Highly overrated. Expensive and quite frankly not worth it. The two times I have been here they have been absolutely mobbed. Aside from their chicken finger recipe and mudslides this place is really, not that great. Paying close to $25 for some avg. Lamb, which portion wise is laughable and a mountain of rice isn't my cup of tea. Disappointed is an understament. Id go to the place across from gil stadium for my Mediterranean lamb fix and will spend a fraction of the cost next time and perhaps far better quality too. read more

Puritan Backroom - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

I ordered the Greek salad with chicken and it was quite tasty. The wait staff were attentive but let my friend and I sit and talk for a long while. Busy enough for a weekday afternoon but not too noisy. It's a Manchester landmark and a good restaurant for get togethers. read more

Honestly this place is just hugely disappointing. The chicken strips are mediocre at best. The sauces are mid tier. The staff is ok, but nothing to write home about. I don't understand the hype around this place. It's always crowded and for absolutely no reason. read more

I'd heard of the Puritan Backroom, but I never thought the chicken tenders were what made them famous. Even though the menu is extensive (folks in my party got burgers, pizza, deli sandwiches), I got an order of the chicken tenders with fries. And holy cow, this thing was HUGE. It came out on a platter the size of a family-style Chinese dinner. I counted twenty-five chicken tenders and enough fries to stuff your face. It was delicious, absolutely. Warm, tender, meaty, with just enough breading to add sweetness and a little crunch. But there was so much, I couldn't finish it, which is a shame because it left no room for dessert, and they have a little ice cream stand in the back. I have to go back, no question, but next time I'm getting something else, just so I can leave room for the ice cream! read more

Puritan Backroom - ONE order of chicken tenders and fries. This could feed a family of four. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

This place is a zoo on the weekends, only get take-out. Coconut & original tenders are the best (with the duck sauce, of course). Wasn't a huge fan of the parmesan and the buffalo was as-expected (zippy and messy). read more

favorite chicken in town the absolute best and every time i get it it's hot and fresh and worth all the wait!

This place is huge. The front is where you get take out, order your ice cream and function hall. The entrance to the restaurant is actually in the back of the building. I guess hence the name puritan backroom. They also have a conference hall across the parking lot. The place is huge. I follow a world foodie traveler, Mark Wein and know that he's in the New England area and said this place is legit. The inventor/creator of the original fried chicken tenders. If you didn't know chicken tender is not a shape like nuggets. It's actually a cut of meat that's located inside/center of the chicken breast. Broiled chicken tenders- Boo bae and I loved the sauce/gravy that came with this dish. It complemented so well with the slightly charred tenders. Its kinda sweet and savory. Menu says it's a secret and that it's soy base. Fried chicken tenders- These baby were so damn good. I checked, every piece were actual tenders and not pounded breast meat or cut up breast meat. Much appreciated. It came with their version of duck sauce and it was good but when compared to their secret sauce from the broil... we ended up dunking every pieces in that secret yum yum sauce instead. Original mudslide- Although not pictured but it was good. It was as chocolately, creamy and sweet as I thought it would be. A bit water down in my opinion like too much ice blended. Ice cream- They make their own ice cream and with alot of flavor. The one flavor that stood out to me was the baklava. Vanilla cinnamon base with baklava and walnut pieces mix it. Omfg it's ridiculously so darn good. These aren't the cheap chop walnuts, they use the whole and half walnuts to mix it in. I should of grab a to-go quart size located inside the front store. read more

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across the board. Food , services and Ambiance is super. Gone here when I was here as a child with my parents , now my daughter loves it and we come here now read more

Great drinks and restaurant. The chicken tenders are oddly sweet and I don't prefer them but everything else was good.

Sat at the bar, service was friendly and fast, drinks were cold, chicken tenders was plentiful with nice dipping sauce. Casual and nice atmosphere. read more

Good food,great server! Definitely a family favorite! We go often and the wait has been short. read more

