Great local bar with awesome awesome happy hour specials on both food and drinks! Visited on Friday around 5 and although the bar was crowded, there were tables available. I had the pleasure of meeting a very cute dog who was celebrating his 18th birthday at the bar along with his two furry friends and their owners. Loved that the people at the bar were friendly and conversational even though I was a newcomer. We ordered some $5 Happy Hour cocktails, which were really great as they are made with brand name alcohol such as Stoli, Deep Eddy and Tangueray rather than no name alcohols from the well. Food happy hour specials were great too - The Waygu Beef Hotdog was served on a buttered and grilled roll and hot the spot. The fried pickles were good as well, although next time I'll ask for them extra crispy. Great place with friendly customers and employees, excellent service, and good food. Looking forward to going back! read more

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Stopped in mid-week for lunch while visiting town. The bar was about half filled with contractors on their lunch break and locals, some drinking, a couple eating. We sat at the bar and were handed menu's and our drink order taken. The bartender was friendly and pleasant. She clearly knew the other occupants of the bar as they discussed their families, co-workers and local news. She wasn't quite as verbose with us, but why would she? We had more than enough time to make our selections, and even though we weren't in a hurry, it did feel like a long time. Still, the longer we stay, the more we drink. Right? So that works for tips. ;D She did eventually come over to take our food order between chatting, refilling drinks, welcoming more locals and taking care of bar set-up duties. So she was busy. This is a bar more than a restaurant, and the food was good. There seems to be one person on the bar and one in the kitchen. At least at lunch time. Our food came out at the same time, was warm and well prepared. The bartender put things we may need on the bar top near us: ketchup, forks, etc. and left us to it. She did check on refills during our visit. There is a small restroom opposite the bar that was clean. The ambiance here is neighborhood bar where you come to drink and spend time with your neighbors. Friendly. Not really a 'family' atmosphere. Especially with some of the language. Just FYI. It's a fair sized space and I suspect would be busy on a weekend evening. Definitely a lively spot. read more

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Great bar with big personality. Excellent local beer selection. I loved the music too. read more

The Clipper Tavern - Local beer - Burgers Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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A great little downtown tavern. It seems like a locals hang out but close to hotels and tourist attractions. I stopped in on a Friday night for a drink before returning my hotel. The bartender was fast and friendly. The drinks were average prices and they have a late night kitchen. The best part was they had an acoustic duo singing and playing guitar. They sounded great and played fun songs you know but don't typically hear (Pretenders, Don Henley, The Cars, etc). If ever I'm in Portsmouth again, I'll return. read more

The Clipper Tavern - Entrance - Burgers Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

My son and daughter-in-law dragged me into this unassuming bar, calling it their "favorite hole-in-the-wall pub with a bunch of old people." Well, they are 26 and 29 year old kids and that makes me an "old person". The atmosphere was delightful. The service was excellent. It was a place for local people of all ages. There was conversation and laughter. We all had ice-cold draft local beers. My kids rave about the fish-n-chips. Which they have come here to eat several times. I complimented the bartender gal on the nice atmosphere and she said, "yeah, we are a neighborhood pub, and we've been around for a long time. If you happen to be in Portsmouth, stop in. Unless you are looking for it, you will accidentally walk right past it. I plan to go back in a couple days for the fish-n-chips! read more

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This is still a spot my friend's & I stop in when I'm in town visiting. We came by on 12/26/2025. We were hungry!! One friend got the chicken tacos & didn't care for them. I had a small fried chicken finger from another friend's meal & their chicken still isn't the best cut of chicken. It still has a rubbery texture to it & isn't that great. They definitely look better than they taste. I got something new....BBQ pork nachos & even though they don't look very appealing they were sooooo good!! Even my friend's were stealing some from me. Our waitress was new but friendly & good. I didn't catch her name. FINALLY they fixed the ghetto toilet in one of the unisex bathrooms!!! That took many years to do!! No more having to hold the handle down to make it flush & no more electrical gray tape on the tank.....good job guys!!! That took way tooooooo long. It looks much nicer & no longer ghetto looking. We will be back & I will definitely get the BBQ pork nachos again & I LOVE their CC ice cream sandwich!! Soooooo good! read more

