Ok- time for reality to meet nostalgia I first arrived here 50 years ago with my college outing club. Liked it then and looking at it now- if you could design the perfect slope side, mountain town pub - this would be it. Sure plenty of ups and downs and stairs - but you ski, you are in the mountains- get over it. The step down bar - no where else. Tight equals fun. Loft, ling tables - it's a pub! take it all in. read more

The atmosphere at the restaurant did a lot of heavy-lifting here. Very good vibes inside. Live music while we were there and it was very good. The food was bang-average, but inexpensive. All together, worth the while for a good time and decent food. Great service as well. read more

I really do like this place, but this year and last summer vacay only 1 server for the whole place. It is so painfully slow!! They need to figure out the server situation read more

Fun place with a good vibe and very good food. Bar area is a little small, so it gets crowded and you may have to wait for a drink, but the staff is attentive and friendly. The barn itself is so awesome. It's a beautiful post and beam barn kept true to its original design. Def try to sit in the top section to admire the building. Friendly staff, great live music. Downstairs game room is great in case you have to wait for a table. read more

Shovel Handle Pub - Pubs Near Me - Jackson, New Hampshire

See all

The waitress was excellent. She was especially attentive to my husband's celiac and was very helpful as far as the menu. He ate his whole dinner and enjoyed it. I had pulled pork sandwich with a side order of Mac and Cheese. My son ordered a seafood special. My other son had a cheeseburger. My other family members split the baked chicken. My pulled pork was extremely salty( and I like salt!). I could only eat a few bites. The Mac and cheese...also very salty. My sons seafood casserole very salty. He didn't finish his dinner. I had three bites of my sandwich. I couldn't finish it. The salt was overwhelming.The sauce was a little sweet, with blueberry flavor. Not a fan of it. I won't rush back. The service was fantastic. That's why I gave three stars. read more

The burgers were delicious. The live music and the ambience along with the friendly waiter made for a wonderful evening out. We'll be back to play some darts and eat delicious food read more

See all

SO GOOD. New favorite spot in Jackson. I had the pork chop and it was one of the best I have ever had. The short rib ravioli was delicious as well. Our server, Warren, was great. Loved the live music (zajac brothers band). Great vibe here and definitely will be making it a regular stop when I'm in the area. read more

Party of six and not one complaint for the meal, I had Chicken and Waffles and they were second best to down South. Servers were efficient and Friendly. The atmosphere was fantastic, rustic old barn three floors and music you could understand read more

Busy valentines weekend so expected the wait. It was not terrible about 30minutes. Fantastic service (4 of us). Live music was amazing, drink special was so good. Food was fantastic! My second time here and the food is amazing! Its not a very large place but its amazing read more

The old barn and live music made for a perfect setting. The service was even and efficient. My entire party raved about their food choices. I had the steak tips and mashed potatoes. The tips were perfectly seasoned and cooked exactly as I ordered. Two I. Our party order salmon and thought it was some of the best the ever tasted. I can't wait to go back read more

Not sure why all the bad reviews. As a customer who has never been here I thought it was great. Nestled on the mountain, it's the perfect barn style bar. The live music was great and the sound was amazing in the big room. The pulled pork nachos were huge and delicious. My only feedback is to have cocktails without vodka. Other than that everything was perfect, cute and quaint. read more

The shovel handle is the perfect, quintessential mountain restaurant & bar with a great, cozy vibe. The food and live music were amazing! Will definitely be back when in the area. read more

Five stars for ambiance! This barn-like setting is absolutely breathtaking with open beams and string lights. By far, one of the most beautiful restaurants that I've ever been to. I wish I'd been more hungry and had ordered a full meal but instead I chose the buffalo chicken dip appetizer and a cup of clam chowder for my dinner, which in hindsight wasn't the best option. Not because it was bad but because the dip is definitely meant to be shared and became overwhelming after the first few bites. It's a large portion and I could have done with a half, if not a quarter. Totally my fault for not asking how big it was though. As an appetizer, the dip was good though and had a creamy texture with just a very slight kick to it. The tortilla chips that were served with it appeared to be homemade but weren't my favorite as they were pretty thick and could have used more salt. Maybe having a few dipping options, like sliced bread, would have helped to break up the monotony of the dish. As for the chowder, it was unexpected! I've never had a non-creamy clam chowder before and I must admit that I was very skeptical when the bowl was placed in front of me. I wondered if I'd ordered the right thing. The clear broth definitely took me by surprise but the tastiness of the soup was equally surprising. It was very flavorful! In hindsight, I should have ordered the chicken pot pie. I tried a few bites of my friend's and it was amazing! read more

