What a great restaurant, that continues to be one of my faves on Island. Again, you stepping downstairs, into this cavernousesque restaurant you can imagine salty whaling captains, peglegs and all, ordering up their ales and bowls of chowder. The staff from the maitre d who has been there for ever to the bartenders and servers, all top notch and friendly. I've dined with reservations for more of the fine dining feel, but also have casually rolled up to the bar and enjoyed the more relaxed vibe, but still great food. Again, Nantucket is expensive, but I find that the meal, service and ambiance warrants the price for a fun and memorable night out. Enjoy the walk back into town and soak in the fresh air! read more

Another great dinner at Ship's Inn! The food, service and ambience here are just incredible. To start, the drinks were perfectly made. The bread basket was incredible, small brioche rolls that were amazing! The entrees were all perfectly cooked and paired perfectly with sides. Wish we saved room for the soufflé dessert! Service was top notch and enjoyed celebrating a milestone birthday. Manager conversed with each table and thanked them for dining. Can't wait to return! read more

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We had a wonderful dinner served by Melissa who was dead on perfect! Wine selections by the glass an by the bottle were excellent. The ambiance is quaint and casual with a special time-infused elegance. There's an air of comfort and tradition without trying too hard to be "something". The restaurant is about as well run as you could hope for. The food was excellent. We had Lobster Bisque, smoked trout and followed with cod loins, swordfish and buffalo chopped steak with goat cheese. What a great meal! I rarely give 5 stars on a first visit but the combination of over the top excellence and confirmation from our friends that it is always this good was enough for me to know that Ships Inn will always be a five star experience. One thing to know, you'll want to have a reservation and they only take them about 7 days out from what I recall. I think you can use either open table or resy. I'm sure their website will tell you. The other thing to know is that since everything is excellent, maybe take a chance on something you haven't tried before. I did that with chopped buffalo steak and loved it. The smoked trout is one of the best appetizers I've had in a while so my suggestion would be to include at least one of those for the table. Hope you get to try them out! read more

We stayed here on the 4th and 5th of October, 2025. We booked in June '25 during our annual week vacation on island. The rate was spectacular, and the inn was even better, but the restaurant and bar is to die for! 5-star. Where to start? The staff is excellent, professional, exceptionally pleasant, and very accommodating. Our room was huge! Clean. Well stocked. Nice clean bathroom. We had tea in the common room in the afternoon; able to chat with other visitors - relaxing and quite pleasant. The restaurant was to die for. We made our reservation on Resy a week before. Everything was just incredible, starting with a mussel appetizer, cod and polenta/spinach dish, to the chocolate soufflé. The next morning we crossed the street to attend services at Saint Paul's Episcopal. Came back for a quick breakfast down stairs; the coffee was top-shelf, eggs perfectly made, and fresh fruit - can't beat any of that. We left our bag at the Inn, and went in town to shop, sip coffee, and take it all in. Picked up our bag and dropped it off at the Hyline building. Had lunch with local friends at Brant Point. The day, hotel, dinner, church, and lunch was all serendipitous. No negatives. Ship's Inn is one of the absolute best and well known inn and restaurant on the island. read more

A great place for a couples night out due to the service, ambience, and food. This was our third visit and is consistently the best of the best. read more

Many locals including myself consider Ship's Inn the best restaurant on Nantucket- we've been eating there and other downtown eateries for over 25 years. It's hard to choose between the chef-caught fresh catch, and the legendary halibut, short ribs, and steaks. Don't miss the unique specialty cocktails and save room for the souffles. read more