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The Clipper has the BEST salads! If you're in the mood for 'the big salad' (Seinfeld watchers will understand) then don't hesitate! Their sandwiches are delicious, drinks are perfect and the staff are even better! This is a place to go, laugh out loud, talk to other patrons and just 'be'. Enjoy!!! read more

I have been wanting to try their food for years now and let me tell you it did not disappoint! Our food was fantastic! The best gravy I have ever had! The steak and cheese was perfect as well as the mac and cheese. We got dessert as well. Deep fried Oreos and peanut butter pie. Our server Mel was so friendly and welcoming. It felt as if we had been going there for years. The decor was super cool too! I loved the sail boats. We will be back! read more

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Horrible experience. Party of 7 with a few well behaved kids. Restaurant was not busy. Took 45 min before we put our dinner order in. Did not receive enough silverware or app plates. One of the beverage glasses had two chips in it. Food came out staggered. Three plates were made incorrectly. Everything was made poorly. First and last time visiting. read more

Great late night spot to grab a bite to eat! Great cold beers and great sandwiches, server was also friendly and super on top of it!!

Cuzzin Richie? Oh yeah... start with a super sized english muffin, toasted, add some hams and a couple eggs over medium so the yolk is still flowable and settle that in next to a mound of seasonal fries and yeah, that'll be great after a bowl of chowdery chow as would a simple platter of fish and chips. came in mid afternoon needing refreshment and nourishment after viewing the portsmouth light and the other light. got turned around in town with the road and building constructions but eventually managed a parking spot half a block up - bonus! no meter because of the holiday!! we wandered in to the Clipper and took the only low top in the place. the server was on her own but did alright as the regular crowd shuffled in. first chowder came out closer to tepid than piping so our server ran a whole 'nother one through the heater and brought that out too. was totally digging my very-late-breakfast sandwich and my lovely bride was more than satisfied with her haddock so this was a win!! if we ever get back we'll be back read more

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We went a couple of weeks ago for dinner and honestly thought about walking out because it seemed a little dingy/dirty. The Guinness I ordered wasn't poured properly, but I wasn't surprised. We decided to order food and we're pleasantly surprised! I got the Mac Daddy burger and it was honestly one of the best burgers I've had in forever! So tasty and cooked perfectly. My husband got the steak and cheese sub and also thought it was amazing. It was the Saturday before Halloween so I'm sure they were busy, but could be a bit more clean! read more

The Clipper Tavern - Steak Shaved Ribeye and Cheese Sandwich - Burgers Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Good food, great happy hour selection Server, Jenny was fun and efficient. Plan to return at my earliest cost

Went there with my 3 daughters and 2 of my granddaughters on our annual Christmas shopping trip. First time there...wonderful experience. Waitstaff was fun, accommodating, making the experience great. Wide variety of food (something for everyone), reasonably priced. Going back! read more

My band played here and it was a great experience. Staff was super friendly and the food was good. Local crowd was fun!

FINALLY! A great place that charges decent prices in New England. I had a lobster roll and fries that were good. My wife had a salad that wasn't what she was expecting so only four stars. They have a great Happy Hour which we will go to tomorrow because the service is great. Highly recommend. read more

The steak tips poutine was amazing, and too much to eat in one sitting. Services was wonderful and friendly. A great local pub.

