First time trying Portside and it did not disappoint. They offer indoor and outdoor seating which is great. The service was excellent and our food was served to us very quickly. They have a good menu for small and large plates. It gave me a very Modern American vibe. I ordered one of the burgers off the specials that had bacon, onion, cheese, pickles, a special sauce and even a slice of green apple. It was delicious. I also ordered the vanilla cheesecake. It was quite rich but not as flavorful as I would hoped. The only downside is this place is a little overpriced for what you are getting read more

Portside Tavern - Seafood Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

I was in the area for business and it was a beautiful day, so my co-workers and I went for some drinks at Portside. The drinks were good, and the waitress was attentive, but I was charged twice for the drink. I figured an honest mistake, and I called to have it corrected. I spoke to one manager who told me to give it through the weekend for the refund to post and if it doesn't, to call back. I called back because it didn't post and spoke to a different manager who again went through the whole thing and again told me I was all set for my refund. I haven't gotten my refund, and I am sick of having to chase them to correct their error. Thankfully it wasn't a huge amount, so I am not wasting any additional time trying to get my money back. Just be careful and check your statements. I would hate to think of how long it would take me and how many phone calls I would have to make if it was an entire meal. I won't be back because I can't count on the establishment to ensure they correct their errors. It has been well over 4 days and this transaction is NOT showing as pending. I am aware of how credit cards and banks work and would not post a review saying I did not get the refund if I had. read more

First visit. Understand recently revamped. Nice space but quite noisy (and lively). Packed. We had beers and split the "Korean BBQ Pork Wonton Nachos". Applaud the chef for trying but these did not work. The black bean burger and shrimp po' boy were winners. If you are looking for a casual meal... Damages for 2 with tip was $60. Food 3/5 (due to the non-winning appetizer) Service 3/5 (staff is overworked so a bit slow) Value 4/5 Cleanliness 5/5 Noise 2/5 (a lively spot; don't plan on an intimate conversation) Decor 4/5 read more

A small bar but service was really good. The location is right down near Independence Park; so it offer's proximity to other venues and especially the 4th of July concerts. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Bristol. Great selection of food spanning the gamut. Great kids menu which is very rare these days. The crab cakes are a favorite. Free music a lot of the time with outside seating across from the harbor. Great staff. read more

Food was good service was great!! I would recommend this place! And I will go again! Not much more I can say!

Wonderful Ahi rice bowl, great strong drinks and very easy and nice staff. I had a great lunch there and thought the menu looked excellent for future visits. read more

Went here with my god sister on Tuesday and the in Thursday with my god sister and brought my husband and his friend with us this time. Was very good!! First time I had the portside burger, and then I tried the Oktoberfest menu and had a watermelon margaritas both times. Was definitely not disappointed either time. Would definitely recommend this place if your in the area! Priced fair and good atmosphere. 10/10 read more

Met up with extended family for lunch and were greeted by friendly waitstaff, service was excellent. The lunch menu provided many options for vegetarians, pescatarians, and meat eaters! High recommend the mahi mahi tacos and clam chowder. read more

Tried out this little restaurant. It looked inviting as we wanted to sit outside on a sunny day. Luckily the shade made it comfortable and we wanted to be able to enjoy the view of the water. I enjoyed my southwest salad and hubby enjoyed his mussels. My cocktail didn't taste at all like what it was supposed to be so that was disappointing, but the fantastic view bumped it up to a 4 star. read more

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Excellent place great food great service and very reasonable prices. Stopped at this place on a whim, will be back.

