Meghan G.

My dad and I had lunch at Muddy River. I didn't experience the specialty of the house but my salad was alright. I always appreciate it when the hardboiled egg in a cobb salad is cooked properly. Service was attentive and friendly. My dad ordered the brisket and enjoyed trying out the various BBQ sauce options. Staff were also thoughtful with an order we took home. The space has changed (moved stairwells) from the last restaurant but it seems to work.

Cory S.

Went for my sons and my birthday. We ordered friend pickles and beers. Friend pickles were some of the best we have had. Ordered the Big Board ( there were 4 of us) and we barely got through half. Loved the chicken, ribs and pulled pork. Cornbread was really good . Wish the brisket had a little more seasoning. Was very moist though. Will go back for sure.

John C.

Freaking awesome great place beans and slaw had that they have the best beer deciduous on tap the Reuben a top 5 sandwich in my life I will be back next week

Liv W.

This was such a good dinner! I feel like everything was consistently good and our waitress was fantastic! I have no complaints! The nachos to start were so tasty! I loved the barbecue style nachos and thought they weren't too overpowering which is always good. The cheese was perfectly gooey and I loved the hint of spice with the jalapeños. We ended up getting the family board (I can't remember the exact name). It had so much food... rack of ribs, large fries, large mac and cheese, pork belly, pulled pork, whole chicken... and it was only $114 for four people which honestly feels like a steal! My only one eh thing is that I wish the meat was seasoned a bit better. The barbecue sauces to accompany were fine (2 tasted the exact same), but the meat itself lacked seasoning so you HAD to dip it in sauce to have any flavor. I wish there was a more Smokey flavor to it! But that's okay--still good. We also had cornbread and it was honestly to die for! Again, service was fantastic, the food came out fast, and you get a great amount for a reasonable price!

Dan S.

The new location in Newfields is beautiful. It's a shame the legacy reviews from the old location are still factored in. The food was reasonably priced and quite good. The bar has several TV screens. I really love the cozy seating in the quiet corners. The building is historic. The floors are uneven and the bar seats rock. The floors are oily and I nearly slipped while walking toward the door. I love that they have a large outdoor dog friendly dining area.

Dana M.

MUDDY RiVER is BACK!!! Remember the old days in downtown Portsmouth when this was the only Barbecue Place anywhere in the area? I don't care what the other reviews say, this IS the Muddy River of olde, just in Newfields. We enjoyed every single thing that was put in front of us. These were where we were introduced to fried pickles and judged everything since(30+ years) as subpar. While for my personal tastes I would have changed some things(less jalapeño and more lime in the slaw), overall everything was excellent. We sat at the bar where our male bartender showed the style, knowledge and savoy of a seasoned professional.

Robert B.

Me and my family are celebrating my mom's birthday in maine decided to stop here along the way and we're sure glad we did the food was absolutely amazing and their beers on tap are great. I had the the half rack ribs with the lime jalapeño slaw and brisket baked beans. The ribs meat were fall off the bone and very flavorful and our waitress was very friendly.

Zach M.

Amazing service, ambiance , and great food. This was the best brisket I've ever had. Im a harsh critic usually also. Sue was incredibly friendly and helpful

Jon A.

The moment we entered we should have turned right around. The wet mop and stale beer smell that assaulted my nostrils should have clued me in on what was to come. First, we ordered our drinks--I had the iced tea. I've never mentioned iced tea in a review before, but this iced tea was truly remarkable for how flavorless it was. It was so weak I at first thought it was a glass of water. Sadly, it foreshadowed what was to come. When our food came, I could not have been more disappointed. The ribs were literally grey. No char. No crust. No smoke ring. I cannot believe anyone with an ounce of pride would have presented those ribs to any customer. Because there was nothing but a fork and butter knife, I was left to pull the ribs apart with my fingers. They were tough--almost inedible. The taste was just as bland. No smoke. No seasoning. Nothing. If you had told me that had been cooked in a sous vide I would believe you but for the faintest bit of pink on the underside. The pulled pork tasted like the butt had been cooked in a slow cooker. Like the ribs, they lacked any evidence that they had been in a smoker. No flavor, no smoke ring, and, again, no crust. Also, whoever prepped the pork after cooking didn't bother to remove the fat and bits of membrane before putting it out for service. The sides were no better. The "jalapeño" cole slaw lacked any flavor beyond shredded cabbage. Not even the dressing had any zing to it. Salt, pepper, vinegar, mayo, and a pinch of sugar--none of those tastes were in the slaw. The beans had the taste and texture of off-brand canned baked beans. They are touted as "brisket baked beans" and there were pieces of brisket in them. However, the texture gives away that the meat is added *after* the beans are cooked. BTW, the pieces of brisket lacked any discernible smoked taste. The pickles were vinegar-flavored mush. Pro tip: remove the blossom end from the cuke and you'll get much better results. Finally, the "ambiance." The room and grounds are rather nice--if you can get past the inexplicably loud pop country music. FFS, either turn it down or, if you must play country, at least play something decent. Or don't. We won't be back. Frankly, I'm embarrassed on your behalf. How anyone could have let out of the kitchen such ineptly prepared food is beyond me. Take some pride, Muddy River Smokehouse.