great food. we found this place walking down the street. good atmosphere and very friendly staff!!

The ambiance is old and unwelcoming. The restaurant was empty and the bar full of a local crowd. The staff seems to cater more to the locals and didn't check on us until it was time to pay the bill. The food took a long time and when it arrived I realized why the restaurant portion was empty. I tasted my hot dog and thought maybe it was just different than what I'm used to being from NY. My husband said what do you not like the food and I was like it taste weird and he tasted it and notified me that it wasn't my pallet that it was just rancid.. his lobster roll was decent considering it was the first one we had coming to New England. Every other lobster he had for exceeded this one. We explained the situation to the waitress and she said it was fine/ she eats them all the time. She brings the check and didn't remove the inedible food I don't know how this place remains open with so many other options available. Star off for service Star off for ambiance 2 Stars off for inedible rotten food There are so many other restaurants in Portsmouth, NH read more

Can't beat the prices! Lobster rolls are delicious and the location is perfect for those staying downtown.

Hands down this is my favorite pub in Portsmouth to grab a drink & a bite to eat. I love the casual/comfortable atmosphere which honors the original establishment that burned down in 2017. Service is prompt & pleasant. Food is very good with a well rounded menu & tempting specials.....their beef stew is awesome! Decent beer selection & they make good drinks. Prices are very affordable. I give a solid 4 stars so try it out & Enjoy! read more

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The lobster roll was so good for only $9.99. I got the hot lobster roll with melted butter. The only down side was it came with lettuce, if I had known I would have omitted it, the lettuce took away from the lobster. The service was a little slow (we were maybe one of 3 tables) but they were nice. read more

Overall, the food was excellent. The relationship between this place and State Bar and Grill was confusing but once we got past that and the dive bar vibes, we really enjoyed the food. Fresh chicken tenders. VERY good lobster roll (the medium was an excellent value). My in laws loved the seafood chowder and the meatloaf. Fresh seafood and quality bar food. read more

Only one waiter for the entire restaurant. Took way too long to order and get our food. When the food finally came, we had no silverware so had to wait another 10 minutes to get a fork. The food was cold but was probably good when it was hot. read more

My husband & I stumbled upon State Street Salon when walking around for a small bite when we saw the sign for 9.99 lobster roll so we had to check it out. We weren't real hungry so we split a lobster roll but made it hot with butter for only 11.98. Definitely a bargain & it was delicious. Our waiter was great & it has a neat bar atmosphere. read more

State Street Saloon - Hot lobster roll & chips. - Bars Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

We stopped in when we saw the sign "home of the $9.99 lobster roll". My husband is on a quest for the best lobster roll while we visit his New England roots. First of all Beth the bar tender/waitress was wonderful. We were greeted and treated like regulars. Husband said the lobster roll was the best he'd had at that price, but for all lobster rolls it was an8 out of 10. Also his stuffed clams were excellent. I ordered a white sangria and it was very good. Very refreshing on a warm humid day. We stopped in when we saw the sign "home of the $9.99 lobster roll". My husband is on a quest for the best lobster roll while we visit his New England roots. First of all Beth the bar tender/waitress was wonderful. We were greeted and treated like regulars. Husband said the lobster roll was the best he'd had at that price, but for all lobster rolls it was an8 out of 10. Also his stuffed clams were excellent. I ordered a white sangria and it was very good. Very refreshing on a warm humid day. read more

What a great and warm environment! Lauren is fan freakin tastic! So nice and inviting! Just came in for drinks after dinner and felt so welcome and comfortable! Love it here!!! read more

Great service. Good prices ample helpings. Worlds best seafood chowder, honest. Locals are happy you have joins them . Big burgers and great lobster rolls. Did I say good prices? read more

State Street Saloon - Bar. - Bars Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Great service, very nice staff That have the best seafood chowder around town, you have to try the lobster roll, $9.99 delicious food, home made potato chips. Give it a try, read more

Stopped here because of the $10 lobster roll sign, the lobster roll however I could see why it was $10 it was not fresh lobster meat and tasted mid, also got a coleslaw with that seemed like went bad. I had the seafood chowder as well it was very watery and didn't have much flavor and seemed like the sea food in it was the frozen kind. The service though was good, would not return. read more