A la Bermuda's triangle, heed caution around the confines of Ye Old Clippah. Once she sucks you in there is little hope of returning to the rest of Portsmouth. The bartenders and kitchen staff are suspiciously quick and thorough with food and drink orders, leading some to wonder if their minds have been taken over by a clairvoyant Clippah staff member. Further confusing to patrons at the end of their Clippah experience, assuming they get out at all, is the relatively low number on their tab. A true gem of downtown Portsmouth...or dare I say, a black pearl. read more

The fish and chips were a great price and the seasoning was great!!!! The chips were also seasoned and delicious. Good prices, delicious food and a really nice waitress. read more

The Clipper Tavern - Fish and chips - Burgers Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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The food is good the service is even better. They have great dance bands and fun people. I highly recommend you try it out.

Had an early dinner here while exploring Portsmouth. We were very happy with the meal and agreed it was our best so far on our trip! It's a bar, basically, super casual. Our server was friendly and attentive. The food was great. My wife had twin lobster rolls and I had a prime rib dip. Both delicious. I didn't love the fries but that's only because they are seasoned and I'm not a big rosemary fan, but my wife loved them. Drinks were great. Highly recommend! read more

Went late on a Sunday during karaoke because it was one of the few places we could get dinner around 9 pm. We were greeted and sat as soon as we walked in, and the service was great throughout. Their drink menu was pretty good, several varieties of beer on tap, a wine list appropriate for a tavern, and a creative cocktail list. I ordered the Islington margarita which was a spicy margarita. Their food menu has a lot of options. I ordered a cup of the fish chowder which was a big "cup" and tasted pretty good! I also got the skillet gouda mac with lobster. It was filling and came with BIG pieces of lobster too! I'd recommend coming here if you're in search of a late night meal, or a casual drink, or if you enjoy listening to karaoke. read more

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Outstanding. I want to direct everyone's attention to their website, which is where you'll immediately see that everything is homemade from scratch, the #1 factor in picking a place for me. Rachel was our bartender, friendly and welcoming - absolutely great service! We ordered the chowder & steak poutine and both were stellar. I also got a side salad and their homemade thousand island, good enough to put a straw in and drink it!! Reasonable drink prices, something for everyone! A true locals hangout, really glad we found it and we will be back! read more

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A nice local's bar - friendly staff and a reasonable happy hour. While it's not what I would call an 'upscale' bar, it is definitely worth checking out. read more

Great local pub! Happy hour 3-6pm, which is when we went. Good selection of beers and food options. We ended up getting a trio of sliders each and they were all awesome. These included fried fish, shrimp po boy, pulled pork, southern fried chicken. Will have to try the other ones next time! Service was great, spacious inside as well. Very happy about the prices too! read more

The Clipper Tavern - More sliders - Burgers Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Visiting New England for the 1st time. Stopped in New Hampshire late Tuesday evening. This place was perfect. The service was amazing. The lobster roll was one of the better lobster rolls I had on the trip and I had a few in Maine and Boston. Icing on the cake they had Molson beer Cozy and chill vibe. Shoutout to our server. Thank you. read more

We were looking for a place to grab a bite before heading back home, after a nice road trip and we found this place. Now not being mean, but looks can be deceiving. From the outside, yes it's surrounded by historic buildings and we first thought a divey tavern, but not at all. We were seated immediately and our waitress was awesome! Very friendly and made our visit fun. They have daily specials and some unique bites on their menu. Small little bar, but fits well with the surrounding tables. They have a digital jukebox with pretty decent music selection. You bet we jammed out to some of our tunes while eating! I had a patty melt burger and it was amazing. My other guests had the Bonfire burgers and they were huge and they loved them. And one Shepard's Pie which got a thumbs up. Now, we were full, but I could not resist to try their Waffle Cheesecake and soooooo glad I did and yes, I had help eating it. The chef was walking around asking how everyone's meals were and when he got to us, he asked what we thought of the Waffle Cheesecake and of course we all said the best! Definitely would return to this place if ever in Portsmouth area again!! read more

The Clipper Tavern - The Patty Melt Burger - Burgers Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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Loud in here, divey type bar with live music; popular with the younger crowd. Their chili is AMAZING! They do have good food; but the chili is my favorite. Go here, get the chili and get your fade on. They have multiple TVs at the bar with games on it all the time. read more

First time here. Not good. Steak tips rubbery, fish and chips were like frozen fish sticks.

