Had dinner last week with a group of friends who raved about this restaurant. My opinion is that service and food fair to poor. Ordered two beers that that don't carry any more. I then ordered burger that was not cooked properly which was sent back . My entire group finished their meals by the time my new burger arrived. Owner and waitress handled this poorly. I was visiting from Boston and will not return nor would I recommend. read more

I just had the country fried steak and after being a resident in the south for a while I had a hesitant feeling. That was probably the best country fried steak I have ever had! It was made with steak tips! Amazing! The oysters excellent and we debated after stuffing ourselves whether we wanted to attempt the oatmeal creme pie and we licked the plate clean. Our server was a sweet heart and dead ringer for Emma Stone. It looks beautiful, the food was excellent and the service great! Highly recommend! So glad this is so close to home! read more

Magnolia 525 Tavern - The Oysters Rock are AMAZE-Balls! - New American Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

Went with a friend for a drink and food on a Thursday night. We sat at the bar. Bartender was very upbeat and kept glasses full. She was great! The crab cake appetizer was perfect! Can with 3 cakes nice sized to get a great crunch on the outside but nice and soft on the inside. My medium burger was juicy and awesome! I even asked for my fries crispy and they were great. My friend had the haddock sandwich and really enjoyed it. Will def be going back! read more

we went for brunch on Mother's Day. everyone was very nice, friendly and helpful. our waitress was great. one of the people in our party was able to customize her order to exactly what she wanted. the food was delicious and the drinks were great. would go back again for brunch to sit outside on the patio on a warm sunny Sunday. despite the fact that they were short handed in the kitchen they did a fantastic job. read more

I've only gone here once so far, but I will definitely be back! Bryan/Brian, our waiter, was extremely attentive, fun and helpful. The atmosphere is great. They do not skimp on the alcohol in their drinks! And there is a nice selection. The wings have some kick, but they are so good you don't want to stop eating them. There were four of us and we all enjoyed our meals and service. The portions were great, I think we all went home with leftovers. read more

Still struggling to get some flavor from our meals here. Went to a wine dinner and the food was first rate wonderful. Today's brunch selection bland. The description sounded great with lots of flavor. Too bad. read more

We made a reservation and when we arrived the place was empty. There were 3 open booths and we asked to sit in one. We were told there were reserved by other reservations. We sat across from an empty booth through our entire meal. Our waitress was new and nice but not very helpful. She charged us for a coffee drink that we were told "they ran out of". The food was actually pretty good, but over all a bad experience. I will not be going back. read more

Love to sit in a booth in the back. Servers are efficient and friendly. There is always something on the menu to please all of us.

Highly recommend! Owners are awesome and the food was yummy with huge portions and our server was fantastic! The restaurant was very clean and updated. My husband and I will be back for sure. read more

Every time I think to go here, it's usually noon on a Saturday and they're only open for dinner.... Or so I thought!! They started serving brunch, (website not yet updated), and it was awesome. Fried dough?? Yes please. The eggs were cooked perfectly, eggs Benedict was a solid 7.5/10. Bacon was bleh. You're usual grocery store variety. Service was awesome, as was the ambiance. Their cocktail menu was excellent, too. Can't wait to go back and try their burger!! read more

Magnolia 525 Tavern - Their 'Drop the Mic' cocktail..... Perfect summer drink. - New American Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

Steak tips were good. Ordered them med well with double veggies. Tips came out a bit too well done but the flavor was still yummy. It was obvious that our waitress had little experience waiting tables so the service was spotty but did not take away from the overall positive experience. My man loved the pizza and beer selections so we will be back soon. read more

I do like this place but they are never very consistent. The first time I went it was okay. The second time I went it was pretty bad and really made me not want to go back. The third time I went it was alright, nothing to special. And the fourth time I went my waitress was so rude and the food was so gross and expensive that I swore I would never go back unless I was forced. But I want to reiterate that this is just my opinion and I have many friends with only positive things to say about this place. And I haven't been for over a year and a half, so things could have changed. read more

First time dining there for a while We both had the classic burger which, while flavorful, was a mess. The brioche roll, the lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle made a tower of a sandwich that crumbled up when trying to slice it and eat it. The fries barely fit on the plate there were so many of them and it created a mess. So while flavorful, I won't get the burger again. And sitting at the bar the service, initially was a little spotty, but as the vening wore on it got better read more

