sitting at bar) to get refills of coffee, tea, and soda. 4 people standing around register and had to ask to pay; no acknowledgment of presence. Pretty dismal folks there today.
(2)Craig L.
Food very nice. Service really really really really poor. 30 minutes for table (OK), then 2 hours for app, entree and check. And gratuity fixed at 20% for a party of 2!
(2)Louise S.
Make sure you are charged the price as it appears on the menu. We were over charged on an entre by $3. You have to watch these people.
(2)Helen. M.
Stopped in this morning for breakfast , left this morning before being seated!! Asked to sit on patio --wait person said NO , I can't walk that far. Then after waiting 5 minutes we asked if the table was ready -- we got a roll of the eyes and another NO. Then we all left.
(1)Becky S.
First trip to here, I used a Groupon and think half of Portsmouth did also. They were not ready for the amount of people who came last night. When arrived we were told 10 minute wait. No problem. No one took our name. Many prep Pole came in after is and all were told the same thing. We waited 45 minutes for a table. The outside for pit was going and we were offered outside seating immediately but turned out down because it was cold outside. I ordered the "world famous tomato and basil soup" I asked the waitress what makes it works famous. She said because it's homemade and it is very good. That does not make something world famous. But it was very good. Loved the feta cheese in it. I also had the seared scallops. They were big tender, tasted great. The scallops sat on a need of very flavorful risotto. Great meal. Husband had lobster Mac and cheese. He said it was okay, but probably would not order again. The service was very slow . we waited about 35 minutes to get my soup then another 30 minutes for our meal. That's why it took so long to get a table. Food was hot which I like. Place was clean, back door was open on our way out saw into the kitchen. It looked clean, everyone had hair nets and gloves on. Will give this place another try but not on a Friday night
(4)Ava M.
Service was good but food was shakey. Barbecue sauce in quesadilla overly sugarey. Stuffed french toast soggy/ over saturated in toppings. Caesar salad served undressed without parmesan or croutons. $2 upcharge for bacon on burger gets you one slice. Waitress did her best with service recovery but food was not great.
(2)Paul C.
My wife and I have been twice, December 2013 and December 2014. We were not to impressed the first time, but like most places you give them a 2nd chance, and when a groupon came available with a further 20% it was time to give it another go. The quaisdilla we split for a starter was bland, runny and to be honest the worst we had ever tried. My wife had the roast turkey club, it was sandwich meat not fresh roasted turkey , the two slices of bacon with it were burnt. . I had the Abbey burger, i hate the roll they serve it with, the chili was bland, roll was soggy and the peddler fries we both had like the last time we were there, were not cooked enough, they needed at least another 5 minutes in the fryer. Considering they have a renown chef in there, i think it is pretty poor, i think overall they fail to execute what on paper looks a good menu.
(2)Stephen L.
Came to PPH this evening (when our first restaurant try had a 45-minute wait). It was our first visit since the transformation from Custom House Coffee. By the time the meal was done, we were dedicated fans! We really enjoyed the $1 raw bar - where else can you get a 5-shrimp cocktail for $5? Oysters at a buck a shuck. I had the Scallop Ceviche appetizer, which was extraordinary! The "Catch of the Day" was salmon, which was memorable. The "From the Butcher Block" steak filet tips skewer was excellent and cooked to perfection, melt in your mouth good. To top it all off, the two young ladies providing live music (every Saturday night, 7-9) made the evening very special. We were delighted! We WILL be back!
(5)Robin M.
