Lobster ravioli and drinks were great, hostess, bar staff and our server were super friendly,…read moreattentive and helpful. We got a drink downstairs and then sat upstairs outside and had a great view. Confused about the negative reviews...

The best part of my visit was the seafood chowder, but every other dish was mediocre, and the…read moreservice was terribly slow. The seafood chowder was flavorful and full of chunks of seafood. The salmon bites were over saturated in sauce so much so that the panko was soggy, the pan seared scallops were decent but I found the bacon jam to be too sweet paired with the scallops. We could not flag down our waiter any of the times we needed her and every time we asked someone else for help they'd leave and not come back. When it started raining and we needed to move indoors she was gone for so long she was surprised when she returned and we had already had been helped inside by another staff member. We ended the meal when she said she'd come back with water only to disappear and we ended up asking another waitress for the check, and she redirected it back to our waitress, who finally came back with no water. The restaurant was by no means full so I'm not sure what the large gaps in service was, and at one point my friend noticed the waitresses chatting in the kitchen while we were craning our necks. I'd only come back to order the seafood chowder as the rest of the dishes weren't good enough to make up for this.

We joined friends for a quick pre-show dinner, and the staff did a great job accommodating our…read moretight schedule -- we made the show on time without ever feeling rushed. We started with cocktails and their excellent house-made rolls, then split a dozen oysters from a wide selection; the server's recommendations were spot-on. Entrées included shrimp rigatoni, salmon, fish tacos, clam chowder, and fries -- all well prepared, good portions, and enjoyed by everyone. It was fairly busy (and thus a bit noisy), so reservations are probably a good idea.

Nestled in the heart of downtown Portsmouth, this vibrant upscale seafood spot sits conveniently…read morenext to the Hanover Parking Garage (bonus: parking is only $3 an hour). The tuna crudo was a standout appetizer--silky slices of fresh raw tuna with bright Asian-inspired flavors that complemented the fish beautifully. My only complaint? Four pieces for $21 disappeared way too quickly. I also tried Ethel's Creamy Lobster Roll, which came on perfectly toasted bread with the restaurant's signature thick-cut, house-made 242 fries. While the buttery roll was satisfying, I was hoping for a more generous portion of lobster. At $54, plus an upcharge for the specialty 242 in house made fries, this was definitely the meal that emptied the wallet more than it impressed my taste buds. The crispy fish tacos were my favorite of the meal. Each taco was packed with large pieces of crispy fried fish layered over a fresh slaw, and a squeeze of lime brought everything together with a bright, refreshing finish. As for the crispy fish sandwich...it was just mid. Perfectly edible, but nothing memorable compared to the rest of the menu. Overall, this is a beautiful seafood restaurant with a lively atmosphere and quality ingredients, but be prepared for upscale prices. You'll likely leave with a full stomach--but also a noticeably lighter wallet.

My partner and I rang in New Year's Eve at The Puddle Dock and couldn't have been happier with our…read moreexperience. We chose seats at the comfortable-looking bar, which was a great spot to start the evening and soak in the warm, antique, historical vibe of the space -- lots of character without feeling stuffy. We built our own dinner from a mix of appetizers, and everything we tried was excellent. The local cheese plate featured a soft, brie-like cheese that was rich and delicious. We also ordered the mussels, which were a standout -- especially the mustard component. I wouldn't have expected mustard to pair so well with mussels, but it absolutely worked and added a surprising depth of flavor. There was also a chicken dumpling special that was comforting, well-seasoned, and very satisfying. Every dish felt thoughtfully prepared and full of flavor. The service at the bar was fantastic. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely helpful when offering advice on what to order, which made the whole experience feel easy and welcoming. We're already looking forward to our next visit and trying more of the menu.

Ambiance here is quite nice. It definitely has a colonial vibe and offers some early American…read moredishes. Our waiter was quite polite and offered some suggestions. The food however is overpriced and just doesn't fit the bill. I was surprised to sit down and see a simple steak and potato dinner was $72. I ordered duck and my wife ordered pork belly. The food was alright but neither were meals that we'd want again. Two entrees, two apps, and a single glass of wine. ~$180 with tip. I don't mind spending $200 on dinner - but if I'm spending that much dinner should be stellar. This was just mediocre and I'm honestly surprised it has a 4.5 star rating average. To each their own I suppose.