Great for lunch. The seafood chowder was excellent. Generous amount of delicious fish and scallops in a light, tasty broth. Chicken Caesar wrap and blt on marble rye were perfect. Smutty Nose IPA served up by our very friendly waitress. Perfect lunch all around, read more

Just moved here from Mississippi for a work contract. Looked for a local, hometown bar that isn't a chain. After going to 6 previous bars, I found State Street Saloon. This place checks all my boxes. Small, intimate bar with great food, great drinks, 17 tvs showing sports, great music, and most importantly fantastic and friendly service. They staff is very welcoming and treat you as a friend. My place for the next 6 months. read more

Supposedly State Street Saloon is home to a world famous seafood bisque and lobster roll... Unfortunately what I experienced wasn't world famous. I was in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for a few days after traveling from Buffalo, New York to visit family. We went to Books & Bar then decided to venture across the street to grab lunch. Looking back, I wish we would have just gotten lunch at Books & Bar. There wasn't really anything good about State Street Saloon aside from their prices and location. Our customer service was awful. I have no idea why someone took our order, then we had someone else through the remainder of our meal, and our original waitress came back solely to give us the bill. Strange. My aunt and I both ordered lobster bisque which came out lukewarm (at best) and essentially as thin as water. The lobster bits were more like blended bits of lobster not chunks. We both at it but it wasn't good. For my actual lunch meal I decided to get the regular regular lobster roll. It came with the lobster roll and chips for $4.99. Good deal. I had zero desire to eat potato chips so I asked if I could substitute coleslaw for the chips. No can do, but I could pay $2 more for some slaw. Okay, no problem. After emphasizing my lack of desire for the chips, they came out with my lobster roll anyways. The coleslaw was essentially mayonnaise and that's it. I didn't eat more than a fork full. I would not recommend State Street Saloon to anyone. The cheap lobster roll is not worth the poor service. read more

State Street Saloon - Lobster "bisque" - Bars Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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This place has the best chowder hands down. Family friendly and low key was for us and the food was just the icing on the cake. I am really looking forward to going back for more chowder. read more

Seafood chowder, as most reviews stated, was great! Friendly service, clean place. A great stop for lunch. We split a special and they very nicely plated it in a way that made it easier to share. read more

Lots of fun with down to earth people. All the staff and owner are fantastic. Great karaoke and pool with great drink prices

Not impressed although recommended by a friend. Good beer selection. I had the hot lobster roll. The lobster smelled fishy and was overcooked. I will be trying other places when I'm back In Portsmouth. read more

Casual spot in dt Portsmouth. You wouldnt think of a saloon for lunch but we stopped in due the sign for $6 lobster rolls. We figured it was a gimick but still had to check it out. We ordered one lobster roll and a bowl of the sea food chowder. We were pleasantly suprised, the chowder was super tasty and lots of seafood and the lobster roll though not large was totally worth $6. Lots of lobster in the lobster roll and very fresh. The bread for the roll was very tasty and just the right amount of buttery and crispy. Totally recomend here for the lobster role and the $2 buds. If you are on a budget this is the place to go. read more

State Street Saloon - $6 lobster role! - Bars Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Love this place. Great service and outstanding New England bar food. As I told the bartender, I have lived a long life, largely without regrets, but after having ate a lobster roll and a cup of their chowder "chowda"; I now have a huge regret. That regret being that I did not order a BOWL of their amazing chowder! In typical laconic New Englander fashion, the bartender grinned back and me and said, "Good, huh!" read more

Nice selection of beer. The best seafood chowder and lobster rolls in Portsmouth. I've tried them all. read more

State Street Saloon - Bars Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

This is my review of the bar, not the restaurant (I don't have much an opinion on it as I've only eaten there once). I live in Boston now but I always try to make a point to go to State Street when I'm in NH. I'm a bit biased.. I'll admit... because my aunt is the bartender, but whatever- she's an amazing bartender so I'm basically here to recommend her to everyone. She'll make you a strong drink and is always fun to talk to- trust me :) And to the guy who wrote the review below, referring to the bartender as "A capable bar woman who looks like she could kick your ass three different ways until Sunday", my guess is you were talking about my aunt Mo, and the answer is YES she could kick your ass, so be nice to her :) read more

