Cultivator offers big city cocktails and atmosphere in downtown New Bedford. Drinks are always excellent 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. read more

Cultivator Shoals - Crimson & Clover - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

I completely forgot that we went to Cultivator Shoals until after I got home from my trip and was going through all of my receipts. We stopped here late night after many rounds and not enough "real" food at Play arcade. Reviewing the receipt jogged my memory. Getting old(er) is no joke! The interior is very cool! It has a great vibe! The staff is friendly, and we were seated right away. We skipped drinks and went right to the food. We had fries, tuna nachos and deviled eggs. All of the food was reasonably priced and it really hit the spot. This was a quick visit that was absolutely worthwhile! If I'm back in New Bedford, I will definitely return here to explore the menu a little further. read more

I was in town for the New Bedford Film Festival and came across this place for dinner. I was looking for a olde time pub vibe so I popped in. I was the first customer of the night and sat at the bar. I received a friendly greeting from the bartender and a beautiful Manhattan to start things off. The steak frites dish was tasty but I did order it medium rare - it came out medium well. The truffle fries were very tasty! I had to interupt conversations between employees a couple of times to ask for things and to engage in conversation but for the most part, attentive service although I was never asked how my meal was. It is a fun space that offers both an old time feeling and a fun, artsy vibe, too. I recommend checking it out! read more

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This is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. I love their shareable small plates and their drinks are unique, gorgeous and tasty. The staff there is always wonderful, personable and helpful. I've been dozens of times and always have a great experience. read more

Have heard great things about Cultivator Shoals and finally got to check it out with a few girl friends. The atmosphere is casual and intimate perfect for grabbing drinks and catching up. There is a bar with seating but other tables and high tops are available as well. And I believe with a reservation you can be seated in the igloos outside. We got a few different cocktails and some appetizers. All of which were yummy! Espresso martini was creamy and smooth. The Ramona was fruity like drinking an adult juice box, so good! And we got the St. Paddy's Day special Shamrocked which was garnished with a rainbow candy and marshmallows. The vibes were just everything! All of the staff really seemed to be working together to help one another which is what I love to see in these local communities, keep up the great work. Wonderful experience read more

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Cocktails were great. Really enjoyed the company. Food was terrific. Keep up the goo work.

Best of food and drinks! You will not be disappointed! Avery and Chris are on point and are there for whatever you need!! read more

Cultivator Shoals - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

Very pleased with this experience. If you're like me, you like smaller spaces with great atmosphere filled with locals. I stopped in during a work trip looking for a classic Old Fashioned, Avery who was tending at that time didn't batt an eye when I said " please, no muddling of cherries"! Not only did she make the drink perfectly to my liking, she was all in on conversation- great host! So if you find yourself in New Bedford as a traveler, stop in for a pleasant experience. Oh and if Avery is there tell her I say "Hi!". read more

Cultivator Shoals - Bar and Old Fashioned! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

Really great ambience here and huge selection of drinks. The bartenders were very friendly and attentive. We sat on the patio but the inside looked very relaxing and chill. Will definitely come back again soon. read more

Cultivator Shoals - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

Returning from the Vineyard, we walked a half block up Union Street and found seats at the bar. I had "Mr. Big," the Cultivator's special summer cocktail (good and strong), and Piri Piri Octopus, slightly spicy but vey tender! read more

Cultivator Shoals - Piri Piri Octopus - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

We rented one of the igloos for Valentine's Day. Metal chairs, metal table, no decorations, heater not working. Absolutely no ambiance at all. Granted, I was spoiled from visiting The Reef igloos in Newport, which are amazing, but this was a very sad showing. Nothing to indicate it was Valentine's Day, not even a read tablecloth. Thankfully, there was a table available inside. We ordered two appetizers, which came fairly quickly, about 20 minutes after the order. We then placed an order for a third appetizer, which after an hour of waiting, never came. Now I realize this was Valentine's Day but the place was not packed. Busy yes, packed no, as evidencedd by tables being available. Our waitress Bella was wonderful, very apologetic, and did her best to try and fix things. As we readied to leave she came over with our lost appetizer, packed to go, and took it off the bill. Three highlights, the food we did receive was very good, drinks good as well, and Bella was wonderful. If you are looking for a 'special night' this isn't the place, but for a regular evening, it is fine. Don't bother with the igloos, they are a joke. We did get a good laugh out of it. read more

Delicious apps, excellent service, comfortable vibes and some of the best cocktails around!