I worked for one night fr 6.5 hours at this place. the sheer disorganization of the kitchen and staff was utterly repulsive. i've never worked on a line where they were no designated ticket caller to assure all food came together properly at the perfect time. i came in at $25 per hour because they are in desperate need for help. but the head chef is absolutely over worked and hates his job. makes for a totally undesirable working environment and i have no idea how hey hide the quality of service and staff from the customer base. overall cleanliness and osha safety 0/10. read more

This is our new favorite restaurant. We tried it for the first time in October and have been back many times since. The atmosphere is so warm and cozy, the lighting and the pillows in the booths are so inviting. The service has always been friendly and prompt. We have been ordering new things each time we go because everything has been phenomenal. The appetizers, the entrees, the desserts.... all rave review worthy. I'm so happy this is a short drive for us! We have been telling others to go and all of the feedback is the same, two thumbs up. read more

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Went there for the first time recently and enjoyed the atmosphere but was underwhelmed by the food. The restaurant/pub was nice, the new look is great (though I'm not sure what the old looked like before they renovated). Wait staff was friendly and our booth was comfortable. The poutine was one of my least favorite I've had. Gravy was too dark, the cheese was too sweet, and fries were a little overcooked. The burger was overcooked and salty, and the bun was nothing special, and seemed like they tried to crisp it, but didn't do a very good job. Green beans seemed like they were supposed to be blanched, but they were undercooked. I had to ask for water refills, and the service was slooooowww. Our dessert was so slow that they comped us. They said they were backed up and short-staffed that night. So maybe it's not always that slow. But I hesitate to go back to give the food another shot. read more

Amazing! Or meals were absolutely delicious. We shared; short ribs with jasmine rice and Asian slaw and seared bone in pork chop served with pickled cabbage along with sweet potato, andouille sausage and mango hash. It's one thing to have a great piece of meat or fish but the accompanying "sides" here were unique and phenomenally good! Can't wait to go back! read more

Don't waste your time. The food took almost an hour and was mediocre at best. Service was friendly so If she is reading this- go work somewhere else where you can turn your tables and make good money. I am giving one extra star because they are dog friendly . read more

We had a great meal at 525 last night with friends. They were very accommodating since it started to rain and our reservation had to be adjusted. Food and drinks were very good and our server was great. It was very safe and so clean! We will be back! read more

I went on Sat. For brunch and had the Eggs Benedict. It was delicious, with home fried potatoes. If you're trying to place the rub on these, think BBQ potato chips, but better - tangy and a little sweet. The coffee was fantastic tasting, only wished they offered iced coffee 'cause I could see myself chill in' on the outside patio in the afternoon with a nice cool iced coffee and dessert. I have tried two drinks and can recommend the rum-based Sailor's Knot. It was smooth and delicious, but a little on the small side. The other drink was intriguing, called Salute to Iceland with Reyka vodka, lime, and Blue Curaçao, it's a great idea, but I think they need to work on the balance, a little too tart and acidic for me, but could be refreshing for someone else. I have to say, the color was spectacular, like the Caribbean. The service was top-notch, and I really liked the atmosphere, so I will be back to try other menu and drink items, and of course the allure of outdoor seating in the good weather. read more

Came here on recommendation of family. We tried the burger of the day, fish & chips, wedge salad, & watermelon & feta salad. Everything was amazing. Sadie was amazing with her suggestions. Sure wish that we lived closer. read more

525 is the amount of minutes you will wait for your food. It was busy on a Wednesday and had terrible service. Waiting 20 minutes for drinks. Walked out after an hour of waiting for our food. read more

Locally owned and amazing food! Got an appetizer, our meals, drinks & dessert and nothing disappointed! The owners and staff were more than friendly and amazing with their service ! read more

This small, tucked away spot delivered on risotto--one of my favorite meals! Server was polite and friendly--checking in without intruding. It is a bit of a hike for me, but if you live on Cape Ann, this is a must try! read more

