Very warm welcoming from the host/owner. Interior is modern but cozy. We both got the Bife a…read morePortuguesa (Sirloin served with a savory broth). It was excellent!! My only criticism is I wish the sauce was thicker less broth like...but it was still delicious especially after soaking up the sauce with bread! Our waitress is a long time employee and super friendly! Before we left my husband scheduled a staff dinner for his employees for later this week! We'll be back!!

On a Saturday evening my 6:00 reservation was definitely needed. The place was full and even the…read moretwo open seats at the bar when I arrived soon filled. I was escorted to my table and was soon greeted by my waiter Ethan who brought bread and the menus. Bread was just mini white loafs, exceptional only for its absolute freshness. So many places have done away with table bread so this was very much appreciated, but it was way too much for a single diner. The mostly Portuguese menu had much to choose from. I got the Pasteis de Bacalhau appetizer (codfish cakes). The 8 small-sized cakes had a subtly crisp golden brown exterior and a filling that was light in both texture and flavor - less salt cod than in some others would be my guess. This was served with banana peppers and black olives over a bit of lettuce. I liked them but felt a sauce of some sort would have elevated them. I used Red Hot from the table. The entree section was very heavy on the meats, particularly steaks of which there were 8, sirloin, shish ka bob, filet, and t-bone, prepared in a variety of ways. I didn't want a steak and, being in a Portuguese restaurant I wanted something more obviously Portuguese. So I went to the seafood section which was also extensive and found Swordfish Alhinho Style. I asked Ethan about it who replied confidently and correctly that it was a lemony sauce made with a lot of garlic and it is served over the fish which is grilled. Which was exactly correct. He was a great waiter in all respects. The dish was the swordfish, boiled halved potatoes, and broccoli. The fish was generously covered with the lemony garlicky gravy, the garlic in large chunks making up maybe 1/2 of the volume. There was plenty enough left over for the potatoes, which I liked for being just boiled and sliced, not mashed. The only flaw was the broccoli. I'm not sure but it tasted frozen, not fresh. That's a shame because there was a lot of it but it wasn't worth eating. So both the appetizer and entree were very good, and representative of Portuguese cuisine. Not innovative or special in any way but this isn't that kind of restaurant. It's upscale but not "fine dining". You can see that in the table settings too: the napkins are white cloth but the placemats are the paper kind with advertisements on them. But it was a nice atmosphere in spite of the Keno machine and many televisions, and the noise level was moderate. The cocktails used mostly standard brands like Bacardi and Stoli, with a few unusual liqueurs added in. I had a Portuguese Cha Frio (Iced Tea) made with Stoli Citron, Licor Beirao (a Portuguese liqueur), unsweetened tea, and lemon. I liked it and it seemed strong enough. The wine list included a few Portuguese ones by the glass. I didn't think my wine very good but I wanted to stick to the Portuguese theme as much as possible. I liked that it was brought in a carafe that still had some left over after Ethan poured my first glass. The espresso was perfect. No disagreeable sour notes, just pleasantly and slightly bitter, an aroma slightly fruity. As for desserts, I don't think they are made in house, and they aren't particularly Portuguese. My cheesecake (was it Crème Brûlée flavor?) was good, with a semi-dry texture, a layer of caramel on top, and a drizzle of something underneath. So overall I was pretty satisfied with Nuno's. 4.5 stars really. To get that 5th star from me they'd only have to improve the broccoli and add ethnic desserts made in house.

I went to Aliancia Lounge (Ali Lounge) to hang out with friends and have a few drinks. The prices…read moreare great and service is quick and friendly. The down side is besides your simple snack foods (chicken wings, fries, and mozzarella sticks) there is no real food. The atmosphere is a classic dive bar with decent clientel. There is also a DJ on Saturday nights who packs the house for a good time.

Fantastic mini paella best I ever had service was excellent and really cool atmosphereread more

The hospitality & service were great. We sat outside & the staff/management were genuinely…read moreattentive to everyone. The food struggled a bit. The paella was the only star of the four dishes ordered. The steak ordered medium was well, well done & the sauce was sloppy. The calamari was super soggy which likely means the time under the heat lamp was longer than necessary. The choc torte was literally just the plain torte....no whipped cream, berries, etc. Again, very nice, hard-working folk....the food just didnt impress overall

As a native New Englander, I don't say this lightly: this was one of the best seafood meals we've…read morehad in a very long time. Phenomenal oysters and shrimp; seared tuna was stellar! We made the rookie mistake of showing up without a reservation on a Tuesday night, and the restaurant was packed. The hostess, who was in training, handled the situation with such poise. She was warm, thoughtful, and transparent about the 45-minute wait, which we genuinely appreciated. What really set the tone, though, was Will. I later learned he was one of the owners, but you never would have guessed it. He wasn't standing back overseeing the dining room; instead, he was in it, working just as hard as everyone else. He welcomed us personally, empathized, and even offered us a cocktail while we waited. As we sat nearby, we watched him gently coach the hostess in training. There was humor, kindness, and encouragement, balanced with clear expectations: simple reminders like making sure every guest is greeted the moment they walk through the door. It was leadership by example. He carried himself with humility, intention, and a work ethic that he clearly models for his entire team. Watching those interactions made me appreciate the restaurant even before we sat down to eat. By the end of the meal, the wait didn't matter one bit. In fact, after experiencing both the hospitality and the food, we completely understood why the restaurant was full on a Tuesday night. The service was exceptional. I'll update this review once I remember our server's name because she absolutely deserves recognition. She was attentive, incredibly hardworking, and gracefully managed not only our table but the many families with children around us. The manager also stopped by to check on us, and it felt entirely sincere. The model started at the top and was clearly part of their ethos. They were so generous which is why we recommend this spot to anyone visiting the area! The food was every bit as impressive as the service. The shrimp cocktail featured some of the largest, freshest shrimp I've had in years--perfectly chilled and absolutely delicious. The oysters were impeccably fresh and beautifully presented. Every dish reinforced why New England seafood has the reputation it does. Great restaurants serve great food. Exceptional restaurants create a culture that guests can actually feel. This place does both. We'll absolutely be back--and next time, we'll be smart enough to make a reservation.