Bummer to read the most recent reviews, but pleased that our experience was the complete opposite. We went on Thursday night for live music and Randy was great. We sat at the bar; The staff was super kind (the bartender was friendly and very accommodating, a server in the area even looked up the hours of breakfast for us at the sister restaurant down the road without asking). We didn't have much for food - but the raspberry vinaigrette for the salad and the truffle fries were so good. We have no complaints. read more

Shovel Handle Pub - Pubs Near Me - Jackson, New Hampshire

This used to be our favorite place to eat in the Valley. But under new leadership in 2024, it is terrible. The fish n chips is a frozen piece of fish--and it came out completely frozen in the middle. Everything was low quality compared to the old place, and they are clearly focused on getting people in and out fast vs. preparing good, well cooked food. Very sad to lose this place but won't go back. The servers do their best and the ambiance is great, but the food is terrible. read more

New Mgmt. Best part of dinner was the fries. We ordered drinks. 3 of us got our drinks right away. A glass of beer took 15 mins. Apps were ok. Pretzel was good. Artichoke dip ok. Told the street corn was 3 cobs. Seemed odd. Sure enough only 1 showed up. Dinner...chicken sandwich was huge. 2 fish dinners. 1 came out with fresh fish. The other had frozen fish triangles on the plate. 2 different dinners side by side. Offered a side Ceaser salad as an add on. Charge for 2 full salads. Other diner ordered a full salad. A side salad showed up. Dinner was slow and inconsistent. $219 dollars for a lousy dinner. Paid the bill, won't be back. Will be sure to tell our friends and neighbors in the valley. Very disappointing. read more

This place is a hidden gem! The atmosphere is very warm and inviting and the staff is super friendly. My husband had the blueberry maple spareribs. They were fall off the bone tender and the flavor of the BBQ sauce was amazing. We asked if they sold that sauce, but sadly they didn't. I had the fried haddock sandwich and it was so good. The coating was light, but delicious. Our waiter was awesome, I forget his name, but he was genuinely nice and very funny. This was our first time there and we will definitely be back! read more

Awful food and service. Would not recommend to anyone. View is nice though and the building is interesting.

By far this place blew away our expectations. In typical mountain restaurants the food is bland, service is spotty and they rush you out the door to get the next patrons in to be disappointed. Not here. Excellent ambiance and staff. The live music was played at the perfect level. And the food was absolutely amazing. Lobster Mac and cheese and the steak tips were the top 3 we have ever had and we have them almost everywhere we go. I wish I had taken pics but trust me if you get them you won't miss out. Buff chicken dip, nachos and spinach and artichoke dips were all top notch as well. This is a must eat restaurant next time you are up this way. read more

Abysmal would be the word for the head waitress. Her disposition and attitude was akin to the "shame, shame shame" nun on Game of Thrones. At table for 10 at 5:20p.m. in a nearly empty restaurant with the average entree being $27 x 10 people plus cocktails would have been over $400. She tried to chastise us for the use of another table when it was our very nice waitress who moved it to properly accommodate us. "I've already given you two tables, you're not getting a third." The owners of this establishment should be aware that WE WALKED OUT based upon her treatment and continued glares in our general direction. Her only concern was "have they paid for their (yet to arrive) drinks?" Seriously? Businesses are struggling to survive and I am a small business owner who has NEVER given a negative review. This shrew is a menace to the entire restaurant/hospitality industry and is clearly unhappy in her personal life. The Ledges was happy to accommodate us, with class and grace. read more

Head waiter was excellent. Only his 2nd night and he was very friendly and attentive. The bartender on the other hand was brutal. She should quit....she was so rude as we sat at the bar waiting for our table. We ordered a few beers and she was literally the rudest person. Obviously hates her job. Food was good. The atmosphere is great. Will definitely go back, but will avoid the bar tender. read more