This is just a sad, sad place. And my first and only experience there was dismal across the board. My lady friends and I decided to try something new for our annual holiday get together lunch. After some back and forth we all agreed to give this place a try. I hadn't been in since it was the Custom House Coffee establishment. First off I ascertained after entering that they had revamped the interior, and the overall feel was bland and seemed to have lost something in the translation. But beggars can't be choosers, as they say-- Portsmouth is lacking when it comes to divining out, unfortunately. The so called ambiance is what it is, hopefully the food will make up for what might be lacking, or so I thought. The menu looked unique, and promising-- so much so that all of us had a difficult time making our minds up on what we should order. In the meantime, we placed our drinks order. Which took almost 30 mins to arrive. Although the place was only moderately busy, we came to find out later in the meal that they were understaffed. The drinks were nothing to write home about: my friend's Cosmo tasted of juice minus the kick...was gross...No garnishes. Nothing. Come to find out the cook was also trying to put together mixed drinks. It showed...the food was bleh. I ordered a Caesar salad that was just ok. And a build your own burger with Cheddar Cheese and Bacon. The burger arrived with cheese, no bacon, and really seemed more like I was eating a meatloaf burger, as the seasoning reminded me of that as did the consistency of the beef itself. The peddler fries, which accompanied my order were just plain gross, undercooked, strange in their consistency. I won't bother to continue in describing the further unfolding of our outing here at the Publick House, as I truly don't want to waste my time or energy, but will close by stating that the experience overall was a big disappointment, and I am dismayed as to why the owners of this establishment haven't taken heed of the poor ratings from most other reviewers that have posted here in the past year. Not having their act together makes it appear as if they don't care. Or perhaps it is truly just a case of ineptitude. Either way, I don't think it bodes well for this restaurant's outcome in the future. Suffice to say that if it all came down to the issues listed with the drink(s), I could look the other way, but my friends weren't especially impressed as well food wise. The bartender did appear when we were finishing up. And she apologized profusely about the issue with my girlfriend's drink (same beforehand with our waitress) She actually arrived at our table with a fresh drink and comped my friend. Nice gesture, I thought. Which truly, it was. Right before our departure, All of us passed the new drink around to sample, and compare to the first. And this second time around, it came relatively cold, along with the garnish, a rotten brown lime slice which sat gracing the rim of the new glass... Enough said.
(2)Will G.
I have had the food from them many many times and what can I say but FANTASTiC! Each new dish is better than the last! Chef George is also a great guy!
(5)John L.
Had a good meal there last night. Service was attentive, had the burrata appetizer, braised short rib sandwich and wild boar sausage. All washed down with a couple of good craft beers. Going to try the Free Oyster Friday deal next.
(3)Stephanie K.
SERIVE IS TERRIBLE.... way to slow and very unfamiliar with their own menu (they need to go back to the kitchen to ask every question) Menu is very limited and do not have much vegetarian options other than a salad. The space itself is adorable and welcoming but overall not impressed.
(2)Thomas Z.
I wish I could tell you that the food here is good but after waiting over 45 minutes for our sandwiches to arrive my guest and I had enough, paid for the coffee and left. I asked the waitress 3 times to check on our lunches but got no reply until we were leaving and was then told that they were being worked on. Too late, we left.
(1)Peter D.
The food and service was horrible waited an hour for burgers and nachos not to mention real expensive and they give 5 French frys with your burgers. Waitress had no clue what she was doing. If I wasn't with my coworker I would have spoken with a manager I never had such a bad experience at a restaurant . This place is differently up there with worst restaurants. I don't recommend going there and I will never go there again.
(1)Jill D.
We loved it the first time, so we went back with kids. We told waitress we were in a hurry because of work. I think that slowed her down. When she brought our food over I told her that it wasn't what I ordered. She told me that I was wrong and I ordered it. She went to kitchen and the cooks were fast and fixed her mistake. And she brought out our forgotten potatoes too food was good but waitress was rude. So I went home and a few days later contacted place via website. No response. I waited a couple of days and I sent them another msg. I got an email back with explanation for rudeness was employees have been sick and out...so short staffed. Lucky we went when it was slow they didn't even offer 10% off next visit or anything. Won't go back. Not the way to run a business.