*Best meal I've had on Nantucket in YEARS!* A tiny tucked away dining room located underneath the ships Inn hotel. The first thing that stood out to me was the attention to detail. Once we were seated by a very friendly hostess we started with 2 "Aurora" cocktails. A perfect blend of tequila and lime and a splash of grapefruit? Garnished with rosemary which hit all the senses while enjoying. The bread came out my favorite was the oatmeal with hints of banana. It was warm and served with whipped butter tasted very fresh. Our server Theo was very professional/friendly, we started with the "sautéed lobster appetizer" and the "poached pear salad." Both home runs... the sautéed Lobster appetizer came with a perfect amount of lobster, sautéed mushrooms, cheesy polenta, chopped Asparagus, and a unbelievable buttery, garlicky, tasteful gravy. The poached pear salad was unbelievable. Sweet, slightly salty, accompanied with a creamy lightly fried goat cheese on a bed of fresh greens, was pieced together with a lemon vinaigrette. Not a huge salad guy but this was not an ordinary salad (must get). After ordering another round of Aurora's is was time for the main course... there's not many times I've wanted 3-4 things on the menu so it was a tough call... I ended up going with the dry aged sirloin and boy was I not disappointed. Perfectly cooked medium rare, seasoned very well with whole peppercorns and the Demi glaze that was a 10/10... it was served with cheesy buttery scalloped potato's and some small green beans and carrots. One of best steaks I've had ever... The person I was with went with the filet which 9.9/10 times I feel like it's a boring steak this was not... Perfectly cooked medium rare, Tender as could be and topped with an amazing blue cheese glaze. I didn't think I had enough room for dessert but I was glad we did. We had an amazing vanilla layered cake with homemade fudge frosting. This was the cherry on top it was excellent. It seemed like everyone who worked there was very passionate in what they do and it showed. I would recommend this restaurant to anybody. From start to finish they did not miss a beat. Compared to many other restaurants on Nantucket the price's were very reasonable as well. The Owner came over and made a perfect amount of small talk asking how everything came out (attention to detail). Great place for a romantic date, birthday, or just to have a great meal! We will be back ASAP read more

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I was down to Nantucket for the weekend so we decided to try the Ships Inn. It is located on a side street so we needed GPS to find it. It is located in a whalers house. I had the soft shell crab as an appetizer and sword fish as an entree. The service was 5 star with the waiter monitoring us the whole time. It had carpeting in the dining area which helped to reduce the noise. We had no problem hearing each other so we could hold a conversation. If your on the island I would recommend it. read more

Impeccable service! Every course was perfection! We had the swordfish steak and filet. The peach soufflé was devine. We will be back!

An old school fine dining restaurant that has weathered the years and Covid short staffing with grace. Food is superb and the service is excellent. Of course you have to get all the seafood you can. Oysters are a must have. The night we were there the fire system went off mid-cocktails and they managed that with humor and class. This is a special event spot - go if you are on Nantucket! read more

Went for the first time last year and after our second visit can guarantee we'll be coming back again. Everything we ordered was phenomenal and cooked to order, i'd definitely recommend reserving one of their famous soufflés as soon as you arrive (they sell out and take ~30 mins to prepare). This visit I got their creme brûlée which was also to die for if you're looking for something a little lighter. The place is very small so a reservation well in advance is a must. FYI - they open booking 1 month prior to your desired date. read more

Ship's Inn-Nantucket - Creme brûlée - to die for! - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Nantucket, Massachusetts

This was our first dinner on Nantucket Island for our first trip to Nantucket Island, and I must say, we were not disappointed!! Everything was delicious!! The bread was homemade and fresh, the shrimp gumbo was absolutely amazing!!! The sea scallops were the best I've ever tasted!!! I had the Halibut and my daughter had the Swordfish and both dishes were excellent!! Very flavorful and the fish was cooked to perfection!! My only complaint would be the puréed peas, which I didn't much care for, but then again, I don't like peas, and the mushroom risotto that also accompanied the dish more than made up for the puréed peas. My daughter's creamed spinach was really good, and I wish I could have swapped my puréed peas for the creamed spinach, but other than that, Ship's Inn definitely hit the mark!! We will certainly be back!! read more

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The food and atmosphere were excellent. We had a group of 10 people. All 9 white people were served dinner at the same time, while the 1 black person in our group was served later. It would seem like a coincidence except that we had the same exact experience at Brotherhood of Thieves and Toppers. If you have a conscience, I'd skip this restaurant and Nantucket entirely. read more

Hidden spot. One of the best food and reasonably price on Nantucket. Cozy vibe . Downstairs of a local ship captain's mansion/hotel. Have to call to make reservation but it's totally worth it read more

Stopped here for dinner in the times of covid. Social distanced seating with a great deal room apart of tables. Felt safe and not at all crowded. Workers wore masks. Ambiance: A nice classic old school Nantucket feel. Peaceful, quiet, clean and dimly lit lighting. While this is in a lower level it felt cozy without being claustrophobic. Mood was sedate and quiet. Food: Offerings were good. Standard New England menu with all the usual suspects. Lobster bisque was good though more savory and less creamy but nonetheless great . Entrees excellent; my partner ordered swordfish and raves about and I ordered the veal which was prepared perfect. For dessert we split the grand merrier which was good and decadent and nice to split to. I saw a chocolate soufflé come out that looked very good as well. Maybe next time. read more