This place wasn't anything to write home about... I had a rum punch which was just ok and the rest of my friends had beer. There are a million TV screens around to watch your favorite game in which I did not take part but at least I got to check my FB page as they had wifi... They say they have good chowder and lobster rolls for $5.99... Didn't get any of that either maybe another time and will update my review. read more

State Street Saloon - Rum Punch & TV Screens! - Bars Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Let me start off this review by explaining why I am giving Statey five stars. This is not a beautiful, refined, "classy" place to eat and drink. You would not use those adjectives to describe most of the patrons. In the daylight and/or state of sobriety, the place can even look a bit disgusting. However, as a local dive bar that serves food, this place sets the gold standard. Another point: Statey does not need this review to continue to do a great business, but I am writing it for the same reason I have written other reviews (most notably of the Oar House): to provide a counterpoint to the many buffoonish, semi-literate reviews published before it for those who don't live in Portsmouth (because the locals know better). I'd like to address a few crucial aspects of the State Street experience as well as the specious critiques. 1. Service, drinks, drink prices. You do not come to Statey to discuss grape varietals with a polished sommelier. You come to Statey to get a magnificently (even wickedly) strong drink at a low price from a bartender who takes no prisoners. Where else can you get a Grey Goose Bloody Mary that SKIMPS on the ice and (surprisingly excellent) house made Bloody mix for SEVEN dollars? I call those "White" Bloodys because they are so strong. I suppose it's possible that locals/regulars get better service if non-locals and non-regulars behave as stupidly as some of the examples below. I sort of live in Portsmouth part time (because my parents have a vacation place here), but for whatever it's worth, during my last visit I visited Statey basically three days in a row, twice with my parents and once with friends, one of whom is a super regular who knows the bartender well. No difference in service! I think the bartenders are friendly and the service fast. You will probably be asked if you'd like a refill when you have about two pale inches left in your "White" Bloody glass. Tip: for good service, be polite and don't act like a moron. Also, water is not an appropriate drink at a bar, unless it accompanies your "White" Bloody Mary or other booze. Don't order iced tea here either. If you get bad service as a result, you deserve it. 2. Food, quality and prices. If you don't live here or spend enough time here to sample all the offerings, get the $5.99 cup of seafood chowder and the $4.99 lobster roll. I would love to try some other things on the menu, like the daily specials, but I can't speak to any of those items. The seafood chowder is for super picky, even obnoxious, purists (the writer of this review falls into that category). It has no potatoes or cheapening/thickening agents. It has LOBSTER in it--in addition to, I believe, haddock, scallops, and shrimp. Those two elements should explain the price. The chef or cook or whatever Statey calls the highly talented woman who makes this amazing chowder makes it fresh every day. The lobster roll will appeal to the same purists. The lobster salad has virtually no mayo and no filler (sometimes a bit of parsley on top) and is served properly in a grilled, buttered top-loader hotdog bun. Tip: Get two. 3. Regulations. You may notice that there are signs with rules posted everywhere. True, you may not sit outside without ordering food or take your drink into the restroom or order another round at 1am. Complaining about such matters only reveals an embarrassing ignorance. I have a newsflash for you people: the Statey management did not devise these regulations; they come straight from the New Hampshire State Liquor Commission. Tip: If you don't want such retrograde Puritanism imposed on you, go drink margaritas in Key West. read more