(1)luna r.
hate to dog a local restaurant, but i think they can (and should) do better. a bunch of us shared some of the entrees. for the most part, the food was underseasoned and cold (the polenta with the mushroom ragu - i'm looking at you). i think the ideas are there, but the execution doesn't quite hold up. the burger, on the other hand, was decent, especially with the farm cheese - yum!
(2)Barry B.
Horrible service and staff was completely lost in the kitchen and especially the waiting staff. Went in for breakfast and waited to be seated, waited to get coffee waited for food. 35 minutes later never received coffee, food wasn't even started, folks where waiting to be seated 30 mins or more and the place had hardly anybody in it. Tables were dirty, staffs clothes were dirty, floors filthy. If this site would allow it I would give zero stars!
(1)Dean W.
Well, we really tried to like this. This place used to be Custom Coffee House...and I loved coming here for a good coffee, decent breakfast, and comfortable chairs by the fire place for relaxing, reading, and conversing. Whoever is running the place now has managed to take a good thing and destroy it. Maybe that's why none of the previous staff was anywhere in sight - too embarrassed. First was the mass confusion about how/where to order. Initially we were told we had to sit down to order. So we sat at the bar. Then the bar folks told us we had to order at the counter - where we started in the first place. 30 minutes later we got the breakfast burrito. Not sure how the breakfast burrito could be completed before a latte...which took 40 minutes and two requests to actually get. By now ravenous, it was all I could do to choke down the straight from the freezer lukewarm sausage. So, after paying $15 for a mediocre latte, a revolting wrap, and wasting an hour, I had to leave to go get breakfast. Oh, and did I mention all the comfortable chairs were gone? Bottom line, this used to be a regular stop...doubt I'll ever come back. Don't waste your time or money.
(1)Anne M.
Fabulous Publick House on the side of the road in Portsmouth. Great cozy brick outside patio area with tables & umbrellas. Bar area is spacious & there's 2 other indoor dining areas plus the outdoor patio. Service was really great: super fast, & friendly! Oysters were from the James River/ Richmond VA. were fresh & delish!
(4)Gus C.
Not a whole lot of restaurant selections in North Newport county, and this place does not appear to care much about their customers. I physically visited the place twice in attempts to make a reservation (for 25 people), both times the Manager was unable to meet me. Both times my contact information was given to the server; no call back from the Manager. Finally, 3 days later, I actually called TO MAKE the reservation; waitress put me on hold and FINALLY Jon (Manager) got on the phone. After a small discussion, the reservation never happened. Jon insisted on a $350 non-refundable deposit for reserving whatever tables they would sit us on?? I had no problem putting down a deposit, but I did have a problem with the non-refundable part. I tried to negotiate but no dice. I even mentioned that we could be placed (sat) elsewhere, but as we all know, their layout does not have a whole lot of options for a large party--so I guess I should pay the $350 just to sit there. All I wanted was a reservation for 25 people, at 530pm, on a Friday. I guess business is so good on a Friday, that they are willing to pass on my group reservation. Not to mention all the negative reviews listed here in Yelp as of late; I've been here before, but stopped coming due to bad food quality; recent Yelp reviews show not much has changed- food is still plain, bland, poorly presented, Manager is also the cook (no eyes on the dining floor) and if it wasn't for their recent groupon offers, I would've never gone back. I went back to try it (w a groupon, hoping the quality had improved), but it was still the same quality. I tried offering my business (25 people reservation), but it was almost as if I was begging them to take my business. This place does not compare to Fieldstones, or Melville Grille, both within 1.5 miles from Publick House. We ended up booking at Melville Grille, who was very accommodating (unfortunately Fieldstones was too small). About the only thing Publick house has going for itself is the cheap raw bar, their wide beer selection, and lack of competition here in Portsmouth. Their quality would flop in Newport, not to mention Chicago, San Diego, Minneapolis and all other places where I have posted Yelp reviews from. I came here once to discover (since I live in the neighborhood)- no good! Came back because of a groupon- disappointed again. Tried coming back a 3rd time with a large group- not very welcomed! Good luck!