Picture this: It's August and you're in a gorgeous wooden restaurant/pub overlooking a horse farm at the foot of the Black Mountain ski resort in the White Moutains of New Hampshire. You're eating spinach & artichoke dip, surrounded by friendly folks and sipping an adult beverage, listening to someone playing acoustic guitar and singing these lyrics: " I can see her lookin fast in her faded jeans. Shes a hard loving woman, got me feeling mean. Sometimes I think its a shame. When I get feeling better when Im feeling no pain. Sundown you better take care. If I find you been creeping round my back stairs" Does it get any better? I mean, when is the last time you've heard someone sing Gordon Lightfoot? We stayed at the Whitney Inn (with our dog) this weekend - and loved it. When I made the reservation the website said if you booked 2 nights in August, you'd get free dinner at their restaurant, the Shovel Handle Pub. It was free, so I didn't expect much. But, after the long trek up to the White Mountains we didn't feel like heading back out and decided to take them up on dinner. I'm so glad we did. The staff were beyond friendly. The kind of friendly that screams "you're not in the city anymore". The food was really good - and really cheap. I don't think there was anything on the menu over $15. The beer & wine were affordable and really good too. Excellent stout on tap. Plus, when you don't have to do anything later but step outside to gaze at all the stars for a while before stumbling back to your room, why not have a few? Go here for a perfect, "get-away from it all" weekend. read more

Shovel Handle Pub - Shovel Handle Pub at Whitney's Inn - Pubs Near Me - Jackson, New Hampshire

I was so disappointed to find that we had gambled on getting one of the fantastic review-worthy evenings but instead got the opposite. I don't know whether this Wednesday was a unique dinner situation ie waitstaff calling in at the last minute but regardless it was clearly a problem. I wouldn't normally hold that against a restaurant if they owned up to it, but instead our waitress was surly, off putting and when I tried to engage her with some empathic conversation she offered back nothing but a gutteral sound. No eye contact, no smile, just a horribly negative sound. I had the tomato and mozzarella panini and looked everywhere for the taste. My son had macaroni and cheese (think generic store brand, spooned out onto a plate and left to sit while the other meals were arranged...lovely dark skin on top of it all). My daughter and son had the sirloin tips and they were both pleased, although I was a bit surprised at the scant amount. I wanted this to be an amazing dinner on the first night of our traditional Storyland get away, but instead I was left feeling like we'd worked really hard to pay for a dinner that we just about had to suffer through on all levels. read more

Food was great, family of six and no one had a bad meal. Blueberry barbeque ribs were amazing (full rack of course). Fish and chips were generous. I will say staff could be a little grizzle but it added to the ambiance of this old rustic restaurant. Would definatley go back. read more

This place would deserve zero stars if it weren't for the stunning setting in the restored barn and the fantastic live music. Unfortunately, we were there to eat dinner, and all other parts of the experience were horrendous. We had heard about the potential two-hour wait for a table here, so we arrived at 5:45, expecting to relax for an hour over drinks while waiting for our table. Despite having lots of space downstairs, there is almost no where comfortable to wait for a table. They have places bus-stop style benches around the entry-way, where small tables could work bette. The bar is perched at the top of the stairs, and as all of the limited seats are taken (even at 5:45pm!) there is almost no where to go without falling down the stairs. We found a nook on the first floor and began our wait, after a 20 minute struggle to get drinks from the bar. The host was not particularly welcoming. The passing servers were so overtaxed and stressed that they bumped into us without apology many times throughout our wait. The bartender was extremely rude. Overall, we felt very unwelcome. When our table was finally available 1hour and 20 torturous minutes later, the hostess pointed into the other room, not even bothering to walk us to our table. And there, at our table, began the second wait. Twenty minutes before we saw a server. Another hour before we saw any food at all. An hour and a half before we finally got the bread we requested. Service was abysmal and unapologetic. But the worst part was how disappointing our food was. The soup came in a coffee mug and was more like a pudding. The menu had no finesse and was straight out of 1989. Everything has bread crumbs or cheddar cheese. There wasn't a fresh vegetable in sight. The prices were high for 1980s bar food. I would go back here midweek just for drinks, but I would never, ever eat here again. read more

On a trip to the white mountains and a day of not hiking my hunger was a level 10. Saw a place near by, it had an interesting name and good reviews on Yelp. Drove over to this place and waited 15 minutes until the doors opened. We were the only ones in this place which normally makes me feel uncomfortable but the staff was very inviting. On to the food! The pulled pork nachos were simply amazing! I couldn't stop shoveling these delicious things into my face, even when I thought I was done, I began picked the cheese off the side of the plate. After that I was excited to see what was coming next. I ordered a fried haddock sandwich was also amazing. Five stars for food and service. A great experience and really wished I lived closer to this place. read more