Overall this was probably about a 3 1/2 star experience, but I will round up since it's the holidays and all. This place has been a fixture in the area since the 1970s though apparently the ice cream stand has been around since the early 1900s. The place is usually always incredibly crowded and doesn't take reservations or have any sort of call-ahead waiting list, etc. The interior is large but very dated with lots of wood paneling and leather seating which definitely gives it a 1970s/1980s look. Service overall was OK. They weren't particularly friendly when we entered and mainly were concerned that everyone in the party was present (we were) as apparently they won't seat you if people are missing (I'm not sure of the reason why). The server was OK. Not particularly amazing, and drinks were not refilled proactively without it being specifically requested. The menu is fairly large though prices definitely seemed a bit on the high side for a family restaurant in a small town. I tried the broiled chicken tenders which were pretty good. The meat seemed of good quality and was lightly browned on top. The "special sauce" was very good and is a mix of soy sauce, olive oil, and lemon apparently. Unique but quite good. The greek salad it came with was decent though nothing amazing. The olive has a pit so be careful! For dessert I tried the lemon meringue pie. Very good! Cold though not frozen and with a perfectly tart lemon filling and excellent crust. Overall the food here was pretty good though the service was OK and the prices seemed high for the overall experience. I can't imagine why it's always jam packed other than it's a bit of a local fixture, and there are not exactly a wealth of choices in the city. read more

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Food is always as expected. We tend to go with what we know and like. Re: to go orders-Just wish the staff would double check and reconcile the receipt to what's in the to-go bag before customer picks up or arrives. Paying for items that don't end up in the to-go bag and you don't receive is disappointing. read more

The food was excellent. We had to try the chicken tenders of course so we had the sampler for an appetizer. My husband go the blue cheese burger and I got the BLT. Both with generous helpings of fries. We will return - hopefully when it's less busy! read more

Hours were listed as open until 9:30 pm. We arrived at 9:10, drove from Maine, and treated rudely by host and waitstaff, even overheard our waitress, very loudly, say how she couldn't believe they sat a table at 9:15! I have been dining at this restaurant since I was 7 years old, I am now 45, never have I ever felt so unwelcome in all of those years. read more

I've been here a couple times and think that people keep going back as it's something familiar. There was a short wait, the place was packed, we got to our table and were able to order fairly fast but the food was a long time coming out. They always had a reason why, usually something was messed up in the kitchen. The food was OK, I had the Chaz pizza, but nothing special. It was good to try it once with my wife but we probably won't be going back. read more

Calamari is perfectly cooked and presented. Marinara is good Calamari could use a little seasoning read more

Puritan Backroom - Calamari - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

First time visit! Ordered the chicken tenders because I had heard they're great! I was not disappointed! They were perfectly fried and there were a ton of them. The Duck Sauce was delicious and not syrupy sweet! Can't wait to visit again!! read more

This place is always great. We hadn't been in a long time since we never get to manchester but tonight was a treat because we were meeting up with friends. Hands down always get the tenders and some sort of mudslide. I ordered the spicy tenders and a chocolate raspberry mudslide. I also got the corn chowder as well. Waitress was very attentive and always friendly. All in all another great time read more

We went on a Sunday at 4pm and the place was packed. I'd never been there, but figured it was a good sign. I was very wrong. The food left much to be desired. We got a burger, which was bland and overcooked; hardly memorable. Nothing to write home about at all. Totally disappointing. Our other meal was baked haddock with bread crumbs. The haddock was the smallest fillet I'd ever seen and had about a half-inch of breadcrumbs on it. The flavor and texture were sub-par; hardly worth more than a $5 fish fillet from McDonald's. There's probably more fish in the McDonald's one. This place used to have a stellar reputation for fried chicken, but it was like rubber with a little batter on it. One of our guests ordered the lamb kabobs, which were dry and overcooked. The other got the famous chicken tenders. I'll never go there again. It was $140 for the four of us and we didn't have any alcohol. What a waste of money. read more

this place never misses! obviously you have to get a mudslide but even takeout is great. my favorite is half spicy half coconut tenders with spicy fries read more

Puritan Backroom - half coconut half spicy tenders with well done spicy fries - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

Visiting Manchester for a week, all the locals told me that I simply HAD to go to the Puritan for a mudslide and chicken tenders. The place is an institution. Old, but still somehow very clean and tidy. Menu consisted of classic all-American dishes; pizzas, burgers, pasta, etc. Lots of Greek inspiration in the menu here and there too. Of course I had to follow the local recommendations. There are two size options for the mudslide, 12oz and 22oz. The 22oz is clearly the better deal as it's 5~ dollars for nearly double the size of the drink, but I went with a few 12oz sizes so I could try a variety. In order of worst to best of what I ordered: Key lime - 6/10 (kinda bland and not creamy enough) Milky Way - 8/10 Espresso - 8/10 Classic - 9/10 Almond joy - 10/10 For entrees I ordered the chicken tender meal, and others in my party ordered the lobster pot pie and veal parmesan. Food is good. Not amazing, but I didn't expect amazing, I expected wholesome, fulfilling and good value, and that's exactly what I got. Portions are huge. Service was good. Food came out fast. Emily was our server and she was a very no nonsense and straight to the point kind of server. Overall, yeah it's solid. It's not gonna win a Michelin star anytime soon but everything there is good. If I lived here I'd probably come here a few times a month for a very reliable dining experience. read more