(1)Derek C.
Been here quite a few times and I'm always a little disappointed. Seems like it gets worse every time. Service gets slower, food gets a little poorer, and I might not go there again. The dining room is lovely, the outside fire-pit is charming and the menu is original and interesting, but the execution is way below par. the last few times we've gone, we intentionally set aside a lot more time as we expect the service to be excruciatingly slow. We know that someone at the table will get a meal that is so tasteless that they won't be able to eat it, but also many of us will be happy, and occasionally someone get something terrific, but it's so hit and miss that we never know. This location has incredible potential but I fear that it will fail soon as the level of inconsistency and slow service is more than most people will bear. It's a real shame as there are so few places in Portsmouth, but I guess the captive audience mentality has led to this "good enough" attitude.
(2)Jason L.
I just wasted my time. In fact, I'm still in the parking lot writing this. I sat at the bar to try the raw bar. The bartender approaches as he wipes his face and nose with his arm. I sat in front of the raw bar person who is shucking oysters. I order my oysters as the this man keeps wiping his face and nose. At least this guy is wearing gloves. After my order is in, the waitress orders a dozen oysters. The Oyster shucking guy never makes my order and takes 20 minutes to make the dozen. This place is unsanitary workers and not a coordinated staff. Good luck if you decide to try it. It's not worth the time.
(1)Cee D.
This place will not be in business for much longer. It was the worst restaurant experience that I ever had. 1) we called ahead of time and asked for a 4:00 reservation (since it was Father's day,we thought it was best) we were asked to come at 4:30 just to be safe. 2) since we were in the area sooner we called and asked to come in earlier they said ok. 3)we arrived to an almost empty parking lot - curious since our original request was moved to 4:30 - whatever. We walked past the kitchen where (2 people were outside smoking) 4) There were only 2 other parties of 3 seated, but we were asked to wait by the hostesss until she ..............I do not know why she just didn't seat us in an almost empty restaurant - whatever. 5) sat us next to a table that was piled with dirty dishes - again curious, it's slow, why is there a dirty table and why did you sit us right next to it. 6) Paper menu's were handed to us (they were stained, EWWWW!) 7) gum chewing server took our order, brought drinks and then disappeared for 10 minutes which was unfortunate, because we decided to order something from the raw bar - which did not happen since it would have been too close to when we would get our main order, missed sale opportunity for the restaurant, missed tip opportunity for the server. 8) food arrived, seems like it took a little longer than it should have for a slow day, but whatever, except the server spilled the vegetable on our table and in the drinks, she brought new drinks and apologized. 9) burger and calzone was good, I was unable to eat the overcooked dry baked fish casserole, inedible- without prompting the server took it off our bill 10) When the bill arrived we were charged a $4 fee for "extra chicken" which we did not ask for or receive - again, it was SLOW, how are you screwing up a bill we pointed this out and she took it off the bill, saying she got confused. 11) As we were walking out I see 2 male staff members eating at the bar in full black chef's uniforms with black striped pants and also a woman who worked there chowing at the bar. 12) When we were leaving, I see 2 men at the back kitchen door smoking and the other waitress standing by the back door texting. I called later that evening and asked to speak with a manager, the man on the phone told me he did not think that there was on duty. THE WORST RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE EVER We did use a groupon, thankfully it softened the blow. I concur with Traci V from 2/15 and Kevin V from 5/15
(1)M. A.
My GF and I were seated.... And 22 minutes went by without any further acknowledgement, no water, no hello, nothing. completely ignored. After we left... And we're waiting for the friends who were meeting us in the parking lot.... The waiter who say us brought out the waitress who said she never saw us, didn't know we were her table. I find that difficult to believe as my GF is transgendered, and we were both wearing cat ear hair clips. Right next to a large table of women who WERE being served, on a slow shift. I'm a server. Perhaps she was being truthful. In which case, she was just a terrible server, and I hope she improves. I'm surprised none of her coworkers touched the table to check, either if that's the case. I suspect the only person who genuinely was concerned was the gentleman who sat us in the first place. Our friends showed up... They are also trans ladies... And we decided to go elsewhere. I hated seeing my gf have her feelings hurt. The Melville Grille instead was very nice, welcoming, and professional.... Thanks Kathleen. :)
(1)Steven A.