Super romantic dinner in Nantucket. Really great personal service, manager or owner stopped by to say hello and chat about my Brown Reunion. The food was fresh, flavorful and nicely plated. A really nice place to take a special someone on Nantucket. read more

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We had a nice, cozy dinner here. The place itself is really cute, since it's an old house. The staff is so friendly. We were seated at a table in the corner, and it was a really nice atmosphere for a conversation and a quiet evening. The oysters were great! The scallop appetizer was also really tasty, but it comes with 2 scallops and one of them was really tiny. The chowder was delicious. We really enjoyed our entrees as well, and the beet salad that came with one of them. A little pricey, but about average for Nantucket and a nice low-key night. read more

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We celebrated our last night in Nantucket at the Ship's Inn. The restaurant was recommended by locals and proved to be truly delicious. The service was impeccable - they even tagged our umbrellas upon entering so that they wouldn't get lost or mistakenly taken by other patrons. The bread basket is cannot miss - I will probably try to recreate the apple bread at home it's that good! If you are interested in a soufflé, do order at the beginning of your meal so that it can be timed correctly for dessert. We had a bit of a mix-up and despite ordering chocolate, they served the Grand Marnier soufflé special of the day. Regardless, it was delicious! The Crème anglaise sauce to pour over the soufflé was divine. Best food we had on Nantucket! My only constructive suggestion would be to clearly understand the dishes (and sides) on the menu. I ordered the filet (what a beautiful sear!) and knew that it would be accompanied by dauphinoise potatoes, but when served it also came with a delicately broiled, romano cheese topped tomato and roasted carrots/green beans. Make a reservation and enjoy some Nantucket fine dining! I would recommend business casual (no jeans) to feel comfortable and not out of place. read more

We were surprised to be so disappointed by this Nantucket staple. The menu was neither creative nor particularly flavorful - and for the most part, the serving sizes were petite. Charging $18 for two small scallops was only made more absurd by the gargantuan scallop shell it was served in. The cocktails were uninspired, and one of the special cocktails was unavailable starting at 7:45, which did not lend itself to a good impression. The sentiment was not countered by the appetizer (one slice of grilled halloumi) and the entree (duck bolognese). The duck bolognese was not proportioned correctly and also caused no small amount of sickness later. I've been put off duck and pasta for the foreseeable future. We will not return, and we will not recommend. read more

Excellent dinner with my wife in this quaint restaurant. Had a craving for some Halibut and was not disappointed. The halibut was cooked to perfection moist and flakey with potato risotto and Porcini mushrooms absolutely delicious. If you can't get good seafood here you can not get it anywhere. My wife really enjoyed the Rigatoni with Duck Bolognese topped with ricotta salata. My granddaughter enjoyed the leftovers the next day. The dinner was capped off by a delicious soufflé which we shared. We wished we had ordered two. It was as light as air. Great dinner on great island. read more

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Fantastic meal. Old school Nantucket. The swordfish was the standout as was the clams app. Great service and staff who went above and beyond! read more

Could not get my car on a ferry and needed a place to stay. The whole island was booked. Luckily shipps had a room for me. The woman was SO lovely and concerned for me. The room was cute, clean, and perfect for the night. Couldn't recommend more. Really amazing people here. read more

As good as if not better than any of the fine dinning restaurants I have experienced in boston or new York, and for a price that is more reasonable than what you'd pay for a comparable experience in either city. Service is perfect, polite and professional. Best I've experienced in a while. Dinning room has great warmth and character which compliments the rich flavours of the food. Have reservations at another restaurant for tomorrow night, but thinking of cancelling and coming back for more. read more

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We came on a large family vacation to Nantucket but decided that we needed a night to ourselves. We checked a bunch of island restaurant guides (and Yelp!) and decided on this restaurant in the basement of the Ship's Inn. We were so delighted and are still talking about this meal a week later! Getting a reservation was not much trouble. The time options were limited because we called same day, but when we showed up early anyway, they were able to accommodate us. The bread at the beginning of the meal was delicious--some sort of not quite pretzel-y roll and peach cornbread. I ordered filet mignon, which came with dauphinoise potatoes, broccolini, and this amazing/delicious/fantastic/mouth-watering/give-me-the-recipe-please sauce. My fiance got short ribs (also with an awesome sauce), some sort of horseradish something, and roasted celery. We both fully cleaned our plates. We skipped desserts because we were so full at the time and couldn't be persuaded, but I'm sure they'd be great. Our total, with tip, was around $85, which was completely reasonable for the quality of food and service. We would return here without hesitation and would recommend it to anyone. It seems like it's a little under the radar, maybe because it's down a side street. It didn't seem to have as much traffic as some of the trendy places right in the middle of downtown or on the main streets, but it was well worth it. read more