Great addition to the area! The remodel is nice and the dining room feels much lighter and brighter. Decent wine and cocktail list. My husband loved the draft beer list. We started with the Korean BBQ wonton nachos. My only complaint about these were the wonton chips were super greasy. They were tasty though. I had a reuben sandwich and my husband had the mahi mahi tacos. We both enjoyed our lunches. Service was good and we will definitely be back. read more

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I visited this restaurant while vacationing in the area. I and my dining partner thought it would be a nice restaurant since it seemed pretty popular and had a great view of the water. We placed reservations and sat at a table directly outside of the restaurant. This would have been wonderful if the sun hadn't been shining directly in our faces...and would only continue to shine on us as it set. We asked the hostess if we could be seated table inside the restaurant instead - we'd been there for nearly ten minutes, never spoke to a member of the waitstaff, and only received water - and were told "you can sit at the bar". Mind you, the couple ahead of me walked in, without reservations, and were taken to a table inside the restaurant. There were open tables, so I found it difficult to believe that the only available space was at the bar. We immediately left, thus opening up a table for the next walk-in party. If you choose to dine here and sit outside, see if you can sit on the side patio and not directly in front of the restaurant. The blinding sun does not make for an enjoyable experience. read more

Well, I have to be honest... I am probably going get some people all fired up and call an a** because I am going write some nasty stuff. But I swear, I only aim to tell my version of the truth. Overall 3. Decor and Serivces - 4. First, welcome to Bristol, Portside! It's nice to have another American food joint to go besides the true and tried JR Bean, Aidan's, SS Dion and Christian's, all within walking distance. We are so fortunate to have over 20 decent restaurants in Bristol. My first impression of this place, as I walked in, is REALY LOUD! I could hear everyone raising voices so that others can hear. I hear the conversations from three seats away! The place was certainly packed and hopping. I think the acoustics of the place has to do with it. As I looked around, the color scheme and the decor reminded me of NYAJ. That's right, Not Your Average Joe's. I suppose it makes sense if you have menu that resembles NYAJ. Speaking of the menu, I saw many classic American dishes like, grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, steaks, fish, and dinner size salads. The selection of beer and wine is pretty good. I counted about a dozen craft beers on tap besides the Bud. There are a dozen more of the bottled beers, too. As our first visit, we decided to try the Korean BBQ wonton nachos, Bahn Mi sandwich and Grilled Cheese sandwich. My GF is English/Scottish but I am Asian. So I tend to be partial to Asian dishes as a disclaimer. While it sounded like a great idea, it became obvious to me that I should just stick to the classic American dishes, not some fancy version of Korean and Vietnamese theme dishes. Not that these dishes were horrible, if you had Korean BBQ or Vietnamese Bahn Mi elsewhere, from the likes of Sura, Den Den, Lotus Pepper, Pho Horne in Providence, where they serve better and authentic versions of the same food, you will be disappointed here. The Korean BBQ fried wonton nachos - well, it was not exactly Korean BBQ or nachos... it resembles nachos and interesting attempt to combine the Korean BBQ theme with Mexican, but I personally think it needs tweaking. The meat tasted like a regular sweet pulled pork, mixed with chopped slaws, scallions and touch of sesame seed oil. I guess you can call anything Korean when you mix scallions, soy sauce and sesame seed oil! Not. There was no heat at all and the sauce was too sweet for me. The white sauce that was drizzled on top tasted sweet and had good tangy flavor, but I don't think it was a successful attempt. I think it needs more heat, and definitely less sweetness. Tasted like sweeter version of ranch dressing. Despite all this, we still ate almost all of it. One good thing about this dish is the size. Presentation was nice. Enough for two people. If it was not called Korean BBQ, then I would be OK with it. I remember having something similar at Not Your Average Joe's. See my review of NYAJ if your are interested for comparison. Some people may like the flavor. Then the Bahn Mi... It was not what I thought it was. The Bahn Mi here really bummed me out. First, when it came out, I was a bit taken back. Horrible presentation! I appreciate the large portions but the portions of the greens to the main dish was off. See the picture. The green was literally falling off the plate when It arrived at the table. It was more like, the greens with a side of Bahn Mi... I think the presentation should be at the level of the decor. The food presentation did not do justice to the decor. I felt like going to a nice restaurant and served plate of leftovers from my mom's. The pork on Bahn Mi was really hard, had absolutely no taste, not even an ounce of saltiness. Then this weird combination of sliced jalapeños, shredded carrots and sauce that tasted like Russian dressing... on a roll. Total execution failure if you asked me. I just had a great Bahn Mi from a food truck of Lotus Pepper for $7 two days ago in Providence. Compared to that, this version was a total imposter. My GF had the grilled sandwich. I had a bite of it but also felt that it was not flavorful enough. But again, it's just a grilled sandwich, right? Something that a kid would eat and they don't have taste buds so who cares, unless you make it sound like a gourmet grilled sandwich with multiple cheeses, like a combination of Asiago and sharp cheddar or provolone. I just thought that it had no taste other than overly buttery taste. The portion was big and it was definitely a meal big enough to satisfy your hunger. So, there you have it. My first visit. I think the place has a good potential; the service was excellent. I just have to remember to stick to the basics and not try the fancy versions of Asian dishes, unless the joint is Asian. I have been disappointed at other places when they try to fuse classic Asian dishes with American interpretations. The portions, the reasonable prices and the service are the positives. read more