This place is one of my local favorites. It may of had a few growing pains but it's consistent with delicious food at a great price. Menu changes often so lots of variety. I recommend the $1 oysters and bet. The Greek pizza was also fantastic.
(4)Meredith B.
$1 Oysters, little necks, and shrimp! The raw bar was fresh, clams and oysters were well shucked, and clean. Friendly service, nice atmosphere and a great seasonal beer selection on tap...this was exactly what I was looking for. Will definitely be back.
(4)Ariana C.
I only gave this place two stars for the server who was fast and the draft beer. We ordered a burger that extremely greasy and a chili cheese hot dog that was too difficult to eat because the bread was hard and old. The fries were just as old and super greasy. I won't be coming here again. I'll make sure that my fellow sailors don't waste their money here either.
(2)James R.
Stopped in after a day at Eastern Beach in Newport. My girlfriend and I didn't want to spend too much at any of the pricey newport restaurants so we hopped over to portsmouth to check this place out. They had a great Groupon and great food to match. The stuffed portobello sandwich was fresh and interesting. The stuffed lobster was also apparently pretty dope. The patio is wonderful, especially the shaded area. The service was friendly and the food came out fast (we were here on a Saturday around 2 so after the typically lunch rush, admittedly). Definitely check this place out, folks!
(5)Justin B.
Skip the $1 raw bar. Worst shrimp and oysters I have ever had. The fish tacos had tilapia! not even a local fish... I don't understand how a business on Aquidneck Island could use seafood that's not local. The service was slow but friendly. The chef did come out and apologize for the long wait. The outdoor patio was very nice but it's located adjacent to Rt 114 and every motorcycle that drove by make every conversation impossible to hear. The concept is great but the location is terrible. I wanted to like this place but left disappointed.
(2)Ruben A.
Came in with a class of 13 people and Lauren our waitress she was amazing and she catered to everything we needed so early in the morning. Unfortunately the breakfast was horrible. The pancakes were the worst I have ever had! And the home fries tasted as if they were made days before all of ours were extremely hard. The only saving grace here was the service the food is horrendous!
(3)Traci V.
In their defense the food is really very good but the service is just repeatedly dreadful, inattentive and sloppy. when the food is of such a great standard, it so close to home ( so convenient ) it is sad that we will not return again because of the service. they really need to sort this out.
(2)Robert L.
It is a a hit or miss kinda place. They are kinda expensive for sometimes decent food. $1 oysters are great all day every day. They have some ge w at beer and some huge tummy desserts. But the food can let you down. I never go unless I have a Groupon for it.
(3)Chris S.
Bought the groupon deal to give it a try. Our waitress was extremely polite and very good to my two year old son. The food was ok. Nothing special. Waited 25 minutes for a omelet. My wife ordered eggs benedict and asked for the eggs fried instead of poached. The waitress said sure and I even saw her write it down. When the food came out...the eggs was poached and she didn't eat it. Also, saw a customer walk right in and sit down(even though there is a big sign saying wait to be seated) The waitresses then were yelled at by management for not taking care of the man, which was obviously, not their fault. Other then, very good, polite wait staff, this place failed my expectations.
(3)Robert S.
Great ambiance, nice selection of sandwiches, burgers, beers, coffees and pastries. Located right off RI-114 it has a great location with ample parking. I had the turkey club and the bacon was crispy and warm, the wheat bread was toasted nicely and the chips were all fresh and crispy. A great place to stop for a nice meal in the Portsmouth area...