State Street Saloon - Grey Goose "White" Bloody Mary ($7) - Bars Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Quick update (04/10/17): The building that housed the State Street Saloon burned to the ground this morning and there's nothing left but rubble. No one was hurt and one or two adjacent buildings were destroyed as well. Nearby Louie's restaurant is closed due to smoke and water damage, they hope to reopen soon. And now, back to the 2008 review: I wanted to like this place. I really did. And maybe someday I'll get a chance to say something nice about it, but here's the problem. And BTW, this is a review of the restaurant... I've wanted to review the State Street Saloon for months. It isn't much to look at on the outside, but it wouldn't be the first place in town that was nicer on the inside. So a few months ago we went in there for lunch and the place was deserted. No customers, no staff, just some noise in the kitchen. After about 10 minutes of standing around waiting to be acknowledged, we left. And even though I wanted to put my honest opinion of their ghost town ambiance here, I thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt. Fast forward to today. Again, we tried to go there for lunch. This time there were people sitting at two tables. But again, we went in, sat down this time, waited 10 minutes and left because not a single effing person could be bothered coming out of the kitchen. There was noise in the kitchen. Pots, pans, dishes... they were doing something in there. But no one could look out of the window in the door to see what was happening. And the atmosphere, it isn't any nicer inside than outside. Meh. We went across the street to the Rusty Hammer and had a really nice lunch. I can see why the Rusty Hammer is crowded and State Street Saloon is empty. It's because people know how they're going to be treated, except maybe for the people at the two State Street Saloon tables. I guess they're tourists. Oh, I checked "no" for waiter service. This is because I have yet to see a waiter or waitress working there. If I had, maybe I could talk about the food. Two stars and not one because so far it's been impossible to actually taste the food so I can't say anything bad about it. read more

Another good find. We were able to eat outside a a pleasant warm table in the sun watching the world go by. An inexpensive but delicious lobster Roll ($6.99) and the very best seafood chowder I have ever tasted. A good glass of Sauv. Blanc completed a lovely lunch. Denise was our waitress and we thank her for making our lunch even more pleasant. read more

I've never been to a restaurant or bar that had so many rules...or such bad service. My friends and I decided to stop in Portsmouth for a bite to eat on our way back from Massachusetts last Saturday evening. By 7:30pm, we pulled into town and realized that every place was going to have a long wait. Until we saw the State Street Saloon. Now, there's a reason why there was no wait (but we'll get to that in a minute). After searching for a waitress or hostess to seat us, we decided to take a table on the sidewalk patio, only to be bombarded by an uncoordinated waitress who yelled at us, saying we had to order food if we sat outside. "It's a city law," she screamed. She then berated us about our drink choices after two guests ordered water to start, then began lecturing us about how we were not allowed to bring our drink glasses inside the restaurant. She repeated it three times in case we hadn't heard it the first. After finally coming back with our drinks about fifteen minutes later (in which two orders were wrong), she took our order for dinner. While waiting for our meals, someone in our party realized that their chair was broken. After trying to get the waitress's attention, he put the chair off to the side of the patio and sat in another one. This clearly infuriated the waitress as she grabbed the broken chair and moved it back onto the patio. She then had the bouncer come out and stare us down, as if that was going to do something. When one of our guests when inside to use the restroom (and yes, she did leave her drink at the table), she saw the waitress screaming at the bartender and another bouncer about the broken chair and how rude we were for moving it (if she had been there, she could have done it herself). Our meals came out and they were edible at best. I ordered a tuna melt and it was just a tuna sandwich on toasted bread - pretty gross. The other meals were less than appetizing, as well. We quickly finished our meal and left as soon as we could. Overall, the food was terrible, the drink service was slow, and the service was lousy. I know this is a townie dive bar at best, but perhaps the wait staff could spend less time lecturing guests on their rules, and instead provide a little better service. read more

I've never eaten here before - today I was craving a lobster roll. I got it take out (I am just down the street from the location). It was quite possibly THE WORST lobster roll ever. The meat does not taste fresh, its very dry, with an almost powder-like consistency - some of the meat has a yellow tinge, which signifies that the meat was possibly frozen (I've had frozen lobster meat & it was delicious, so this is very poor quality or its old). Also, the meat is SHREDDED - NO chunks. Also, packing the overcooked (nearly burnt) fries in the same container? Not a good idea, as it made the VERY short trip to my location act as a warming oven. Overall, this was a very bad first impression & I feel like I wasted my $. I wish a restaurant could get it right - serve food that is worth the money. Take care in how your good is prepared & cooked. How is that so hard? read more