I have gone to this restaurant every year since they opened. Called to confirm my reservation, only to find I had the wrong night. They were very accomodating and got me in that that night. They are not on Open Table, wish they were. It would have helped with with the right night. I'm also a big fan of Open Table. The place is very charming and the service was great. I had the softshell crab special. They are one of my favorites and were prepared just right with a wonderful lemon sauce. My wife had the Halibut. She said it was OK, good but not great. We both had the chocolate souflee, which was terrific. Loved their wine list. Lots of choices in the $40 to $60 range. Many of the Restaurants on Nantucket have only a few moderately priced wines available and lots of higher priced bottles. Since I almost always have a bottle of wine with my meals, this just runs the cost of the meal up. read more

I was shocked to see only one yelp review for this place... Even though the one review was five stars we hesitantly made reservations on a Saturday night (we couldn't get into 21 Fed or Cinco) and boy were we not disappointed. All eight of us loved this place. Great atmosphere, excellent service (Melissa was great!) and perfect food from the scollops appetizers to the lobster special we loved it! read more

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Came here for dinner twice during our 5 day stay on the island. Service was very attentive, good beer and wine selection. The pear and goat cheese salad is craaazzzy good. One night I had the vegetarian risotto and the other night the striped bass special. Was very pleased with both. As others have mentioned, the souffles are insane. Tried the strawberry and the Grand Marnier. Both outstanding. Also, the cappucinos are noteworthy. Well done! read more

An excellent historic spot! Dinner was delicious, service was excellent and the location is charming. The beet salad was one of the best I have had and the beef short ribs were amazing. Topped off with chocolate soufflé, this was a perfect evening. read more

This restaurant has the classic Nantucket feel. Dim lighting, candles, and really good food. We had a wonderful time and you never feel rushed. The filet was superb and the swordfish was cooked very well topped with a creamy lemon sauce. Would recommend for anyone looking for a great, formal, fresh meal with great service. read more

One of my all time favorite restaurants in Nantucket did a belly flop tonight. Brought friends and the meals failed badly. Don't know why. For an appetizer I had the Sea Scallops at $18 and they (2) were great but a bit pricy for the quantity. . Had the special of sea bass. It was a 6.5 on a ten point scale. Thought about the Fluke at $32 which is one of my island favorites at the Dune Restaurant and 56 Union Street Restaurant. The fish was shared with me from my table mate and the fish was dry and lacked flavor. Rated a 3 on a ten point scale. Thank God I got the Sea Bass at $39. My wife had the Veal Scaloppini Citron she rated it 2. it was not lemony and tasted like a sauce made from a jar of gravy and very salty. The service was great and it will be a long time before we return. read more

This place is fine dining without the snobbery that can ruin the very best dinner on Nantucket. The ambiance, staff, service are topnotch and our party sampled the oysters, caesar salad, halibut in morel sauce, swordfish, truffle potato, risotto, short rib, spaetzle and veal and the each dish was presented beautifully and was outstanding - we placed a souffle order and finished the meal absolutely blissed out. This place is truly an experience and was the home of Captain Starbuck - a must not miss (and the bar is also, exceptional.) read more

We had another wonderful evening at Ships Inn, a classic Nantucket dining experience. Our server, Melissa, was excellent, warm and attentive. I always order the fluke, but try the cauliflower soup and save room for a soufflé! Yum! read more

My husband and I were lucky enough to stay in this little slice of heaven during our stay on Nantucket. From the time we walked in until we checked out we were shown the highest level of service and hospitality. Bob at the front desk was more than helpful. Mary Lou made some of the best breakfast food I've ever tasted and is an absolute gem! The location of the Ship's Inn is very desirable as well. Right off Main St. and in walking distance of nearly everything. The bedroom we stayed in, Iris, was up on the third floor where we were treated with a wonderful view and a bit of the seclusion we were looking for on our vacation. The bed (all new mattresses this year I'm told!) was so incredibly comfortable I forgot that I wasn't sleeping in my own bed! We even saw the Ship's Inn's owner performing in a theatre production of Steel Magnolias at a local theater! That to me sealed this place as awesome. read more