(4)Marja L.
Don't waste your money. I had scallops served over a portabella mushroom risotto. The dish was terrible. There were only four small scallops - one of which was still raw in the center - and the risotto was cold and didn't have any mushroom in it. My friend ordered a side of sweet potato fries with her meal. The waitress came back to the table to tell us that they only had enough for half an order and would it be ok if they substituted the other half with regular fries. She only got ONE, burnt sweet potato fry, and they charged us for two sides of fries - one sweet and one regular.
(1)Kurt W.
The turkey burger was boring, they cut an onion and stuck the large slice on the meat. The taste was bland and dry. The peddler fries needed to be cooked longer. I will just asked for it to be grilled longer. Don't worry we will come back to try other things.
(3)Kim B.
I was really excited to try this... Portsmouth hasn't seen a new restaurant that lasts, or is good for a while. Upon walking in, I was slightly confused as to what the purpose of it was. it was set up like a bakery, with chocolates, cupcakes, cakes etc. in a display. But then they have a huge dining section and bar right next to it. Are they trying to be a cafe or a restaurant? Mixing both just seemed weird... I don't want my cupcakes to smell like the Free Oysters served the night before. While the idea is good for integrating two services, I think it would best serve them to have a separate "cafe" part than the dining part. I came a little earlier than the rest of my party, and waited at the door for them to come. In the 4 minutes that I waited, I had abut 3-4 different people ask me if I needed anything. I will say the service is definitely above average. The ambiance is light, and feels like a cafe. Which is good if you are there for sandwiches, but awkward when you are there on a date. They have a great fireplace that is an awesome centerpiece to the room, and divides it into 2 dining sections, making the room feel much smaller than it is. We came for the trivia night, but I also was getting dinner. The menu had a wide range of choices... from fish, to pizza, to sandwiches... which could be good or bad. Does the wide range mean everything is frozen, and thats why it is easy to have no specialty foods? Or does it mean that it actually is all very good. The group I was with had been there for sandwiches, and said they were "nothing to come back to". I ordered the pizza and it wasn't any better than a frozen one from Elvio's, which isn't even good to begin with. It had way too much sauce, and barely any dough. It was huge though, so that was a benefit. Our server was really really intrigued with this game of trivia, and lingered too long, too many times. We expected that they would sit in and join with us. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, having too friendly of staff, but our table was already full. I do want to come back and try other things, I have hope and want this place to be good. Nut I wouldn't recommend anyone to come here for food yet. The trivia was fun and we got 2nd place... I would come back for trivia.
(2)Eric K.
This is me & my wife's 6th time eating here.The last three times there has been all kinds of problems. ...unfriendly waitstaff. ..food wrong.....bill wrong ....food not nearly as good....changed the delishous homemade fries (now they use frozen) mmm! They have gone downhill and we will not be going back!
(1)Chris A.
Food and atmosphere were good, service was not. If there was a kid's menu, we didn't see it (went with our 2 kids). Wait-time for food was average. The restaurant was not busy but our initial service, to include getting our check, was slow. Side note: I had to open my own bottle of beer...a first in my eating-out experiences. The atmosphere and food saved the review from being 1-2 stars.
(3)Lauren D.
The food was very Americanized. Kale and corn in the dumplings? The wings were not spicy at all. The only good things was the service, our waitress was very sweet.
(2)Dennis G.
Wish I had read this before going in, so I could have avoided the place. This restaurant holds true to the low scoring reviews. Slow to be seated, with poor service from kitchen. Two separate waitpersons came by to say food was coming in a minute, meanwhile 15 more minutes passed after they spotted me looking for them. The owner huddled in the corner when asked to come over, I had to approach him to go see what was up in the kitchen. Apologized and went to kitchen to check on our food. It finally came...WRONG! Ho-Hum menu, long wait, wrong order, ambivalent owner. Food bill was comped, but they charged me for an ice tea $2.79) ...go figure. I don't care abut the $, it's the time and angst associated with the experience. Waitress did say new menu would start Friday, I wonder what that will do to the kitchen? There were more people working than patrons, this place can't last unless they are making a killing at the well stocked bar!