Want crappy big-name beer for low-ish prices? How about 3 simultaneous baseball games played on 20 mismatched tv's? And crazy people manning the outdated video games? Well then, you've found your new favorite watering hole at the State Street Saloon! I can't really fault them too much. They are exactly what they look like from the outside. But in a town with so many great bars and multiple local breweries, there's just no reason for me to go to the SSS. Then again, if you love sports and want $2 beers, this might be your escape from the overly quaint and friendly town. Bartenders are generally nowhere to be found, especially when you try to close out your tab-- best to pay cash upfront if you're planning on ever wanting to leave. read more

Awright, awright, I'll admit it: It's pretty damn nice to imbibe in a somewhat dive-ish bar in which it's (still) perfectly legal to smoke alongside your Smutty Nose or your scotch whisk(e)y or your shabbily-made top-shelf margarita. Is there an Internet Jukebox filled with somewhat questionable music selections? Yep, there sure is. Is there a video game entitled "Buck Shot", in which you grab a fluorescent orange shotgun and shoot defenseless deer, after which a buck falls to its knees and collapses in the mud in the rain, its lifeless eyes staring at you as if to say, "Why on Earth did you do that?" (Making you feel mightily bad, to boot.) Yes, check. Smoky and decidedly blue-collar, hearkening back to Portsmouth's earlier and badder days as a major port-of-call for New England (and, for you history buffs, a pretty hard-core defense bunker in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War), the State Street Saloon is a good bar, I must say. This is where I learned that I had slept with one of the singers for the French 80's cover band Nouvelle Vague. It was in Paris in March, 2004. I'd met this beautiful blonde chanteusse through my father and a wine merchant friend of his at a restaurant called La Closerie des Lilas. We hit it off and went to her place near Montmartre. We smoked an endless amount of high-grade bud and played The Streets at full volume. We made soft, tender love. That's all I'll say. I left before her lover showed up at 5 in the morning, and wandered the cobble-stone streets in a drunken haze before stumbling across a taxi queue with a snoozing cabby waiting for no one in particular. I went home and slept it off. It wasn't until I was hanging with the wine merchant and a few friends I haven't seen in quite a while at the Saloon on State when I flippantly mentioned how I'd fallen in love with Nouvelle Vague. "Remember the shag ya had last time I saw ye?" the Irish wine guy said. "She sings two songs for 'em. One on the last one and one on the recent one. Listen to, I think, track # __ on the latest -- that's her." So I did, and it's actually one of my favorite covers. He didn't know which one on "Bande A Parte" she did, but I reckon I'll find out. Wow, a brush with celebrity, I guess. This has nothing to do with the quality or service or atmosphere of the State Street Saloon. It's a handy place. Good, cold beer. Strong, freely poured shots (no Tuaca, though). A capable bar woman who looks like she could kick your ass three different ways until Sunday. I liked this joint. I give it 3 stars because it's where I found out that I'd slept with the voice of an angel nearly 3 years ago. Nice. read more

Another bar that we visited on our night out on Halloween after the parade was the State Street Saloon. The price for a pint was about $4.25 which was extremely reasonable. The bar was fairly large, shaped as a large rectangle. This was the last bar that we went to so things were fuzzy as to the decor and such.... The bartender was prompt in bringing us our beers. After serving us, she just walked away and didn't even asked if I wanted to open a tab or state the cost. It was like we were locals and she knew us and knew that we wouldn't walk out and not pay. I actually tried a few times to get her attention to pay for the beer! I would definitely go here again for an inexpensive pint! read more

AMAZING SEAFOOD CHOWDER!!!! We were walking in downtown Portsmouth and had to get some chowder. It's a crime to come to New England and not try it, right? My father is a seafood caterer and had to check it out. He stated it was one of best things he has ever eaten. We had to try a bit of everything so we ordered the chowders, a large Lobster Roll, the Lobster Mac & Cheese, and the Lobster Pie, and ate family style. All of that stuffed 5 people, and oh Dear Lord!!!!!! The Lobster Pie was my absolute favorite! Almost creole in taste, it's savory and sweet and the buttery cracker topping is the perfect finishing the Mac & Cheese had less lobster than I anticipated, but the Lobster Roll totally made up for it. There was sooooooo much meat on the roll!!! Definitely a great value for the $! The next time I am here, I will have to come back for more deliciousness. read more