Have enjoyed prior visits, but went with family for Mother's Day and had a very poor experience. We went early, not very busy yet, but had to ask multiple times for ice water, after asking for a second glass of wine and waiting fro 10 minutes while watching waitress stand near the bar not doing anything, walked over on my own and ordered from bartender. Waitress said nothing. Lastly, my dish did not arrive with the rest of our food (someone else brought the food, not waitress). Decided to wait and see what would happen - after about 15 minutes I was asked if my food had arrived, I said no - barely got an apology and magically food arrived immediately, cold. I sent it back and got the check. Waitress gave me the cold sholder throughout - ultimately after returning my credit card she apologized saying she did not expect a tip. My order was removed from the check. Frustrating night to say the least - but will try again as the food has been great in the past and the vibe is fun. read more

I am sorry to be writing this review. We have been eating at the 525 since we moved here later in 2015. It's been our go-to restaurant and we used to take visitors here and come for special days. No more. Tonight, we went for a Valentine's Day treat. They are now on the 3rd chef since we've been here, the original one was amazing. They kept a signature dish of steak tips with root beer and soy sauce marinade. The newest version lacks flavor. They used to serve a small, warm loaf of bread with whipped butter. No bread now. I asked what the veggies were and was told a medley of squashes, etc. The usual. I ordered them and got the side salad instead. I ordered a baked potato and it was hard. I had to ask for butter! I might have been able to deal with all that except for a family sitting behind us. The little girl was an absolute terror. Screaming, growling, crying, about every 7 minutes there was a loud outburst. The mother was loudly telling the little girl what she could and couldn't do - with no results. It went on for an hour. My husband and I decided to take the rest of our meal home and abandon the idea of having dessert. I mentioned this to the hostess and she apologized. She could hear the tantrums across the restaurant and I could hear them as we talked. She said there was nothing she could do but she'd speak to her brother, the owner. As we were walking out, a man approached us and asked, "Is there a problem?" No introduction. No "I heard that something did go well this evening." I stopped and told him what the issue was with the family and said nothing about the food. (He'll see it here!) He said that there was nothing he could do, that he couldn't go tell the family to take their kid out. I never suggested such a thing. I asked if he had children and he said he had 6. And agreed that he wouldn't have allowed that to go on with his kids. I said that he was responsible for the dining experience of his customers and I wasn't the only one who was prevented from enjoying their meal. He said that he was in HR and it was illegal to say something to the family and they could sue. I mentioned that it is not illegal to discreetly ask a loud table to keep it down a bit especially if there are complaints about the noise. I asked him if my husband and I were fighting, would he say something to us and he said he would, but this was a child, who, apparently has the right to disrupt my meal to the point where I was compelled to leave. I was not looking for anything from the restaurant, however, there was no effort to appease me. No gift card to come back for dessert another time or take one meal off the tab. You know, a customer service effort. I would have declined but I would have appreciated the offer. Bottom line, the noisy, disruptive, rude family will go back and I will have to find another favorite place to eat. read more

tldr: good for a beer and nachos, meal quality and service not (yet?) worth the prices Ate here on a Friday night, 7pm. Semi busy. Nice interior, clean, and casual but modern decor. Nice bar, multiple good beers on tap. Upbeat atmosphere. Group of 7 for dinner. (1) Initial drink order was quick. Thereafter, waitress was really inattentive. It's a small place and at least 3+ servers were on duty - apparently including the manager. But the meal took about 30 minutes longer than wanted while we waited for service between courses and the check. (2) Our server dropped a puddle of water on the floor - common and real hazard for patrons and other servers - but after mentioning it to two separate staff members we let it go. (3) BBQ chicken with mac/cheese and kale, first two were fine. Kale was in edible - cooked fine but drowning in vinegar (?). Avoid it. (4) Wife had salad with candied walnuts. Nuts were literally solid rocks of sugar that could not be bitten. This should be 1st year cooking school. (5) Other meals were fine but nothing remarkable. All of these were minor issues - but at the prices charged the food quality and service needs a notch up. Good for a beer - but until they improve the food and staff training, there are many other choices in Gloucester. read more

What happened to the good food I've previously had at 525? Are they focusing on burgers only? I went there last night and two of us had the baked haddock dinner. Haddock was ok, my rice was awful! It tasted reheated. Another in my party had fish tacos. They weren't very hearty. Very disappointed. read more