(1)Nikki I.
We have been here twice since the dinner menu was added hoping to find a new local spot. Unfortunately, we have not had the best experiences so far. Both times we went in for dinner the items we ordered from the menu were no longer available. If they are unable to stock enough of the item to make it through 8pm on a Friday night then it should by be on there. I hope they work out these kinks soon as I really want this place to last!
(2)Evan G.
First, the quality and variety of this restaurant drastically improved sometime over the summer of 2014. I'd love to know if the restaurant changed hands, chefs, directions, etc. whatever the cause, it's been a gift to Portsmouth. I found Publick House terrific for a night out for dinner and drinks with friends. The outdoor patio and fire pit are perfect after-work get-away even on a chilly day. The dinner options are delicious and varied enough to satisfy all tastes. I especially enjoy the "electrified beers" section of the drinks menu. Ciders with shots of caramel vodka and the like, very tasty. The Thursday trivia night seems to be becoming fairly popular with the locals. It's been great for large groups like co-workers, friends, and family.
(5)Matt M.
As part-time Portsmouth residents, my wife and I have...."experienced" the transformation of the Portsmouth Publick House and, as with the review I gave of it under its previous name, I so very badly want to give this place a good review, but the restaurant stubbornly continues to miss in some very big and very specific ways. After multiple less-than-satisfying experiences with this restaurant as it was undergoing its "transformation" into the Portsmouth Publick House, we agreed we simply wouldn't go back; the lack of organization both in the front and back of the house, combined with food that was often simply not very good, found us leaving the place feeling underwhelmed and, quite honestly, stressed out by the experience. Recently, as we were leaving the gym on an early Sunday afternoon, we realized we were ravenous and, as the restaurant is literally dead amidships on the long walk/short drive between our house and our gym, we decided to give the place another chance...and the experience was delightful. The staff was warm and professional and the food was, at the very least, better-than-average. My wife's turkey club sandwich was a standout, by any measure... Thinking that, maybe....just MAYBE, the place had turned the corner, I stopped in again this morning for an early breakfast while running errands and.....well.....was flung right back to the godawful experience I'd grown to expect from previous experiences. Some of the waitstaff simply make for an unnecessarily unpleasant and stressful experience. As much as I hate to phrase it this way, some of the behavior I experienced was simply abrasive and unprofessional. When placing my order I was "educated" on what the new name of the item I was ordering was, in the same fashion that everyone in front of and behind me was "educated" on what this restaurant thought was acceptable for their order; for example, it was made clear waitstaff WOULD NOT put anything (cream, sugar, etc.) into the patron's coffee...that was the customers' job. While waiting for my order, one member of waitstaff barked orders out to colleagues who seemed as unimpressed with this person as I was, and even went so far as to call a colleague an "idiot" directly in front of me!! When my food arrived, which it did quickly (unlike several of my other experiences with this place) it was better-than-average, but....enter the waitperson you don't want to deal with, who tried to engage in banter I was simply uninterested in and insisted on making sure I was properly educated on how things are in the Portsmouth Publick House. As with previous experiences, I couldn't wait to get out of there. Unless and until the restaurant makes some serious decisions on some of the more challenging members of their customer-facing staff, we will have a hard time justifying a return to the Portsmouth Publick House. I truly don't like giving this place a less-than-stellar review and part of me truly hopes the management/ownership would read this review and take what's in it as the constructive criticism it's meant to be. This restaurant has many of the parts needed to be the kind of "go-to" place people like my wife and I would visit regularly, but, man.....they need to address those "other" parts...and fast...
(2)Kevin V.
Sat down and the bar, and couldn't get anyone to take my order or even say hello. Only 1 other customer was at the bar. Not very busy at all.
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