Make sure to book a reservation as this place is really busy and popular! Items I ordered (as of 5/2026): - Lobster Mac and Cheese - $34 - This was really good. Fresh lobster with a great cheese combination. The crisp of the ritz crackers really brings the entire dish together. Good amount for the price. Would recommend. - Baked Artichoke Dip - $16 - Deliciously cheesy without everything feeling too heavy. Good amount of pita bread too! Would also order this again. read more

Cure - Baked Artichoke Dip - $16 as of 5/2026 - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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AWESOME food!! First dinner in Portsmouth with my fiancé and Cure did not disappoint! The cornbread is to die for...it's massive though so don't let it ruin your appetite! I greatly enjoyed the seared tuna as an appetizer and had the French onion soup as my main dish. Both were fabulous and I would definitely get them again. My fiancé had the spring salad and duck--both phenomenal. The portions are generally pretty generous (everyone's entree around us looked massive) and the ambiance was really cute and quaint. Shout out to our waiter, Brian, who was a total joy to order from and had a really fun and attentive personality. Highly recommend! read more

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Had another top notch meal at Cure. It was super chilly and we were eating outside (with heaters but still quite cold). We started with lobster bisque to warm up and it was spot on. Our drinks & corn bread were delicious as well. By the time our mains were coming up our waitress had secured us a spot inside to eat them. She was lovely & we were grateful! It's a solid choice when in the area. read more

Cure - Lobster bisque - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

I did not have a reservation but Cure found a seat for me which I appreciated. I ordered a bourbon based drink which had a smooth profile. The meal was delicious and I had the wine braised short ribs. The short ribs were well seasoned. The restaurant has a great neighborhood feel. It does not feel touristy even though it is right downtown. Great meal great atmosphere. read more

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The short ribs and duck breast were out of this world. Excellent service and hope to come back when we return! read more

Cure - Short ribs - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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I was super excited when I saw the reviews for this restaurant as well a Phantom Gourmet video praising it highly. I decided to make a reservation to take advantage of their special promotion during Restaurant Week. I made a reservation through Open Table and our table was ready when we arrived. Place is small but tables are well spaced to allow for privacy. We were presented with their restaurant week menu as well as a limited regular menu for add-ons. Our order was taken in a timely manner and with a smile. I started with the coconut carrot ginger soup for my starter. I added a grilled bread basket with butter as it is not included with your meal and I like bread with my soup. The soup was a decent soup and the bread was slight charred in places. As for my main course, I went with the braised short ribs served with polenta and roasted root vegetables. The red wine demi glace was good and the root vegetables were inconsistently roasted as some were a little too hard and some mushy. Short ribs were not consistently seasoned as I got salty in some bites and well seasoned in others. I was disappointed that my short ribs were stringy as well and that was not what I expected. The dessert was an apple tart. The shell was somewhat hard and difficult to cut into with the spoon provided. Flavors were good. My overall experience was that it was just ok but nothing stood out to me as out of the ordinary or special about it. So go if you want to and maybe your experience will be better than mine. read more

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The service was exceptional, our waitress was so friendly and welcoming. We ordered the French onion and lobster bisque which were equally both amazing. We then got the crab cakes and lobster Mac and cheese which was the best I ever had. It was a great date night spot with an intimate ambiance. I definitely recommend coming here. read more

Cure - Lobster Mac and Cheese - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Excellent food, vibes, and hospitality! The first sign I saw when I entered the restaurant was one that said "Elevated Comfort Food" behind the hostess stand, and that's exactly what we got! All the food tasted delicious, and the lobster mac and cheese was the best I ever tried. We placed an order of the chai pear creme brulee in advance, and good thing we did, because they ran out! All the staff were incredible, and we loved our dinner experience. We'll be back the next time we're in Portsmouth! read more

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Always loved eating here. The short ribs are amazing. Visited last month, ordered the crispy skin duck... They missed on this one. Cold duck breast, rubbery skin. In all fairness, our waitress did comp the dish. Still one of the best eateries in town. read more

Upscale American cuisine worth the splurge! We got the Escargot a la Bourguignonne, Lobster Bisque, and two Pan Roasted Duck Breast. The escargot was a unique, tasty dish and the bisque was rich and creamy. There was a bit of a wait for our entrees, ~25 mins. But, it was worth it as the duck was cooked exactly medium and the dish overall was great. Unfortunately, the balsamic vinegar in the dish overpowered the other flavors at points so that's one point for improvement read more

Cure - Menu as of 1/23/26 - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Book a reservation now! We came here not expecting much but were blown away by the experience. We ordered the peanut butter and jelly pork ribs, French onion soup, lobster Mac and cheese, red wine braised short rib, and pan roasted duck breast. The French onion soup and lobster Mac and cheese were heavenly and indulgent. We sat on the back patio which was covered and heated. Definitely a gem to check out in Portsmouth. read more

