This place is awesome. Came straight here to meet a friend from the airport. Loved the outdoor patio and music playing; bonus points for the ping pong table. Great vibes. I ordered the fish and chips and it did not disappoint! Loved the batter and how thin the fish was. It was so good that I probably could've ordered another one. Still salivating over it while I'm writing this review. read more

The Fastnet Pub - Fish & Chips - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

my first 5 mins of being there and ordering the bartender was rude & when i asked questions of some drink options he couldn't of acted more annoyed or as if he didn't have time & he did not have answers. I ordered a drink from the menu and he said "no" and shook his head like they didn't have it.. when that bartender stepped away my boyfriend went back and again tried ordering the same drink.i had tried to order & they made it for him... so what was it? reading other comments on here confirms a lot though read more

I've been to Irish pubs the world over and many feel like they are trying too hard. Fastnet is a neighborhood pub that happens to be Irish but is so much more. Great service, great food, good prices, wonderful service, good selection of beers and booze, a perfectly poured Guinness and very friendly folks. Will be back for sure. Gotta go on a Sun night for great tunes. read more

I love this little hole in the wall pub in Newport and usually visit a few times when in tow visiting my sister whom lives down the street. A great place for a "cheap" drink or meal that's off the tourist strip of downtown Newport. Mostly locals and with dart boards and pool tables this place can get packed. The food is decent, I've really only have had appetizers but there are vegetarian options including a veggie burger. Drinks are stiff and can't beat an Irish coffee on a cold New England day. Take a seat when you come in, there aren't a ton of seats but there is plenty of standing room. The service is usually pretty good. read more

Would give zero stars if I could. Who charges $2 for water when you're trying to be responsible while consuming alcohol? Our group was denied tap water when a bourbon, two shots of patron, and a vodka soda were purchased. Terrible customer service and consideration of patrons. Also, place was a filthy, sticky mess. read more

An absolute blast, affordable beers, live music, a pool table, what more could I possibly need? Even on a Monday there was an eclectic group of people, so if you're here on holiday or business, pop in and you'll be sure to meet someone new. read more

Very authentic Irish pub. Located in a very nice part of town. I ordered wings and pub fries since I've been eating very well lately and needed a treat. The food was very good. They even have Heinz Malt Vinegar for the fries! I got to say my highlight was the server Renae, she was not only a beautiful, professional and pleasant bartender, she also poured the best Guinness I've ever had. First and second glass were totally impeccable. She even served them with an artistic four leaf clover carved on the head (froth). Thank you Renae! I must definitely return. read more

The Fastnet Pub - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Do not open a tab at this establishment. On multiple occasions the bartenders give you your credit card back and inform you to exit after your night of drinking. Then they add items to your final bill and per management are allowed to add a 20% gratuity to the credit card ..... because guess what.... You didn't close out your tab! How disgusting and insane. Talk about taking advantage of patrons. How low is that. It is a bar, after taking last call the bartender should say here is your tab. No, they don't, they take full advantage of your intoxication, hand you your credit/debit and do what they please. Support other local bars that actually care for their patrons and have more dignity than greed. Hopefully this establishment reports this " automatic gratuity" as a service charge vs a tip for tax reporting because the IRS has just been informed of this wonderful scam. read more

Discounting drinks during happy hour is a no no in RI, but we did not let this deter us from quenching our thirst at Fastnet Pub, named after an islet off the coast of Kinsale in Ireland, Newport's sister city. The was a selection of beers on draft was somewhat limited so I ended up with a pair of Newport Storm blueberry ales that were quite enjoyable. The Mrs. chose an equal number of Robert Mondavi Private Reserve, la de dah, merlots. Both of our servers took good care of us while being very friendly. Given its modest interior, I did find prices rather high even for Newport. read more

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We held a dinner at Fastnet Pub for a large group on a Wednesday evening. The owner was friendly and accommodating ensuring we had everything we needed. It ended up being a busier night than planned so the service was slow but the staff did the best they could with a full house inside and outside. Solid pub food with awesome wings and drinks. Highly Recommend. read more

my gfs review: i've never yelped before but i figured that i should warn people. this place made us pay $2 for water and automatically added a tip more than 20% to our bill, which feels illegal when there is no warning or signage to indicate it. i also waited multiple times for more than 10 minutes just to order food. do not come here read more