I love this place the staff always goes above and beyond. The food and view are spectacular as well.read more

The River House is one of many restaurants on Bow Street that sits just above Portsmouth harbor on…read morean elevated deck. Each of these restaurants serves their own deck punch, which is a must try. Each of these restaurants also has unbeatable views of the water from their decks. We ordered happy hour oysters, tuna bites, and shrimp, plus two deck punches. Each food item was $1.50, which is very affordable. They offer one kind of oyster for happy hour, which they told us would be on the sweeter side, but I found them to be briney, which I prefer anyways. They were fresh and delicious. The shrimp cocktail was plump and super fresh. The tuna bites were basically deconstructed tuna and were absolutely incredible for $1.50. The deck punches were slightly weak for my taste but still super nice to sip on the deck on a hot summer day.

Last experience was 5 stars. This experience was maybe 3. I'll give 4 as my updated rating, to be…read moregenerous. This experience was so disappointing. The server kept running away, no time to give feedback. More attention to our plates and our ordering, than for us and our experience. Note to the wise: ask both people how their food is, and with enough time/follow up than only immediately after getting the dish. The tuna was very bland, it needed salt. I got the beef medallions. Though the beef itself was very good, the entire dish came off like a TV dinner - the sauce was supposed to be peppercorn. It was not. It degraded the entire dish, horribly. So sad for the elements to be buried in that slop. Potatoes were also very odd. For the price we paid, I would rather have had my money back and give my husband a much better birthday experience for somewhere else. Honestly devastating, and definitely cannot guarantee a recommendation from me, if this restaurant is not only inconsistent, but such a waste of so much money. Sad to think we could have enjoyed better food at a "lesser" establishment. Would much prefer to get my money back, at least for the entrees. WAYY overpaid. This was not worth it.

It was all right. The staff were incredibly nice from the hostess to the sous chef to the waitress…read more They were all very well trained, but the food was lack there of we had oysters, lobster bisque, clams, and fettuccine, and the Aji tuna and I think out of all of that, the oysters were the best.

Make sure to book a reservation as this place is really busy and popular!…read more 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.

AWESOME food!! First dinner in Portsmouth with my fiancé and Cure did not disappoint!…read more 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!

We went to an early evening dinner on a Sunday. Service was amazing, they even brought out two…read moreadditional appetizers and a dessert we didn't order. What a nice surprise! We had both flavors of wings and the beef app. The noodle dishes were delicious as well, in addition to the drink I ordered. The dessert was so good!! We will return.

Accidentally come on the restaurant week and they have differ menu. price little less than actual…read moremenu and the taste just mediocre. nothing direct than Thai food at mall court. Waiting for the table for quite sometimes and the host keep saying 5 min and another 5 min until end up being 25 minutes:

Fluffy chowder was delish!!! Will go back for a lobster roll and shrimp cocktail for sure!! So…read morefriendly too!!

I've lived near this spot for years and years yet for some reason I've never gone. What the heck!…read moreWhile I'm kicking myself for not coming earlier, I am now very happy that I know this spot is perfect in every way! So I got the hot lobster roll and my boyfriend got the cold lobster roll (not pictured sadly). Personally, I prefer a warm buttery roll, but he loved his cold roll and said it was perfectly seasoned. You get a good amount of lobster and it's $30. The line... omg it was out the door and soooo long. But trust me. Stay! It's worth it. And they move super fast. The pricing overall was really good. We also got the lobster bisque which had chunks of lobster in it (I dipped my roll in it and it was magic). Only $10! And a good portion. But they have all sorts of things--Mac and cheese, shrimp cocktail, steamers... and next door you can get fresh seafood as well. This is seafood heaven. And again, I was content with the price for quality food. Now let me quickly talk about the view because that was awesome. We sat outside and watched the ocean because it's at Rye Harbor (as the name suggests). It's so relaxing. Especially on a beautiful day. Here's the one thing you may be iffy on. $10 to pay for parking for the day. 30 minutes free. If you think you can do it all in 30 minutes, go for it. But we didn't want to rush so we paid $10 for parking which is kind of eh. But I get it because the whale watch leaves from the harbor. A minor thing to know, but not something to deter you from coming. Though if you don't come... that's more lobster rolls for me!