I've been waiting for this place to reopen and thanks to the state of MA, here we are and boy was the wait worth it. This place has transformed into an opulent cocktail bar with magnificent food catering to all. The service here is impeccable and the drinks are perfect. The food is to die for. I'm so happy with the direction this bar has gone and I cannot wait for what the future has to hold. The noise level with the music is lively but not over bearing. The seat arrangement consists of limited seating at the bar with other small/large tables (2-6 guests) in the lounge. My partner and I have tried a lot of food and drinks from here in the last few days since they reopened. My top favorite drinks off the menu have to be: Eagle's Nest, Beet It, Mr Big, 7 Mile Bridge, and I believe the Coco Loco (or some other Tiki drink on fire). They are also able to make pretty much anything. I had a few classic off the menu drinks and they were all made to perfection. My top favorite picks for food are: the Fries (Idk what it is about them but they are addicting), Edamame Dumplings, Grilled Skirt Steak, Cheeseburger, Chicken Sandwich, and Cauliflower Reuben. I'm not a seafood person but I'm sure it's just as good as the food I have experienced. For desert, we had the Chocolate Fondue and it was sooooo good. Overall the experience was one to remember. I'm grateful to the staff and the wonderful experience they provided for us on their reopening week. We look forward to coming back in the very near future. They've got us hooked. Please come by and show this business some support. read more

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Nice spot. Went here to celebrate my cousins birthday with some drinks and appetizers. Nothing amazing but nothing wrong with it either. Some people were being a little over the top with the loudness and the staff was fine with it but we weren't so we didn't stay as long as we liked but food was good drinks were made fine. Not gonna hold 1 group of annoying people against the establishment read more

I love this place. The food is always so good. My favorite is the salt and vinegar fries, they taste like salt and vinegar chips but better. The espresso martinis are the best and the atmosphere is always nice. I prefer going earlier in the night before it gets packed. read more

Unfortunately While the food and drinks here are great, i have to leave a negative review. I came here for dinner a couple nights ago with some friends and left my wallet on the table. I know, it's my own fault. But I called the next day and they told me They found the wallet and put it in the safe. THEY found it, not a customer. So when I came to redeem my wallet, my cash ($50 bill) and credit card were gone. I should have opened the wallet when I went to pick it up, but I thought since the employees of the establishment (whom, yes, were tipped well on the bill) found the wallet it would be fine. I'm happy they found my stuff but really sucks that a business would do this to a regular customer. read more

I absolutely loved Cultivator Shoals. They do not take reservations, so we arrived close to opening and sat at the bar. The space is dark and well decorated, and tables look to be mostly two-tops, so this might not be the place for groups. There were four at the bar next to us and they were a bit squished. There is a happy hour menu for food, so we got the edamame dumplings, boom boom shrimp, and the poutine; all were delicious. We had several drinks and the bartenders did a great job. Well worth a visit when you are in town. read more

Went to cultivator shoals for the first time today. We frequent Joe's and the black whale on a weekly basis so we're very excited to try the new addition. As usual it was fantastic!!! Our new favorite place!! The ambiance was incredible as usual. The interior design that we are accustomed to with this family run business is always fun, artistic and this time with a bit of really cool history! The food is fantastic!! Thanks to Joe and Michael for great service! Everything was amazing! Fried favs beans with garlic and parm. Delightful fries... we ordered so much and everything was amazing! Fantastic!!!! Rhonda M read more

If you like great cocktails you won't find a better place. Food menu is focused. Not a large menu but everything is really good. Service is as friendly as it gets. Definitely a five star bar. read more

Good drinks and good music on a Friday night. I low key saved like 5-10 songs from the playlist. The kitchen closed at 10 but they were very accommodating when we got there at 9:50 and wanted food. This is a good spot in this NE beach town. read more

Cultivator Shoals - a woman sitting at a bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