Went here via a friend's recommendation and it did not disappoint. We sat in the beer garden which is well set up for new-age dining requirements. This is a true Irish Pub with friendly staff and great food and drink. Just a couple of steps off the beaten Newport path and well worth it. Not gonna lie, I had one of the best pints of Guinness outside of IRE here. Definitely check this place out if you are in or around Newport! read more

The Fastnet Pub - a pint of guinness - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Strongly recommend avoiding this place as I've never been treated so poorly by bar staff, first off there is no free tap water at this bar, they make you buy a $2 bottle of water. The bar staff was incredibly rude, I bought a couple drinks and the bartender took my card and gave it back with no receipt so I asked him if I had to sign something and he extremely aggressively told me it was a $20 minimum for a card and they started a tab for me (without telling me or asking permission) because I was nowhere near that. Maybe don't attack someone who's trying to make sure they tip you or let them know you're starting a tab. He continued this obnoxious behavior the entire time we were there and was disrespectful to my wife and friends as well. Disappointing because this was a cool venue with an outdoor patio, a ping pong table, and darts. But based on the incredibly poor service I will never go back and am upset I spent a dime their. Their men's room is also one of the worst I've been in, zero privacy in there with a toilet, two urinals and no dividers in an extremely small room. Don't make the same mistake I did, avoid this place! read more

I have been coming here to grab drinks since I have arrived in Newport a few months ago. I finally ate dinner here with the wife on a Friday night. Overall, it was a positive experience and I would recommend this place. I will warn you, the place is an Irish style pub and it is usually rather loud in here. So if you are hoping for a nice dinner conversation, expect to be competing with the noise from all the other patrons, several probably that have been drinking pints for a few hours. However, the lively atmosphere is fun and if you are just looking for drinks and dinner this is great. I ordered the fish and chips, wife ordered a bacon cheeseburger, and we split an order of potato skins. The potato skins were great. Five came with an order, each was a decent half of a potato, hollowed out with cheese and bacon. The potato was super soft, almost like a twice baked potato consistency. It came with sour cream and was great, only problem was that it was super filling. Two people splitting this appetizer could have been a light dinner. This is not a bad thing at all. The fish and chips were better than the ones we had earlier than the Tavern on Broadway (avoid this place for dinner). The fish was cooked perfectly, the breading was nice and crispy on the outside, the fish was super tender and juicy on the inside. The home cut fires were really good, only complaint on the dish was that the coleslaw could have been better, but overall, a good fish and chips. The only fish and chips I have had that has been better has been at Anthony's (local seafood joint). The wife's burger (I stole a bite) was better than the ones we had at Mission. They cooked it medium for her, which is nice. They have a lot of choices of beers, ciders, and have a decent rail of liquors. I'll be back again. read more

The Fastnet Pub - Fish and chips - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Get anything buffalo! The gravy that comes with the Irish poutine is definitely out of a can. Cool atmosphere.

The bartender with shoulder length frizzy hair began our exchange by saying, "give me the money or stop talking." After ordering a relatively straightforward order he said, "you get what you get." When my friend tried to go up and tell him he'd been served the wrong drink, he responded, "I haven't talked to you all night 'get lost.'" We ended up going to the other side of the bar for the remainder of the night, and Paul the other bartender was pleasant, amendable, and professional. Unfortunately, my friend wanted to play darts which required exchanging your ID for the darts. After playing we went to return the darts and they'd "misplaced" his ID. After waiting until the lights turned on they still couldn't find the ID and basically said "tough." We will certainly be forgoing this bar for any other option in Newport. read more

Fun little pub just down the street from where I live. It got crazy on St. Patricks Day but I had been dropping in for a pint or two of cider before that as well as their Wednesday night trivia. I also have tried out their pub food which is pretty decent; love having their potato skins and their burgers are pretty good. My husband had their fish and chips and enjoyed them greatly. Looking forward to the next visit! read more