Shovel Handle Pub - Pubs Near Me - Jackson, New Hampshire

See all

This place had been on our "to try" list for a long time and with the crazy crowds in the center of North Conway on Columbus Day weekend it seemed like a good time. We arrived fifteen minutes after opening and found there was already a half hour wait. We grabbed a seat downstairs by the fire and the time passed quickly. When the hostess seated us, she did warn that the kitchen was a bit backed up so our food may take a while. The bar was operational and not backed up, so that was OK with us. Our waitress came by quickly and took our drink orders, Cabernet for me and a local brew for my husband. The wine pours were really generous. We placed our orders for an appetizer and our meals and sat back to wait. They had someone playing guitar in the corner of the restaurant to keep everyone entertained. After a bit our waitress came by with our appetizer, buffalo chicken dip, took orders for a second round, and rushed off. The restaurant was really getting crazy. The dip was good, but I didn't notice much chicken in it. Our meals eventually came, brought by another waitress. I ordered the turkey, brie and apple panini and really enjoyed it. My husband had salmon on a cedar plank and he enjoyed his as well. The waitress eventually came back by with our check and let us know that she took a round of drinks off the bill because she felt she ignored us. We didn't get the best service, but it was adequate. It was a real nice touch by her. We'll be back and it's definitely worth a try if you are in the area. They host a lot of private events, so be sure to check their Facebook page or call before going. read more

See all

Shovel Handle pub is one of our favorite places to visit when we are visiting the North Conway/Jackson area. We dined there Saturday night and as usual everything was spot on. Started with a cup of clam chowder which was the best I've ever had, and I've had plenty. Dinner was the lobster roll which was great and a decent portion of lobster for the price. My wife had a special with a filet wrapped in pastry dough which she thoroughly enjoyed. Our server Sadie was very engaging and allowed us to enjoy our cocktails and chill for a bit before we ordered. Her service was spot on and we appreciate her service. Ice cold beer served by Julie with a smile and she actually remembered us from when we hosted our daughters wedding there around 5 years ago. We were sorry we didn't get to see Casey, but there is always our next visit to the area to hopefully see her as well as the entire Shovel Handle staff. If you're looking for great food, cold beer, excellent drinks and an engaging staff check out the Shovel Handle Pub while visiting the area. Thank you again Sadie for your excellent service. Ken and Mary Beth. read more

The worst experience ever! The manager/hostess is a horrible human being! She sets up your dining experience for failure from your arrival! Our drink order was completely wrong and an alcoholic beverage was given to a child and a non drinker! The food took hours and was finally delivered COLD! The manager could have cared less!!!! read more

This place is now one of my favorite dinners ever eaten. To start, the old barn atmosphere with the twinkle of Christmas lights sets the scene. They had a man playing acoustic guitar and singing country and soft rock ballads, which made for great background music. And then there is the food. There is something for everyone, whether you feel like a burger, salad, rack of ribs, lamb, or chicken. The entrées are sophisticated and delicious, while very affordable. My husband had the lamb (he announced that it was in his top 3 dinners he has ever eaten) I had the walnut crusted chicken (which was so flavorful and delicious) each entree came with a nice starter salad, we had 3 glasses of wine and the brownie ice cream dessert - the bill came to $64!!! I couldn't believe it! We had an amazing dinner, in a tranquil atmosphere with delightful entertainment - My idea of heaven! I highly recommend this restaurant, and we will most certainly be coming back. read more

Shovel Handle Pub - Shovel Handle Pub - entrance - Pubs Near Me - Jackson, New Hampshire

See all

One suggestion We suggest that guests of the inn be allowed to make reservations Waitstaff was attentive and nice even though the place was very busy Food was great Beer was cold We look forward to returning for our daughters wedding read more

This was our first time here. Lovely setting with post and beam barn and live music on Saturday evening when we visited. Huge "half size" salads. The honey BBQ wings were plump, crisp, and tasty. The steak tips were unbelievable; and my wife and daughter's salmon dishes got high marks too. Worth the trip just outside the village of Jackson. read more

Hostess was great but food left a lot to be desired. Dry steak tips served on a frozen plate. Maybe next time. read more

We stopped in last night after a full day of adventures. Unfortunately we were misinformed on the closing time and arrived about a half an hour before they closed. But even with the short amount of time we were there, we received phenomenal service from Julie. She had such a great vibe!! We ordered the nachos as an app which we completely devoured and then moved on to our main courses which were just as delicious!! This restaurant is a little off the beaten path but it is definitely worth it. We were in the area for about 5 days and even though we didn't spend too much time here it was definitely our best experience in the area!! Thank you Julie for the great service and if we ever make it back this way we will definitely stop back in but a lot earlier this time :) read more