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This place was great! A nice refurb from the old Redlefsen's with cool modern interior and nice bar. The bartenders are great and super friendly. Had lunch at the bar mid-week, so not too busy, but there seemed to be a good group of regulars. They had a great selection of draft beer, including some interesting options (I had a taste of the chocolate peanut butter porter but it was the middle of summer so I opted for the Downeast cider instead). Lunch was tasty too. I really enjoyed the shrimp po boy- the shrimps were very well seasoned with cajun spice (perhaps too seasoned?) and the remoulade was tasty. The turkey club also got a great review- a simple dish done very well. We both had the side salad (instead of the fries- an attempt at being healthy), and the sesame vinegarette was very savoury. We will be back! read more

Good spot in Bristol by the water for a quick drink and pub food. Got seats at the bar. Got the portside paloma which was good. Sinbad the sailor was too strong and not that great. For food, the korean bbq nachos were really good. The portside calamari was good as well, loved the pickled jalapenos and the red onion more than the calamari itself. Mahi mahi tacos were good, only 2 in quantity. Overall, the food was quite good and I'd return. read more

Portside Tavern - Seafood Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Went for Mother's Day and it was delicious! Wait for food was a little insane., but food was worth it. Nice location. Plenty of outdoor and indoor seating. Pretzel appetizer and cheese was so tasty. I had the pesto chicken sandwich and it was very flavorful. Fries seem like hand cut ones! Plenty of options for kids too. Prices are very reasonable. My sister in law got the mussels appetizer and it was huge and was only $15. read more

Portside Tavern - Chicken pesto sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Visited the Portside Tavern in Bristol, RI on a recent Friday evening. The reservation process was easy and they didn't require a credit card to book as many other establishments in Bristol do. We reserved an outside table and the hostess brought us to our table as soon as we arrived. A beautiful, but muggy Friday evening overlooking the park and the setting sun was a treat. The food was good, but average and the primary reason for the 3 stars. While you can't beat the prices (we got out of there for $28 with two entrees, no appetizers, no alcohol, and no dessert) don't expect to leave needing to unbuckle or wear your stretchy pants. The Cajun mahi mahi tacos were very good, but only 2 of them while most establishments will provide 3 as an entree. They came with a choice of fries or greens and I opted for the greens served with their ginger sesame dressing which was not too overpowering and didn't drench the greens, either. The turkey club on sourdough was good, but lacking the essence of a club sandwich as it was missing the middle slice of bread indicative of a club sandwich and also missing tomatoes. For this we ordered the fries and our waiter offered to bring them Parmesan style which was a nice upgrade. Sweet potato fries would be a nice add to the menu in the future. Overall, Portside provides a nice casual alternative in the Bristol area with indoor and outdoor dining options. The casual ambiance and light price tag makes this a good option for that night out by the water. read more