Great place! It has an absolutely wonderful feel and the food is outstanding! I had the cod sandwich, which was amazing. The fish and chips got great reviews from our party too. read more

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Been going for 25 years back when they were Aidens. Great food, great beer, great service. Good place to play pool & darts

fraudulent charges on my card 4 beers ??? $37+$16?? disputing charges with credit card company.. they added thier own tip so I'll be disputing $21 dollars and not leaving a tip.. the bartenders are rude and likely did this to others attempting to steal money from people who do not check thier cards. read more

The Fastnet Pub - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Need to hire another bartender for upstairs on busy nights. One person to run all the tables and the bar is ridiculous. Huge loss of money as after waiting 20 minutes for a drink, most everyone at the bar left. read more

Typical bar. Drinks were barely average but clearly people come here to hang out. Not much besides that.

I would give this no stars if I could. Went here because I live the vibe. When I asked for a water after spending a good amount of money, I was given a warm bottle of water. When I asked for clarification as to why I was charged for water, I was told they don't give out tap water. I asked for ice and was told I should have asked for ice water if I want it cold. The service was rude and argumentative. Do not go here. Terrible customer service and you will pay for water. read more

Asked for water after a night of drinking at this bar and rude bartender wanted to charge $4 for a bottle instead of giving tap water

We loved Fastnet! We popped in one night while visiting Newport for drinks and dinner. I loved the atmosphere! It was very charming and had a New England dive bar feel, but I mean that in a good way - it reminded me of the bars I'd go to in college! They played great music and it was just a really fun place to be. I got a burger and my husband had chicken fingers. Both of our meals were very tasty - no complaints! Our waiter was very friendly and attentive. Everyone was masked and tables were well spaced out; we felt very comfortable and safe. We'd definitely come back! read more

Absolutely the worse calamari I've ever had. Overcooked. More crumbs than rings. No peppers as advertised. And in Rhode Island this should be an atrocity. My dah'ters also got some appetizers. It's like daycare food. Is that worse than Pub food, perhaps. All the years I've come to Newport, I never walked in here. My instincts were spot on. Never again. read more

Went with a group of 9 - at first thought it was a great place until one drink wasn't good but instead of replacing it, charged for another one. Then, we could not get a glass of water unless we paid $2 for a bottle. We had 2 rounds of drinks but could not get a glass of water?! read more

Wow, what a surprise. Not only is this practically the only place in downtown Newport that serves food between 3pm and 5pm, but it's actually good! First of all, the overall vibe is great. Our server had the cutest Irish accent and had no problem attending to both the boys at the pool table, the rambunctious three year old at one table, us, and some peeps at the bar. Our chicken Caesar and honey mustard chicken wraps were both huge and tasted fantastic. The fries are also great, not soggy like other Irish pubs. Great place with a casual and friendly atmosphere where "everyone knows your name". read more

The Fastnet Pub - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

You have to pay cash for anything under $20, and they don't give you cups of water for free... as a bar. Are you kidding me.

Visiting Newport RI, my old hometown, for the first time in 9 months, I was denied access to the Fastnet Pub because I had my service dog. Told me they don't allow them, obviously they never heard of the ADA. They called Newport Police, which were no help at all, said it was the owners prerogative. I will be contacting the ADA, never have I've been treated that way! read more