I am so happy that 525 has turned things around 180 degrees! I was not happy with pretty much everything when they first opened. Living down the street I was very disappointed with the fact that the food and drinks were just plain awful. 3 underwhelming visits and I cut ties with the place. Fast forward to my latest visit and its a miracle! Food, prices, drink selection and sizes, service....all fantastic! There is so much effort now to make sure everything about your visit is perfect. And you can't beat the easy access and parking, no traffic! Well done 525, congrats! read more

Don't Get a To-Go Order. We've had several great meals there in-house, but tonight ordered to go for the first time, truly a disappointment. We'd ordered food with potatoes & gravy on the side (which didn't happen) and desert, with ice cream specifically requested to be packed separately. No gravy. A pie slice I can't warm up because it's in a pool of liquid. A manager who said "so what you ordered isn't what you ordered?" when we called to let them know. They're good for drop-ins, but aren't really set up for take-out. Lesson learned. read more

$16 Hamburger? It better be great, right? Just sent it back. Awful. Wife's burger was way over done. Won't be back.

Return visit and I believe under different management. Menu change, good selection if you want to eat fairly healthy...or not. We visited for brunch, live music, comfortable seating at the bar. Family place is nice but not when there are too many yelling kids. read more

Been here a couple of time to meet friends for a bite to eat because it's the only restaurant in Magnolia...it's convenient but they're inconsistent. S Ordered take out, a Cobb salad tonight for $16.00. It had a half chicken breast, 1 hard boiled egg, 3 cherry tomatoes sliced in half, half an avocado, 4-5 crumbles of cheese. They skimped on all the ingredients. Too bad...for that price it could have been a great salad if they added more of everything. Very mediocre food....for high prices read more

Not a good 1st impression. Cocktails not well crafted for the price. My sandwich was cold and unappetizing. Only way I'd go back is if I'd heard from a reliable source that things had improved. read more

Ordered a craft beer for $7 . Came in a 6 oz glass. Rip off. Tried to play the ABV nonsense. If you go, there ask size before ordering. read more

Have been to this place many times and loved it. Went last night 9\20\19. Ordered 2 seasonal sangrias. One red, one white. They consisted of wine and pineapple juice and a full glass of ice. Not a sangria! Ordered nachos for appetizer. Waitress never came back for dinner order. We were done with nachos before waitress returned. At that point we asked for check and left. Worse experience at 525 ever. Will probably not return. read more

A little pricey, but soo delicious. Get the poutine. I don't know what sauce they put on it, but it's incredible. It's savory without being too heavy. I also had one of the burgers, which was perfectly cooked medium rare. My only complaint is that the service was a little slow, but it could've just been an understaffed day. Definitely recommend. read more

I went on a date here the other night... It was such a cute little spot with a great atmosphere. The drinks were good and I got the Margarita pizza.. It was to die for. There were a few "hiccups" in the service.. but it was nothing too bad, given that I knew the server was training someone else and must have gotten distracted. It was nothing that I couldn't laugh about and brush off.. I could tell that he must usually be wonderful otherwise. That's why I will still give 5 stars. Overall, I was delighted to make the trip to this restaurant and will do so again. The bar looks like a great spot to hang out at and I'll be looking forward to finding out for sure! Thanks for a great experience! :) read more

I went tonight on a tuesday night. My date and I had 3 glasses of wine, fish and chips and a pulled pork sandwich. The bill was $69 bucks- a little steep for a week night. The food was good, the place looks great and the service was very good. I would certainly go again. My one suggestion would be the 10% off for local residents be extended to Monday through Thursday. Come fall and winter, the locals will keep that place hopping. read more

I was pretty skeptical about this place, after reading the reviews on here. However I was pleasantly surprised when my family and I tried it. My mother and I had the salmon. We are both very critical of salmon, as it is our favorite dish. However this salmon was fantastic! It was cooked perfectly! My father and sister had the bacon wrapped scallops. They raved about the dish. My boyfriend had the etoufè. (I didn't want to scare him off with the review on here. So I didn't say anything.) He was very happy with his plate as well. My sister called this restaurant a "Diamond in the rough!" We will definitely be returning, and I'd recommend it to anyone! The decor was trendy and sleek. The handicapped bathroom was HUGE!!! The waitresses were friendly and attentive. :) read more