The Black Whale is one of my favorite local spots! The food is always excellent, the service is…read moreconsistently great, and the sushi is incredibly fresh. My go to is the Everything Roll. Great food, great atmosphere, and always a place I look forward to coming back to.

We were referred by the hotel we were staying at during our wedding anniversary to give them a try…read more I didn't want to make the mistake of not making a reservation as my wife and I were both looking forward to some seafood Best decision ever! So good that we cancelled our reservation we had the next evening elsewhere and came right back. With that being said, let's get right into it. The hostess seated us at a beautiful corner table outside looking out to the ocean and the bridge entrance and skyline of New Bedford. The view was simply amazing. Our waitress Bri was, for lack of a better word? Awesome! She was friendly, patient attentive and made some of the best cocktails my wife and I had and no they weren't watered down like most places do but again, perfect in every way. Right amount of everything. Everything we ordered came hot, fresh and most of all delicious also a reason why we chose to visit a second time. The next visit we were blessed enough to have a table in the exact same location and and again everything was amazing. From our server Peyton, great great guy! To the drinks he made to the food service. What an epic time we had! On behalf of my wife and I I would just like to say THANK YOU so so much for a wonderful anniversary weekend. We are both looking forward to coming back sooner than later. Continue being great. You have our full support!!!

The food is decent, but what happened during our last visit completely overshadowed it. My…read morehusband's glasses somehow ended up behind the bar and were returned badly mangled. We watched a staff member hand them to the bartender, who casually placed them in front of my husband without acknowledging the damage. When we confronted him, he acted as though he had no idea what had happened, despite what i had just witnessed. These were $700 glasses, and the situation was handled with zero honesty, accountability or professionalism. We still paid our bill, but after the way the staff handled this, we will not return. Management needs to address the damage and explain how a customer's personal property ended up behind the bar in the first place. but Tom showed absolutely no honesty, accountability or professionalism and we expect the restaurant to reimburse us for the damage.

Cultivator offers big city cocktails and atmosphere in downtown New Bedford. Drinks are always…read moreexcellent and food is elevated bar food. I make it a point to come here every time I am back in town. Service is always friendly and attentive. You cannot go wrong coming here if you love good drinks.

Bartender didn't know how to make a dark n stormy and cried about it. Would never recommend for…read moreanything more than a glass of wine.

Seafood is very good. More of a dive type of place on the bar side but then a gorgeous back room…read more Love it here. Service very friendly.

We go to Danny's for their awesome clam boils. The clams are so fresh and they cook them perfectly…read more Prices are reasonable as well. If you're looking for a great clam boil, you really should try them out.

From the outside it barely looks like a restaurant, but inside is beautiful and welcoming, like a…read morehotel entrance might be. I came here with a big group (40), and the owners set up a private space for us in the basement. It was so lovely, the table already set with place settings and glasses, string lights in a corner, a plate of appetizers that went around the room. Since it had been prearranged what we would eat, I couldn't tell you the names of the dishes, but I know everything was delicious: from the fried fish to the chicken in a heavenly sauce to the rice and steamed vegetables (I didn't realize rice could taste so good!). We ended up with vegetarians whom we didn't know about, and the owner immediately arranged for a vegetable filled pasta to be brought to them. I highly recommend coming here, particularly if you are looking for a Portuguese restaurant that makes you feel at home! Based on all of my friends there who *are* Portuguese or Brazilian, it reminded them of home.

Stopped by Cotali Mar for late lunch on a Friday afternoon. We were surprised (and a bit…read moreconcerned) when we realized we were the only customers, but we were warmly greeted by Tony, who is apparently the host, bartender, and waiter. (Maybe we should have asked if he was the cook, too.) Our beverages arrived quickly, and Tony was warm, engaging, efficient, and helpful. He not only advised us to buy a bottle of wine (which was grest), but he also made good menu suggestions and was knowledgeable about the dishes and their preparation. I order the octopus (my reason for going to Cotali), and it was excellent... very tender and lots of it. One suggestion: plate it with a small topping of some kind off sauce (I'm thinking mayo-based sweet and spicy).

This was our first time visiting New Bedford and the area around The Vault was lined with…read moreinteresting shops, businesses, and other restaurants. The Vault is two floors, almost side by side venues, the first floor is a bar/restaurant and the second floor is the event space that also has a bar. Both the downstairs bar/resturant and the venue upstairs were clean and so were the bathrooms. The staff was friendly and pleasant to interact with. We came to see a comedy show and were seated at a table with people we didn't know, which was fine with us. The space is small so it's easy to navigate with some high tables, some booths, and some seating at the bar. The food was typical pub faire and I have no idea why I ordered a Caesar salad, but I did, and it was okay (the chicken was DRY). In hindsight, I probably should have ordered an appetizer which would have been easier to pick on while watching the various comedians.

Vault is located in the heart of downtown New Bedford and keeps the community thriving. Not only do…read morethey put on some great shows featuring local bands, the have a bar as well. Always lots of beers on tap and some great canned options from breweries all over New England. Definitely recommend trying the chicken wings. Salted Caramel may not be the flavor profile for everyone, but it sure does make a fantastic wing sauce! Cheers!