Made reservations at beginning of week for a high top table. Got there and they did not reserve a high top. Ok, disappointed, but no big deal. We ordered 2 martins with rocks on the side. It took a long time, but got our martinis without the rocks. Had to flag down the 1 waiter there to bring the rocks. Waiter brings back only 1 set of rocks, and walks away so quickly as I'm telling him he forgot my rocks. Flag the waiter down - who then says - oh you wanted some too? We'll yes because that's how I ordered it. By the way I paid $13 for a lemon drop martini that tasted like lemonade. Next we ordered our meals and I told the waiter I was having an appetizer for my meal and we wanted our food brought together. We got the app and the waiter said the other plate would be right out. We'll 20 min later the food still had not come out. Waited patiently, then finally another person who was not our waiter came by and asked us if we needed anything. Told her we were still waiting for 1 meal - so she checked on it and it came about 10 min later. Once again they dropped it on the table as I was asking for catsup- the person acted like they didn't hear me so I had to get up and walk to the bar area to ask for catsup. The steak and fries were so over salted , but by this time I just wanted to get out of there. I could not get out of there fast enough, and I will never go back. We left and walked to another restaurant to get a good drink. read more

Oh, my gosh, what a fabulous experience!!! Ok, so we've been to "the Whale" 150+ times and Cisco Kitchen 25+ times. Along the way servers, managers and patrons had been telling us how great Cultivator Shoals is. So, we decided to try it out. See above - what a fabulous experience. We were advised to be there when it opened at 5:00 on a Friday so, yes we were the first ones in. Greeted by Michael and Avery we began our journey thru the crafted cocktails (Naked in Vegas and a smokey spin on a Manhattan). Followed it up with a fantastic bourbon and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Micheal suggested we try the edamame dumplings (yum), spicy tuna Bon Bon (avocado has never tasted better) and the wings (smoked at Cisco's, finished in the back). Cocktails, light bites and extraordinary service in a classically cool, New Bedford tavern...unbelievable!!! But, shhhhh don't tell anyone cause is so intimate we don't want too many people to find out our new, favorite Silverstein gem. read more

This is probably the coolest bar in NB, however, it's a little on the expensive side. The bartenders are cool too. I like to come here when PFT is too loud or packed. It's a across the street from a crappy club, so you and can watch D-bags waiting outside in the cold. Unfortunately, sometimes those d-bags permeate their way into this bar. (Which usually results in us finishing a drink and going elsewhere.) Come here if you're looking for something different, but if your favorite artist is Drake and you think of yourself as a music snob because you know about "Chance the rapper".....please stay across the street. read more

Cultivator Shoals - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

A lotta love went into this place. Very cool floors made with pennies. There are limited seats but the wide stools are comfy. The cocktail menu is impressive and the wine and beer offerings, ample. If you love mules, go here. They have a menu just for the mules. I had a rum cocktail with a flaming lime. Delish! The place is super small and got packed before we left. Hence, the noise level was off the charts. We'll go back on a quieter night. Such a fun vibe and a welcome addition to Union Street. Keep New Bedford alive and growing...yaaa One unlike, the 80's remix. Some deep house would really work here! Oh, not sure why it says Cultivatory, the correct name is Cultivator. read more

This review is really more like 4.5 stars, because unfortunately I was served the wrong drink. That said, the drink I was served is one I also enjoy and this one was particularly well-made so I kept it. C'est la vie. Otherwise, service was solid. I've been dying to come here since it registered on my radar, and finally made it this week. The interior feels like being in a hipster's library/study, but it's not so painfully hip that I would hesitate to bring older folks; it's classy, warm, comfortable, and a little sexy. Seating is predominantly backless barstools, which got uncomfortable after a while, but I loved the rail-style seating and how you don't necessarily sit at formal tables. This would be an amazing spot for a first date or catching up with old friends as you can linger (read: camp) without feeling like you are limiting their turnover. The snacks we had were delicious; get the fries! They had me at malt vinegar aioli. This is not the place where you will have a meal - they have more snacks/tapas (although there is a cheeseburger) and the menu is pretty limited. More of a watering hole serving food than a restaurant. Finally, prices were incredibly fair. One critique: I would like to see some craft non-alcoholic options, since they have a seriously impressive bar set-up and could undoubtedly make it work. This place has a vibe I crave, but I'm trying to be more mindful of my alcohol consumption, so it would be great to have this as an option for nights I don't want alcohol. Cultivator Shoals will be my new go-to in town for a nightcap or those times that you don't necessarily want a formal dinner. read more

The cocktails are original and very good. The food was very tasty. We had the scallop and crab dumplings to start. I thought the could have used more filling but my wife didn't agree. We were both torn over the char on them but both agreed that they were delicious. I had the cult dog that I absolutely loved. My wife had the spicy chicken sandwich. She loved it but I wasn't sold on it. The service was a little slow at first but finished strong. Overall it was a very nice evening. Very impressive for a restaurant that only opened in March during the pandemic. The playlist was also very good. We'll be back again. read more