The location of Portside can't be beat, and the menu items are interesting in idea, at least if not in execution. The staff hustles to keep things moving and food coming quickly, and have done a great job of being attentive enough without feeling like you're being pushed. Perhaps the biggest takeaway from our dinner here was the realization that having booth benches taller than the chairs and table makes for an oddly perched position from which to have a meal. Otherwise, the food is average and doesn't leave you wanting it again (with the possible exception of the Korean BBQ wonton nachos, which were quite tasty). read more

Portside Tavern - Korean BBQ wonton nachos - Seafood Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

We had a lovely dinner at Portside on a Tuesday evening:) 7:30 reservations on the last day of June, not surprising, but still totally full on a weekday. We sat outside on the side deck with dear friends and loved everything about it! Service was very pleasant and our menu selections were delicious. A nice dinner in Bristol, in the books as a great evening! So good to get back out to enjoy all of the wonderful food RI has to offer! read more

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This place is definitely a must. The wait staff is friendly the bartenders are great and the food is fantastic.! Outdoor seating is a plus. read more

Great service, cool atmosphere, the food was really good. We'll come back here in the summer for sure since the location is so pretty right across the street from the water. read more

Good food and great atmosphere. Would go there again and recommended highly to everyone

This is an A+ place I go at least a few times a month food never feels to be great! Staff has always been top notch. Good sized menu choices but always unique and tasty. Lots of Gluten w options too. Prices are very reasonable. Definite must try. Weekend usually has entertainment in the Summer. Right across from the waterfront. read more

Great location, great service, diverse menu. Our waitress, Alicia, was attentive and great at her craft. The Korean nachos were interesting. Food fresh and great taste. read more

Portside Tavern - Cucumber Lemon Drop Martini - Seafood Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Shrinkflation! I have been here several times, but something has changed. I am not the type of person that thinks more food makes it better. This was different. We started with the crab cakes. There were two very small, very flat crabcakes. on the plus side, being so flat made them crispy. I had the shrimp Po'boy for an entree. There were exactly 4 small shrimp on the entire sandwich. If you have to raise the prices, then do so. That's at least more honest. read more

Love going to The Portside on a beautiful Summer afternoon to hang on the deck and listen to some relaxing acoustic tunes. The food is top notch, fresh and delicious. Good sandwiches and seafood and they make a good gin and tonic. They get busy so it pays to get there early. read more

The waitress was excellent, really liked all the food (mussels, pretzels, crab cakes). Just sad they don't have French onion soup on the menu anymore. read more

This place was amazing!! We came down to that area to eat at the place across the street and it was actually closed for cleaning. So across the street we went. And I am SO HAPPY we did! We loved our meals and everyone was very happy with the service and taste! From the chicken veggie wraps to corned beef reubens....5 star for everything. Plus the outdoor seating was perfect for the tough times and with my dogs! read more

My family and I came here for lunch. The waitress was very nice and took our drink order as soon as we sat. I got a cold brew and it was very good and smooth. We ordered the Thai Veggie Wraps to share as an appetizer and they were very good, they came with a peanut sauce that I enjoyed a lot. For my entree my mom and I shared a Fish Reuben and a Crabby Patty. The Crabby Patty was tasty, it came with a good amount crab on it. The fish reuben was also enjoyable, the cod was very crispy. My dad was disappointed in the French fries that came with his Fish & Chips but he told the waitress and she brought us a fresh order. It was a very nice lunch in my opinion. read more

Portside Tavern - Half of the fish reuben with salad - Seafood Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

Usually love dining here in the summer months outdoors. Very disappointed the restaurant was ice cold and the menu was limited. Asked for server to close the second set of doors so that when the entry door was open, the restaurant would not be flooded with ice cold air. Server said he doesn't want to do that. whoever he is should know that everyone sitting around in the dining room was uncomfortable even with the fireplace roaring. I won't return back till after the spring. Really ruined dinner. read more

Love this place. Right across the street from Independence Park, with views of the harbor (and sunsets!). Food is excellent, service is very good. Nice menu with selections to suit most tastes. We ate dinner here after picking up our mooring for an overnight stay in the harbor. Really made a nice start to the evening. Highly recommended. read more

A great place to go on a winter's evening. The food, service and atmosphere is very nice.