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I went for restaurant week, and everything was amazing. I found the options for each course more appealing than those of any other restaurants participating in restaurant week. I had the chili, bourbon pork with cornbread pudding, and brownie, and I loved it all. The brownie wasn't too sweet, and the homemade whipped cream was perfect. Our server was attentive without making us feel rushed. It is a little noisy inside, but the dining room is nice and cozy. I would love to go back one day. read more

Cure - Brownie with whipped cream - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Cure has been my favorite restaurant in Portsmouth for a while now and a meal here is always a treat. Servers are tirelessly enthusiastic and very knowledgeable about their offerings. Since the place is small (but charming) it can definitely feel a bit crowded and/or loud if you're next to revelrous neighbors. Trust me, I also feel a bit crazy for recommending it, but the $6 grilled bread it just absolutely lovely. I have a hard time straying from the reliably great duck, but the pork chop is also terrific. The short rib is only entree that I've ever felt lukewarm about. read more

The name says it all and if there's a cure for your insatiable appetite this is the spot! First off I really enjoyed the setting of the eatery situated in an old but upscale brick building and the interior was cozy. Our severs were great and made sure we had a wonderful experience. When we saw the Red Wine Braised Short Ribs on the menu we knew we had to give it a try and it didn't disappoint. The crispy yet moist inside of the creamed spinach croquette is the base of this plate of a hearty sized melt in your mouth short ribs in a French bordelaise sauce topped with finely fried potato spirals and a side of herb roasted baby carrots. We also got the Pan Seared Scottish Salmon in a orange cream on a bed of cranberry pistachio wild rice and maple carrots. I'd place this restaurant on one of my top places I've visited in a while. Loved it! read more

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A slight bump with the entry as we had reservations at 5:00 and walked in cuz the door was open 5 minutes early. I believe that kind of put the staff a little bit behind the eight ball and I don't think they handled it well. I looked at them and said we could go outside and stand in the rain for 5 more minutes if that's what you wanted and they actually considered it. That said, they led us to a table we put to get a different table in the corner and they finally approved it since we were at 5:00 and one of the first reservations and had it for 30 days or more That's when the night turned around. I ordered the duck and my wife ordered the scallops. Those meals were absolutely fantastic. Probably the best duck and scallops I've had in years. Our waiter was funny and handled the situation. He had us laughing and we actually had dessert and a dessert drink. They have a great cocktail menu and we did a blood orange martini and then a espresso for dessert.. along with the special cheesecake. The meal was perfect. The ambience is perfect. The waiter was perfect and I think this is one of my favorite places in Portsmouth... Please please please please just train your front house staff just a little. read more

We had never been. Looked forward to getting out as our new dog had kept us in the house these last few weeks. For a Sunday night it was rather busy. And the customers kept coming in. I ordered the eggplant main course and my wife the short ribs.Someone shook the salt shaker one time too many on both dishes. Possibly used salt crystals. The preparation on the eggplant was well done but the salt masked the flavor. The artichoke dip was tasty with fresh artichokes. The maitre-D cut the price off one of the dishes. read more

It is sometimes difficult to score a seat due to the popularity of the restaurant as well as the size. However, managed to walk in on a weeknight and score a seat on the patio. Ordered a blood orange martini, which was delicious along with the Stattler chicken dish on the menu. My waiter Jeffrey was outstanding and delivered impeccable service. He accidentally typed in the wrong dish which the kitchen made. Hence, I had to wait extra long for my meal. However, Jeffrey and kitchen were gracious and the kitchen brought out some cornbread due to the wait. That was fantastic! This restaurant gets five stars from me for their innovative menu, clever cocktails, and impeccable service from the staff. Can't wait to go back and try something else. read more

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It's been on the "we should go here" list for years but we finally stopped in for a drink this past weekend when we saw two seats at the bar. The bartender was fantastic. The atmosphere was super cozy. Not a five because we didn't try any food, and while the sazerac was excellent the espresso martini was a little too creamy. Overall will absolutely stop by again to get the full dinner experience! read more

Cure - Espresso martini & a sazerac - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Came here on a cold November Day. The first impression you get when you walk in: small space. Despite the relatively small size of the restaurant, it was nicely decorated and featured a nice bar and various seating areas. Kudos to the staff for timely seating and quick service with a smile! So as part of restaurant week I was happy to get a fixed price 3-course meal. Appetizer of choice for me was the Korean BBQ Pork Belly. Delicious and the skin is nicely fried to give you that crisp bite with the tenderness of the meat. Sauce was slightly sweet and savory, very good start. I also ordered a Cran Apple Mule, which was great. The main course - the highly rated and often recommended short rib. The first bite had me searching for my lost shaker of salt. Very surprising. I proceeded to try the polenta, the Demi glacé and the root vegetables separately to see if they were equally unseasoned. The polenta was nicely cooked and while slightly underseasoned, really wasn't the culprit. The root vegetables were a bit mushy but they didn't really impress either. The demi glacé was tasty and brought up the overall flavor but just not enough. My 2nd bite yielded an overly salted bit of short rib. The uneven seasoning and the stringy texture did not live up to the hype. The final act was the Apple crumble tart. Nice crumble with sweet and well cooked and spiced apples. The crust on the other hand, rock hard and required some effort with the provided spoon. Overall just nothing I'd be dying to return to eat given the normal menu prices for the items would not be worth it. read more