Booked online a week in advance for outdoor dining. The only reservation was for 8:30pm. Much later than we wanted, but given our request, we accepted. Arrived a few minutes early, waited while a table was made ready. We were shown to the table indoors. I told the hostess that we had requested outdoors. She said most of their seating was indoors and no outdoor tables were available. Given the late time, we accepted the table even though we have not eaten indoors at a restaurant since Covid started. Fortunately we were in a corner away from other guests and there were several open windows in the room. We started with a beet salad and I ordered the seafood chowder. The waiter told me the chowder wasn't his favorite and suggested the lobster bisque. Both the salad and the bisque were delicious. Then we had the halibut and filet mignon. They were perfectly prepared and delicious! Our waiter expertly inquired as we ordered dinner if we thought a soufflé might be a dessert and it was also very good. The service and food were wonderful, the only off putting moment was that that we were seated indoors. If not for the late hour and likely very few other options at that time, we would have not agreed to be indoors. I know restaurants are struggling, but if they cannot accommodate a request, we should have been told ahead of time. After all , we did book a week in advance. read more

Visited on 7/25/18 for dinner. Atmosphere nice. Wait staff very well trained and responsive. We started with calamari and oven broiled . clams. Calamari was rubbery but not tough. No flavor at all. Dark sauce supplied to give taste. I guess it was frozen. Had much much better at Dune. Claims were bland if not tasteless. Nothing positive to say for them. Entrees of striped sea bass and swordfish served. Both again bland. Where is the flavor? Meal we had at Dune exploded with flavor. Had GrandMarnier souffle for desert. Again, no taste in souffle except eggs. Cream sauce poured into & on top of souffle but no taste of GM. Just a bland cream sauce.We saw no one else express dismay with their meals. Most patrons were older Very Rich types. Maybe they like bland food served in a high class manor. Not me. Back to Dune for explosive flavor(but gourmet portions). read more

Ships Inn is an outstanding restaurant on all fronts possible. My wife and I have been to most of the finest restaurants on Nantucket and Ships Inn is clearly our favorite. Start with the elegant and historical atmosphere in the main dining area. Very few white linen establishments on Nantucket that can also convey a relaxed historical and romantic atmosphere. Next is the very friendly courteous and accommodating staff from the hostess to the bar tender to the wait staff to the general manager. On our last visit we had no reservations and decided to try for a peak time dinner after an early show we attended. The hostess could have easily told us no yet she made a few adjustments while we had a drink in the bar and before we knew it we were seated. Our waiter was amazing, making excellent menu suggestions and before we knew it our wonderful meal had started. Among our group of four we had the best Caesar salad we have ever tasted and the nantucket chowder was our of this world - bay scallops in a bisque type broth. For our meals we had swordfish, salmon, haddock and bison. Every entree was superb. At the time of ordering we also pre ordered the chocolate soufflé - it is a must when you go to the Ships Inn - you will be disappointed if you don't have this decadent yet light chocolate delicacy. At the conclusion of our meal my wife and I said the same thing - we have been here for two solid months and this was clearly the best meal we have had. Ships Inn is our #1 Nantucket fine restaurant. read more

Our first dinner at the restaurant at the Ship's Inn the night before Labor Day. We were lucky to get a last-minute reservation and even showing up in shorts and jeans, we were treated royally. But the best part was the meal itself. The boneless short ribs were melt-in-your mouth tender, and the cod special with a citrus vinaigrette was just-caught fresh and delicious. Service was excellent, and the bill reasonable for Nantucket. read more

This has always been a favorite restaurant of mine on Nantucket. But as of this summer, it is the best of all on the island. It has remained consistently great while its closest competition has slipped somewhat. Soufflé is a must have. Ditto fresh local fish often caught same day by the owner. read more

I hate to bring down the stellar reviews here but something has gone wrong at this restaurant lately - a new chef perhaps? We've been coming for 30 years and always had a great experience but this years experience unfortunately marked our last. Every entree was bland and underwhelming starting with the New England clam chowder which literally had no seafood in it - just heavy cream and butter. The cucumber soup was flavorless as was the signature duck rigatoni. It was so disappointing that every single item we (party of 8) ordered was flavorless and dull. Very sorry this place has gone downhill. read more

Best dinner! So lovely and such great service. Food was outstanding. Wine list is great!