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Ok, just had the chicken tinders, onions rings, and soup. The chicken tinder's were tender and tasty. Did the buffalo sauce. The soup corn chowder I have had better. . read more

Old school down home place. Old pictures on the walls. You can tell it's the type of place a lot of regulars frequent. The bartenders were older women who have probably been working there for years and are very welcoming. We came strictly for the chicken fingers and they didn't disappoint. We got the sampler platter so we were able to try all the options. My personal favorite was the Buffalo fingers. They weren't too spicy at all and kind of had a sweeter after taste. The selection of mudslides it's unmatched and I would come back from a mudslide alone. We tried the Milky Way one and it was great. If I lived closer I would def be here more often but it's perfect distance for a little day trip for me! read more

This place was full of patrons and has a great vibe. It felt very family-oriented and inclusive. Service was top-notch. The standout were the mozzarella sticks which were the best I ever had. Also excellent was the clam chowder. Their chocolate bread pudding was okay until I spooned out paper bits. The shrimp scampi I ordered was quite bland and lacking sufficient garlic sauce. This place would not be a go-to for me, but if I did happen to return, I would order a different entree. read more

Great place for the family! Def would go back. Service was excellent also. Food was delicious.

The chicken tenders with duck sauce are so amazing! I think all of the food is good, and the service is also excellent. All in all, a reliable place to have a great meal! Very warm and expansive interior. read more

This place is great. It's where the chicken tender was born in 1974 (admittedly, a disputed claim) and, 50 years later, the chicken tenders are still going strong. A friend of mine had her phone auto-correct "We're going for chicken tenders" to "We're going for assh*le tempers" so... that's how they are now affectionately referred to in my household. "Road trip for assh*le tempers; who's in?" But it's not only the chicken tenders. It's the mudslides which are out of this world. (I personally like the caramel encumbered slide [The Milky Way slide].) The entire dish of fried chicken tenders parmigiana cannot be eaten, in one sitting, by even the heartiest appetites. Prepare to take home enough leftovers for 3 days. Through a series of interesting circumstances and group events, I ended up at the Puritan 5 times within 4 weeks. I did not suffer Puritan fatigue. Each visit was awesome and I would go back again next week. (Well... y'know, everybody ~does~ like variety; but I wouldn't complain if I ended up at the Puritan again next week). My Dad has proclaimed this his favorite restaurant in the world. I'll give it to him; the Puritan rocks. read more

In a word- Yum! Even that doesn't seem enough. This Manchester institution is cherished by locals because of it's delicious food, generous and varied ice cream Choices, and marvelous selection of mudslides. Most popular menu item has to be the chicken tenders- they are legendary! If you are going to a party with food from The Puritan, you can guarantee they are on the menu. Their homemade ice cream is fantastic, enjoy a generous cone or bring home a pint for later! Eating in? So many desserts, how will you decide?? Pies, sundaes, cakes, puddings, and baklava. Belly up to the bar for one if their world famous frozen mudslides (maybe not world famous but they should be). Don't like mudslides, oh, you will after this! How could you not with so many choices: peanut butter, Snicker, Churro, even dairy/gluten free- and that's just a sampling, there are plenty more. You can't go wrong at the Puritan and if it is FITN (First in the nation - IYKYK) season, you may even run into a future president! read more

I grew up in Manchester, and I was just visiting for the first time in 9 years. I met a number of old friends and family members there for lunch today, and my husband asked if I loved the restaurant due to taste or nostalgia. I can say with certainty, it's the taste. Gosh, I love this place so much. read more

Puritan Backroom - Chicken tenders (nom nom nom) - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

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Chicken tenders and fries are typically what people get when they don't know what to order from the menu since it's a "safe" bet...for non adventurous people anyway. But hey, no judgement there when you're dining at Puritan Backroom since they specialize in chicken tenders. Puritan Backroom puts out some mean chicken tenders - I never woulda thought I'd find some of the best chicken tenders in lil ole Manchester. If the plain ones are too boring for ya, they also have spicy tenders, buffalo tenders, and coconut tenders. I have to admit...I drove past this establishment a few times and thought "what a peculiar name" and when I discovered it was a restaurant I was like "yeah...not sure I wanna be dining at a place called 'Puritan Backroom'." But luckily, my school catered from this place a few times and I was instantly hooked on their tenders. Ya girl don't play around when it comes to fried chicken. I am a huge fan of their spicy chicken tenders. The batter is really flavorful and it's not over-battered. It actually tastes great without any dipping sauce. I'm not a huge fan of the duck sauce (their signature dipping sauce) that it comes with...it's just okay. I prefer dipping my tenders in a "creamier" sauce like honey mustard. Their fries are pretty standard - not bad, not great, just solid enough to neither make or break your meal. read more