Nice outdoor seatings and great servers, but the food is absolutely terrible. If you must eat here, stay away from the General Al's (unless you enjoy your food drowning in a swamp of sickly sweet syrup and your chicken overly fried) and order the Korean BBQ nachos... read more

I'm the type of customer that values service just as much as the quality of the food. That being said, my wife and I came here for the first time yesterday evening. While the food was good, the service left a lot to be desired. We got here just after 5:00 pm so it was not terribly busy but steady. We were asked to sit outside and we were quickly seated. So after about 5-6 minutes, our waitress finally comes over to us and asks if we'd like to start with drinks. So we ordered our drinks. Those came out a few minutes later and we placed our order. For the app we got the korean bbq pork wonton nachos. For my entree I went with the pesto grilled chicken sandwich. And the wait began...and we waited...and we waited...and waited...at this point I said to my wife, good thing we're not hungry or anything. After about a good 20 minutes, our app finally comes out. But we have no plates, just silverware. So our waitress had to go and get us dishes. So when she comes back with our dishes, she asks us if we mind if she brings out our entrees as she submitted the order for our app and entrees at the same time. Seriously?!?! I told her yes we do if we could have a few minutes to eat our appetizer and she said ok. So then she comes back not even 5 minutes later with our entrees and said that she is sorry but the cook apparently told her she had to bring them out. So now here we are, not even half way done with our app and now we have our dinner at our table getting cold while we eat our app. Yea I'm not too happy right now. So the food was very good and tasty. Luckily it did not cool off too much by the time we were done with our appetizer. We were finished with our meal for quite some time before our waitress came back and asked if we wanted dessert and we declined. She returned a couple of minutes later with our check. And then she disappeared again. Now a couple that was seated behind us was seated for quite some time and no one went to their table at all until a guy who I observed taking dishes from other tables asked them if anyone had been over to them and they said no. I heard him apologize and said he would get their server. So after this, our waitress finally comes back with our check and says, i'm sorry I thought I already gave you the check, And wouldn't you know it after she gives us our check, she is the waitress for table behind us SMH. Overall, while the food was good, it wasn't enough to outweigh the terrible service we received. There was zero sense of urgency on our waitresses part and she seemed to just laugh off her mistakes. There's plenty of other good restaurants in Bristol that offers good food and equally good service. Probably 1 and done for me at Portside. read more

Very good food!! Been here a few times and was definitely happy with my meal. Chill atmosphere.

It's good food love the appetizers the bartenders are always very nice and on point with drinks. I feel like it gets a little over crowded and management doesn't seem to care. read more

First time here with wife for lunch. Hostess seated us immediately.... waiter was there with ice water before we even sat down. Very pleasant and outgoing staff... menu and specials were amazing. Process are extremely affordable. Overall impression? Spotless!!! Bright, open and inviting. THIS will be a regular stop for us living on Prudence Island. Two or three blocks up the road from the dock and done! Highly recommended!! Pics on our next trip! read more

Services are great, great atmosphere... but the food was ok. Ended up getting the pesto chicken sandwich and one of the appetizers. Chicken was a little rough but wasn't bad. The steak my GF got was not all that great, but she enjoyed the drinks and the appetizer. read more

Portside Tavern - grilled cheese and bread on a slate platter - Seafood Near Me - Bristol, Rhode Island

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My wife and I, who are locals, went here a few nights ago. We had the Coleman's honey glazed salmon, Southwest black bean burger and a calamari appetizer. We are all pretty fussy when it comes to food but each of us thought everything was cooked perfectly and tasted great. We shared the Keylime pie for dessert, and it was fantastic. Great portion size too! Our waitress couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful, without being too intrusive. The atmosphere here is spacious, airy and relaxed. The location is hard to beat also. We will be returning tonight and are glad to have another favorite place to go. read more