The Fastnet is a place I've been a half dozen times when visiting Newport and as "pubs" go, it's one of my favorites. I mean, I don't think of a pub with big expectations. They're gritty. They're worn. They're loud. They're dirty, even. (And this place does not disappoint. It's got one of the smallest, dirtiest bathrooms in Newport!) But they've also got character. And the Fastnet has plenty of this. It's an Irish watering hole with plenty of beers on tap. Some great (like high-octane Double Jack IPA) and some downright nasty (like PBR). It's a friendly place with beers for everyone and every taste and every mood. The place comes outfitted with a pool table and dart boards - just as you'd expect. Now the food - don't expect much. It can be good at times. But again, it's the kind of place that probably has a big fryer in the back filled with plenty of frying oil. You can decide for yourself if that's a good or bad thing. For me, it's more of an appetizer and beer place. (Last time, I got the pub fries with cheese. They were so good but so unhealthy and loaded with oil. I knew what I was getting into - so I was ok with it. Onion rings, wings, mozzarella sticks. Nothing fancy here. Just good food that's bad for you.) At night, it can get crowded and loud. For me, I'm long gone by then. I'll stop there mid-afternoon for a couple drinks and an appetizer before heading out to find finer dining options downtown. But for others, I'm sure it's a good place to hang out all night. I want to give this place 4 stars because I enjoy it so much for its intended purpose. But I'm afraid it would be misleading in comparing it to those finer establishments that warrant really big marks. So 3 stars it is... Long live the Fastnet! read more

The Fastnet Pub - Front Entrance - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Decent looking bar but staff is terrible. Had tables in our section going up to the bar to order because waiters only focused on a table of 4 chicks (unattractive too) instead of the 5 other tables in which they could have made a lot more money on. Don't work at a bar if you don't give a shit about actually working. Plenty off other bars to go to in the area that would welcome your money read more

Fastnet is a popular local spot. Lots of beers on tap, a strong pour on mixed drinks, and a friendly crowd. I really like all of the bartenders here. There is a good sized bar with plenty of seats, and lots of tables around the rest of the place. During the day and early evening its even rather family friendly. It is also the place in town for catching the European Football league games as well as Rugby, even the early matches! Late night definitely draws a bigger crowd.. but its still always enjoyable as there is plenty of space. There are dart boards, pool table, and a back patio for smokers. Every Sunday evening there is a live band playing traditional Irish music. Food is fairly average pub fare. Fish and Chips are solid. I love the curry sauce, you can see most people ordering a side of it to dip their fries in. Steak tips seem to be the most popular thing on the menu. It's great to just pop in for a drink or two, or spend some time there and order food. Nothing fancy, just a good ole Irish pub and usually a great crowd. read more

The Fastnet Pub - chips & curry sauce at the bar - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Old school irish pub. Darts, ping pong outside. Loud classic rock. Aged to perfection. Alot of beers on tap. Pretty bartenders. Could you ask for more? Food? Not sure didn't get past the Guinness. read more

The Fastnet Pub - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

The staff is very rude & inconsiderate. My boyfriend is suffering from type 2 diabetes and ordered a water instead of a third drink because of his sugar levels. The bouncer kicked us out of our table because they said tables are for customers who are ordering more. The bartender then told us we should leave because maybe the bar isn't for "people like you". HORRIBLE STAFF. Affordable prices but terrible staff !! read more

Couldn't say enough great things about Tim and the staff there this past Saturday! We brought a bunch of rowdy pirates there an hour before opening time and everybody at fastnet was awesome! Drinks were great and fresh, the bar itself is awesome, and everybody who works there is a great sport! Thanks again and hopefully we'll be welcome back next year!! read more

The Fastnet Pub - Thomas Tewsday.. The Newport Pirate Invasion at Fastnet - Pubs Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

You only deserve a tip if you EARN it. The service at the bar and the bartender's are condescending and egotistical and act as though your service isn't needed. I'm in the service industry myself, every guest matters and it just does not seem that way at this establishment. What was my number one recommended place is now sorely my least rated establishment downtown. Plenty of establishments that are more appreciative of your service. read more

i bought 4 drinks and they wouldn't give us a glass of water for FREE???? that's messed up...only will give you water for 2$ how cheap. very wrong for a bar who may be over serving alcohol . read more

it was fast service but we bought four drinks and they wouldn't even give us a free tap water

Good selection of craft beers on tap. I am an IPA fan and was pleased to see they had 3-4 of them on tap. They have live Irish bands or Irish sessions going on Sunday. I was there on a Friday night and enjoyed the music they played: mostly 70s and 80s stuff...which was great for me. I had a turkey club which had a generous amount of turkey. My wife had the curry...which was serviceable, but not exceptional. I would definitely go back for a meal and/or a drink...especially a drink. read more