State Street Saloon - Bars Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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On a recent getaway to Portsmouth, my wife and I were looking for a place to have a beer and a quick bite to eat. We happened upon the State Street Saloon which is a block away from the main downtown intersection. This place is definitely a favorite of the locals - a diverse crowd from twenty-somethings to retirees. The bartender was very outgoing and friendly and asked if we wanted to see a menu. It being a cold day, she suggested the seafood chowder and said it was "the best in town." (I think there was a sign on the outside of the place that said they had the "best seafood chowder in town" too!) We took her advice and ordered a bowl. Granted, this is the only place in Portsmouth I've ever had seafood chowder, but I can't imagine any place in town topping this dish! It was chock full of big chunks of lobster, scallops, and shrimp, and the base was excellent. Not too thick, not too thin. The consistency was perfect. I highly recommend it. The next time I'm in Portsmouth, I will definitely be hitting this place for another bowl. We also ordered the boneless buffalo tenders and they were very good. A nice size portion that came with celery and bleu cheese for dipping. I liked that the dish came with 3 cups of bleu cheese -- most places usually give you one and you have to ask for another halfway through. They have a pretty good selection of beers on tap too. In my opinion the best was Smuttynose IPA, a fantastic local hoppy beer. I really liked the local vibe of this place. It's a great place for a few beers and you can't go wrong with the "best in town" seafood chowder! read more

I have been there a few times because I am from VA and am here for work. Not friendly if you're not a local! I went there one night and had okay service. I tried a few other places and tried to come back, but the bouncer wouldn't allow because they said that we were there earlier and we must be drunk because of that reasoning (keep in mind that I didn't drink that night). He said I walked funny towards the bar. Went the next night thinking it was a fluke, had a drink and asked for menu's at the same time, 20 minutes went by and the bartender looked like she was purposely avoiding us. She walked by us but had her head down, not asking us if we liked anything on the menu although we already knew what we wanted 10 minutes earlier. Finally found someone who could give us our check. Stay AWAY unless you are a local! read more

Cheap beer, Buck Hunter, juke box, friendliest bartender in town! That is the best combo you can have at a bar. The bartender that worked there when I lived there was by far the best bartender I have experienced in the New England area. That not meaning much since there are so many who are jaded and rude. We became regulars at this place and if you don't count the random kids that come in starting trouble, this is a 5 star bar. It's a great place for a bite to eat and watch sports too. Me being a Yankees fan, it was hard to find a place where I could watch a game in the New England area. State Street Saloon was a different story. I could sit there and watch the game in piece without someone starting a fight. Oh and if they did, they were removed from the bar and told to never come back. That is the kind of bar I can respect when it comes to rift raft. I highly recommend this place if you are going through town. read more

Keep your wallet in your front pocket. To have walked in mid-day and seen what must have been vampires avoiding the sunlight I was surpised the place was open. Dark, dingy and musty to say the least. Eventually someone came out and took my order. I was time constrained and couldnt afford to go elsewhere so I stayed the fourty minutes it took to get my food. Cross the street when you near this place, its a dive. If your looking for that ex that still owes you alimony he's probably at the back bar bending his elbow. Dont. read more

This was my fourth time here and yet again the Customer Service was less than stellar. The meal was pretty good, though I did order the "regular" lobster roll which was $11.99 double what the $4.99 yet I received the identical amount of lobster in my roll as my friend did. I didn't bring it to the waitress attention, since I only seen her once after that when she brought the check. I was already ready to leave and the sassy thing of a waitress gave off the vibe she wouldn't have a remedy or kind words about the situation. So I left no tip and kicked rocks. PS.... Seen a few reviewers saying that weren't allowed to drink outside on the patio. This is FALSE! I witnessed two separate tables just drinking out on the patio. I have a feeling they pick and choose, depending how they feel that day. read more

Really great place to watch the game and they have amazing lobster rolls for way cheaper than the rest of new england. Nice service too, top 20 bars in the usa for me. Great wings if you don't like seafood atmosphere 4/5 food 5/5 drank 4/5 service 4/5 value 6/5 read more