Everything I've ever eaten here is absolutely delicious! Jenny and Jill are both very personable bartenders. Stop in and try the Buffalo chicken dip or a burger. Really though you can't go wrong with whatever you order. read more

Food was amazing & fresh. We had the meatball sub & fish & chips- very fresh! Their service was outstanding, and it was busy!

Worst margarita I've ever had. Pretty sure there was no tequila only sour mix, asked for a new one and still tested like sour mix. At least the atmosphere wasn't bad. read more

What a find. Love Portsmouth. So much to see and do. Clippers Tavern is a great sports bar. With great food. Heard the poutine was good. We started with that. Hand cut fries. Gravy. Was plenty and delicious. Cheese topped it off perfectly. Lynn ordered the seafood chowder. Creamy flavorful with plenty of seafood. I decided on the cobb salad. Hugh bowl full of vegetables, and the best dressing. We both loved the experience. I respect their handling of the covid issue. Very clean and plenty of space. The happy hour is a nice deal You will not regret read more

The Clipper Tavern - Great bar complete with 8 TV's - Burgers Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Great spot- super welcoming and delicious. I would recommend everyone to stop at this unpretentious spot.

We've been to the Clipper Tavern a handful of times in the last few months, and have enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. Fairly priced, tasty food, and a fun place to go that still feels like the old real Portsmouth. They have good food and good apps, great service, and often live local musicians playing. read more

I love dive bars. The Clipper is a dive bar in the sense that it's dark, has pubby food, an extensive beer list, and a following from townies that frequent the location. However, the Clipper elevates itself a bit compared to other dive bars in a few ways. For starters, the food at the Clipper is actually really good. I have been quite a few times, but the standouts are their Thai pork pizza, their pulled pork nachos, and their buffalo cauliflower. However, they have a variety of burgers, sandwiches, and other appetizers. Again, much of their food is pretty decent when you are looking for large portions and something to munch on. The Clipper also has a great beer list featuring local beers from New Hampshire and Maine. They even have a pretty sweet happy hour where all drafts are $5 and they have apps for $6. They even have cocktails for $6 on their happy hour menu. The Clipper also has live music on some nights, and they even have some events such as paint nights periodically. Definitely a casual, cool place to check out in the Portsmouth area. read more

The Clipper Tavern - Thai Pork Pizza - Burgers Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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We loved our dinner here! This place actually didn't pop up in our Yelp searches. We sorted the restaurants nearby by distance. We were on our way on foot to a different place when we spotted the Clipper Tavern We thought it had a lot of charm! It was a summer Tuesday night. There were some other guests there but not busy. They have outdoor seating but it was muggy so we wanted to sit inside. They have a bunch of TVs so we got to watch the Sox game! The staff was friendly and polite We ordered the small plate mac&cheese and the small plate fish & chips with an appetizer of Buffalo cauliflower. We loved all of it! Perfect dinner for our first night of vacation read more

I just moved to the area and was surveying the area for a "home" bar. This place checks all of the criteria. Friendly staff, great atmosphere, and very importantly phenomenal food. This surpasses all other bar food I've encountered. The wings are crispy and the homemade ranch is dream worthy. I liked that in addition to the appetizers they have a section on their menu called small plates. The Gouda Mac and cheese on the small plate section is perfection. Great size if you don't need a ton of food. Perfect portion. Buffalo chicken dip is a great staple too. Definitely would hide out here in the apocalypse. read more

The service did not meet expectations and was subpar. The servers didn't return for over 49 minutes and when we asked for the bill they ignored us and never brought it. I do not recommend this establishment read more

Best lunch ever! Chef is great ... freshest haddock for our fish and chips and blacked fish tacos ... and the Caesar salad was just wonderful, as was the homemade fresh coleslaw ... just perfect! read more