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Just going to start this off with saying this is the best meal we've had in a long time! We went in on a Monday night (no reservation), but were easily sat at the bar right away. I cannot remember the bartenders name for the life of me, but she was super attentive, very friendly, and personable. I started with the blueberry cosmo, and yum! We then got the bread and butter which was delicious and then had the lobster Mac and cheese and short ribs. We both agree this is the best lobster Mac and cheese and best short ribs we've probably ever had! We finished it off with the NY cheesecake with the blueberry and blackberry compote. Cannot recommend enough and we would 100% return if in town again. read more

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The atmosphere was intimate the food was a work of art. The detail to attention was on point! Short rib was so good read more

Cure - Short rib - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

My new favorite restaurant! The food was beautifully plated, exceptionally well prepared and tasted amazing! Our server was attentive and didn't miss a thing! Great ambience. If you miss this place, you miss one of the best restaurants on the seacoast. Thank you for an exceptional experience. read more

2nd time to Portsmouth & 1st time to CURE. Celebrated our Anniversary and so glad we chose here. The place was quaint and intimate. Kate was our Server and she didn't miss. Shared French Onion - very good but a little short on cheese. Wife got the Salmon which was out of this world. The carrots and couscous were an incredible addition. I got the Lobstah Mac - Best I've ever had !!! The Cornbread was a superb App, side, and Dessert 8). Can't wait to visit again - until then, keep rockin it. read more

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We were passing through Portsmouth on a road trip and planned to stop here. We didn't realize it was Portsmouth Restaurant Week but wow, we picked the best time. The restaurant week menu was a phenomenal deal and great offerings. A 3 course meal for $52 our server was so helpful and gave great recommendations. We both loved our drinks, we had a seasonal spritz and a ginger pear mocktail. Each course was delicious and delivered so fast. This cozy little spot is a great choice. read more

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Everything was fabulous- we were here celebrating my husband's birthday- we had the mushroom appetizer (delightful)- we both loved our dinners- I had the rack of lamb (heavenly), my husband had the salmon (he raved about it)- the accompaniments were very distinctive- our server Christy was friendly and attentive - the best meal we have had out in quite awhile! Highly recommend read more

My favorite restaurant on the seacoast. Check out the French Onion Soup. Best I've ever had!

Excellent service and good quality food. The tables are not all dolled up but the service and food make up for that. Small place I'd make a reservation and ask to be sat on the back room. We sat by the bathrooms but had no reservation and they accommodated us on holiday night. The staff is very knowledgeable of the menu and ingredients. read more

While visiting the Portsmouth area, came for an early Saturday night dinner to the Cure. We had seen it had great ratings on Yelp and few other local residents had also recommended it. Made an online reservation a few days before and we were promptly seated. The restaurant is small but has a cozy feel to it. Waitress was attentive and our drinks and food were all promptly served. We enjoyed our cocktails of a Sazerac and blood orange Cosmo- smooth mix of ingredients and very enjoyable! Because we wanted to have some dessert, we opted just to get entrees. I am a big fan of duck breast so I had to get that. It was a wonderful entree. The mushroom risotto and spinach sides just as great as the duck. Highly recommend!! We also go the short rib which was tender and full of flavor. It came with a blue cheese pastry and nicely done asparagus. We ended with two tasty desserts- lemon bar and a chocolate cake with peanut butter sauce. All our food items were delicious. The only miss is they do not have espresso or cappuccino. They do have coffee and tea though. Enjoyable meal at a cozy restaurant with good service and drinks! read more

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Another amazing dinner at the Cure! The delicious food, service, and ambiance have made this restaurant one of my top 3 in all the USA! put Restaurant Week on your calendar for 2026. It's so fun!! read more

Cure - Amazing Jalapeño Cornbread and Pork loin! - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Food, service, ambience all perfect! We started with onion soup and honey butter cornbread- both delicious! Short ribs fell apart with a fork! Everything was amazing and we felt like we were right at home with family! Lovely atmosphere, gracious welcoming staff and delicious food!! A must try hidden gem for sure! read more