Stopped for a drink before lunch on our way to the cape. This was my sisters recommendation. Its small, cute and friendly with a great menu of craft cocktails. The bartender was very nice and knowledgeable. I got the BERRY BETTY WHITE- light and bubbly. My husband got the BEET ON THE BRAT- pretty and rusticly bitter. Because my husband isnt fond of crafty drinks and they didnt have sprite i left off a star although i should leave off a star for him for preferring sprite and vodka to a beautiful craft drink. read more

Cultivator Shoals - Berry betty white and Beet on the brat - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

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Been frequenting Cultivator since it's opening, unfortunately we won't be returning after today. After visiting with friends for the holiday our reunion was cut short due to being kicked out for our service dog. Although the employee tried to reference the tattoo shop next door as the reason for removal, this is not only invalid but illegal (as we were not occupying the sterile area of the shop, please look up laws before you kick out patrons next time). It's unfortunate when businesses present themselves as not only inappropriate but ignorant before educating themselves. Not only has it ruined our experience but could have possibly put themselves in a legal mess. Won't be returning there's plenty of other bars welcoming a friendly face, legal in any public establish :) read more

This has been my favorite bar among many in Boston, Plymouth and the Cape. Always five stars for the cocktails. Sad to say today, the bartender was not attentive. Friends of his were in, behind the bar and their party took his attention over. We will be back to try again. Customer service has to be first. Maybe Sunday isn't the day, usually come on Saturday? read more

One of New Bedford's finest. By far the best place in town for a cocktail. The menu is thoughtfully curated and the staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. read more

Ariel the bartender was really great and knowledgeable about the area and makes a delicious cocktail. The place is getting food as well soon. The liquor selection is eclectic and well worth the sip! We're visiting for the day and this places' vibe is Firey Good read more

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good drinks and food but the manager will hit on you get your number and try to pursue you. he actually has a girlfriend and then won't serve you when you try to go in months later with friends...disgusting read more

My favorite place for a perfect cocktail. Feels like stepping in to a speakeasy, in the best way possible. A bit small for a group, and can get loud late at night. But without a doubt, the best choice for a masterfully mixed craft cocktail. I know I'll keep coming back! read more

This bar is amazingly allergy friendly! A bartender who was working as a cook for the night (I unfortunately forget his name) offered to remake my quesadilla so I felt comfortable and told me what drinks to avoid (egg allergy). They are extremely understanding and will clean the necessary equipment to ensure safety! The rest of the staff were kind and helpful. Highly recommend this place for all! read more

This is what downtown needed! This is my go to spot for drinks now. I love the feel of the place and location. I personally like that it's small. The floors are super cool. The bartenders are knowledgeable and super super friendly. Perfect place for an afternoon cocktail or post dinner drink. Their menu has some classics and then more creative concoctions. They usually have a drink special. They also serve beer and wine and have a great whiskey list. read more

Cultivator Shoals - The Brooklyn! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

this is update to my review posted on June 4 about the terrible service received during an event I held at Cultivator Shoals. I am happy to report that both the owner and manager reached out and we came to a mutually satisfactory resolution. From bad service to excellent service, thank you! read more

Super cute and trendy. Drinks and service is great too! Great spot to stop in at downtown.

This place is the best craft cocktail place on the south shore. Every lovely delight they make you is astonishing and the vibe is very relaxing. Right now I am surrounded by some awesome conversation. The frost on the windows with the cobblestone peeking through is straight out of a classic novel. The bartenders take a lot of pride. Arielle is my fav! read more

Cultivator Shoals - Aqua Flip. Delight full. The color on top is Beet Powder! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - New Bedford, Massachusetts

Great new addition to the downtown bar scene. Thoughtful drink menu with good local options for beer. Cocktails are very creative, something other watering holes have been missing. Everything you would expect plus an added focus on mules - gin to mezcal to vodka to rye. Staff is as attentive as they can be (typically crowded in the small space) and looking for feedback on their work. Comfortable atmosphere and tight quarters that encourage interactions with strangers. Looking forward to trying the food soon. read more

Out first time here. The small plates and appetizers were very good. The service was also good. Seats are mainly high tops inside with picnic tables outside. Located in the historic center business district near the harbor and museum. It may be more of a drinking spot, but the food is tasty read more