The ambience of this place is warming & love the barn setting, But not impressed with the food. I'll start w/ the Kids meal. My son ordered the kids Mac n' cheese & he got boxed crap. I don't like when restaurants do this. I make better box Mac then what they served so why am I going to pay $6- for a bowl of wasted crap that my boy barely ate. It's typically not hard to please a 6 yr old but he didn't eat much. The steak tips got complimentary reviews from previous posts. It tasted dry, old & gamey to me. I had to use A-1 because of that. The veggies were fresh, just disappointed overall with the food & slow service. read more

Been coming to shovel handle for ever, worst year of experiences ever. The wait staff are great and trying their best. The hostess Jenn, is totally clueless and clearly doesn't understand first impressions. She was hostile upon our arrival. I hope she was just having a bad nite but I doubt it. Vocalizing our dissatisfaction about the service her response, and I quote: "I don't care". Meals arrived cold, and they had no idea how to recover. We witnessed tables being seated after us, served before us. Having been frequent visitors to Jackson and the shovel handle for more than 30 years, this was appalling. read more

I heard the name of this place, and I was quite skeptical. It sounded like some backbar, where we would hosey on down and meet all the locals. The minute I walked in, I knew all my expectations were wrong. I was in love. I wanted to live here, move in here, eat every meal of my life here. Something about it was just so fitting and so right. When you walk in, you feel like you have entered a wedding... and it is just any other night. It is a beautiful, old but newly refinished barn. The exposed beams are just stunning, with a big opening for the first floor to the 2nd floor. It has Christmas lights highlighting and tracing each of the beams, that seem as if they are permanently there and not just up at Christmas. They had a live band, playing upbeat jazz. The bar is the definition of rustic, serving in mason jars and interesting drink options. It was so crowded so we meandered downstairs.... and I loved the place even more! It had a huge fireplace, roaring, heating up the ground floor. It had 3 beautiful leather couches and blankets and pillows to cozy up, and candles everywhere. The candles were a very personalized touch, and it felt like I was in the basement of a ski house, with an awesome live band above us. I never wanted to leave. I wanted to savor this moment forever. I only wish we had been able to eat here. read more

An absolutely beautiful restaurant that serves above average pub food. The restaurant is in a restored barn and its a beauty. We all enjoyed our food too. One friend got the meatloaf and said it was soft, juicy and delicious. Two of us had hamburgers and they were excellent (although not quite as good as the Moat in North Conway). We visited on a Saturday night and were lucky to find a table in the bar next to the fireplace and great live acoustic music. We heard this restaurant isnt always open cause they often close for weddings, which is a good thing i guess. One of the best things about this place is that it seems 10,000 miles off the tourist trail. Highly recommended all around. read more

The moment I stepped into the Shovel Handle pub, I knew it was perfect for our reception. My husband and I both wanted something different. We didn't want to have our reception in a function room that could have been anywhere. The other places all looked the same, a wide open room with sketchy carpet and round banquet tables. They were wedding reception factories. The Shovel Handle was perfect. The old barn is quintessential Jackson with gorgeous post and beam, high ceilings and unique charm. For food we chose the Brandy Apple Chicken and Prime Rib. Both were delicious. The chicken bruchetta was also a huge hit. We got loads of compliments from our guests about the food. The Shovel Handle Pub is part of the Whitney Inn. We filled the inn with our guests and had the run of the place for the entire weekend. Everyone felt comfortable and had great things to say about the rooms. The best thing about the experience at the Whitney/Shovel Handle was the staff. When I arrived at the inn two days before the wedding I was in the thick of a killer flu. Susan, the on site wedding coordinator, made sure I had tea right away and was very attentive. My flu continued to the next day and the inn keepers, Joyce and Don, helped me locate the closest pharmacy. On my wedding day I was no better. I was a sick bride but the wedding was so great no one even noticed. The staff made the night spectacular for the guests. read more

Shovel Handle Pub - Me dancing at my wedding - with the flu. - Pubs Near Me - Jackson, New Hampshire

I really wish the food and service was better. The atmosphere was AMAZING. We arrived right when they opened and the host was overwhelmed and for some reason kept checking her phone. A waitress came and helped her (the restaurant was empty with only two parties waiting to be seated) Our waitress seemed to be annoyed with every aspect of her job. The food was was uneventful. On a side note we tried going here on two other occasions. One time we called to see when they opened was told 4, arrived at 4:30 and was then told 5. On another occasion we stopped in to see if we could get a takeout and was told they didn't have a takeout license (which doesn't exist in NH) We live locally and hope this review will encourage the owners to make some changes, as we would love to come back. read more