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Amazing experience all around. I had the short ribs, which were heavenly -- super tender and flavorful, without excessive fat. The accompanying roasted vegetables and mashed potatoes were also delicious -- veggies are often an afterthought with these dishes, but these were nice and savory. My wife opted for the 3-course prix fixe menu offered for Restaurant Week. She chose the poached pear salad, Hasselback butternut squash, and sweet potato pudding for dessert -- all were excellent. Service was impeccable. Hostess was friendly, and our waitress was warm, attentive, and knowledgeable about the menu. The building itself and decor are charming and elegant, with brick walls and large windows, and there's a sizable outdoor patio as well (which is not available during the winter, of course). Very romantic in the evening! There's also a cozy bar up front. Overall, a great place to splurge (and to be honest, the prices are very reasonable when considering the very high quality of everything). read more

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Stopped in for a quick cocktail. I love mezcal so the choice was "treacherous". No food tonight, but an update is necessary when I have my other half and some food. read more

Cure - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

We usually do the 2.5-hour trek to the Music Hall a few times per year. And we almost always eat here (rated as the "best in town" by many). The cocktail menu is strong. Five onion soup and squash soup were outstanding. The bread basket was disappointing - not their usual offering. This was some toasted, maybe sourdough bread. Lamb entree was very good but maybe a bit overpriced at $43. I guess I expect too much from a pork chop - it was a good thick cut but just OK. And the burned "biscuit" and "greens" added nothing to the dish. So I would not recommend this entree. We finished with a chocolate tort. Overall a good meal. Add 2 glasses of wine and tip - $225 for 2. read more

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Service, ambience, menu choices and food quality were excellent, again. In our visits so far our party has had pork chops, lamb and salmon, and everyone was quite pleased with the preparation. The restaurant is cozy and intimate. It is our go to restaurant in Portsmouth for celebrations. read more

Went here with my girlfriend for the first time last night, we will definitely be back. Fantastic and quick service. The restaurant had a nice cozy vibe. I got the duck, she got the lobster mac and cheese, both were cooked great and tasted amazing. Totally worth a visit. read more

We met our cousins at this cute little restaurant. It's a charming space. If it's a hot day, sit towards the front of the restaurant. The back is warm. The staff were lovely. Cocktails were excellent. My cousin is obsessed with the mushrooms forester appetizer. It was off the menu for the summer, but somehow the chef was able to make us an order- we were impressed by this thoughtful gesture. The bruschetta and halloumi were excellent. Entrees were really good. I had the pork chop. It was cooked perfectly. I usually don't like sweet foods. The chef introduces sweet elements into most of the dishes- it worked for me here. The salmon was really good. Flourless chocolate cake and cheesecake with apple compote rounded out the meal. Prices were very reasonable for this level of quality This restaurant could hold its own in Williamsburg or the West Village. Highly recommended! read more

The Cure was so cozy and yummy, we had delicious chicken quinoa soup and fresh salads. And our waitress Nicole was so friendly and accommodating. We will definitely be going back!! . read more

An amazing surprise find! We stopped in Portsmouth for a few hours of sightseeing a few years ago and stumbled upon Cure for dinner. Lots of people inside, which is always a good sign They were actually full so we were seated outside. The staff is so friendly and kind, and came to check on us a lot even though we were the only ones outside. They were also sold out of their pan roasted duck breast, which sounded amazing, so we ordered French onion soup and ravioli instead. This is actually the only French onion soup I've had so no comparison, but I do think it was quite good. The ravioli though, WOW. Blew me away. I always thought ravioli was one of the more bland pastas, but I was wrong. The ravioli filling combined with the sauce was exquisite. The lightly toasted bread with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar complimented the dish perfectly. The menu seems to change seasonally as the ravioli is no longer on their current menu. I wish I could go back to try something else!! read more

Cure - New American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth is underrated as a culinary spot, being overshadowed by Boston to the south and Portland to the north. However, spots like Cure show why you can stop in this little coastal city too. I've been here pre and post-pandemic, and it hasn't really changed. The duck breast is one of the stars at this restaurant, as it was seared nicely and not overcooked. The duck was tender and flavorful. The French onion soup is plentiful with cheese and soup, and can warm you through. The seafood casserole (special) was decent, with a creamy sauce with fresh seafood. The braised short rib is fine, though the last time I had it, the vegetables were over-seasoned and the beef was a little under-seasoned. Service was quite good, especially considering it's always busy. Julie (owner and front-of-house) is seriously hardworking and is attentive. read more

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My wife and I were in Portsmouth for my Birthday weekend. Cure had great service and tasty food. The restaurant is small and we were seated very close to two other couples (within arms length in each side). I could imagine this being a detriment if you want privacy, but we enjoyed the friendly banter with fellow diners. The French onion soup and our creme brulee dessert were the highlights and both were exceptional. The entrees were solid and tasty, but maybe a little too much sides for the entree that was there. read more

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