I love this restaurant. I love how the food is so good, especially the noodles. I liked how Nick was so nice to us. -J (age8) I had the fried fish, and meatballs, and French fries, and hot chocolate , and I liked it. -R (age 4) read more

Always great service food and portions. Always great food and cocktails especially the dolefinis and mudslides

Everyone talks about the great chicken fingers. They are too sweet.. and are dried out beyond over cooked. I understand that people find this place nostalgic. But the food is just not good. Ice cream is the only thing I will come back here for read more

Waited at the ice cream takeout window for 15 min. Placed order for a frappe. Was told, "we're done making frappes". I pointed to employee actively making a frappe. Response: " We don't make them after 9:00." (at this point it's 9:03 and the website says they are open until 10) Kid was unnecessarily rude about it. The service has been in decline for awhile and the food was always mediocre but convenient. This was probably Gods way of telling me to skip the frappe anyway. Go some where else. read more

The corn chowder was very good I have not been to this place in over 20 years does not disappoint. The frys are good hot and seasoned for the chicken tenders and frys and definitely is enough to split !!!!!!!! I should of took a picture of it so if u want to split it u can and u will still be full the server was good the time it took to get the food thank you read more

Food was outstanding portions were great. Very busy establishment. A little slow from the door to the table. But overall a great atmosphere. And service from the waitresses is better than good but less than great. food came out very fast and hot. read more

Food and service are top notch. First time visit- on my list when I come back to NH. Chicken fingers outstanding- buffalo sauce was good Good French onion soup !! read more

we came here specifically for the mudslides. We sat at the bar and enjoyed some apps and drinks but they were all so good!!!! -Artichoke dip 9/10: the chips were bread like and cooked interestingly to where it was almost like "stale" pita chips but it was actually just the way they were cooked, so it wasn't too bad. just interesting lol- anyways the dip was good tho! Mozzarella sticks:7/10 they weren't life changing but I'm not a fan of mozzarella sticks anyways i'm sure they were good for someone who wants a good ol mozzarella stick. Onion rings: 10/10 : pretty sweet. idk what makes them so sweet maybe it was the batter but i am not normally a fan of onion rings and i enjoyed them so much that I even packed them in a box to take home lol. pretty good. The OG mudslide: DELICUOUS 10/10 LIKE A CHOCOLATE KHALUA BAILEYS CREAM MILKSHAKE ! TRY IT !!!!!! Salted Caramel "Milky Way" Mudslide: 20/10 Holy Balls- this was .. nothing short of heaven. The firest, flamiest, delicuous. salted caramel, drunkenness end-to-your-dinner milkshake. dude this was unlike anything i've had before. I couldn't believe there was actually as much booze in it as it tasted like because it was like a milkshake but didn't even have any ice cream or anything in it. literally just alcohol and ice idk how they do it but it's FIYREEEEE two words: TRY. IT. don't be a square just go here for funsies The service here was amazing and the nice lady with the glasses and black hair was the BEST bartender. Literally so sweet and welcoming I just appreciated what great service this place had. I actually left my purse here and they had closed before we realized and sure enough even agree closing when the lights were out and everything they had answered my phone call and brought my purse out to me!!! These people are so great and deserve a 5 star specifically for how kind they were! Plus- definitely try the mudslides here there's really nothing like it. We are from california and came to visit family who referred us here for this and we were NOT disappointed can't wait to come back here when we visit again! Thank You Puritan Backroom! read more

Multiple people had told about this place , so we decided to pull the trigger. It was was date night and looking for another good place. Down in Manchester Nh we pulled in to the parking lot and it was not hard to find a parking space. Plenty of parking but im sure it depends what time you go. Went inside to a nice bar in front and the hostess to the right, ( we came in the back entrance ) waited for 5 minutes and got our seat to a open dinning room which was filled . Our waitress was on point and quick. The food that we ordered was the chicken tenders for the both of us and loved it !!!!! we would come back again !!!! Service : 5 Food : 5 Parking : good Looking to get the best chicken tenders , Id go to this place , read more