Great food, great view right at the marina, great service. Took some friends that have never been on the island and they loved it.

Yummy sushi and chicken burger ! Great to sit by the water and enjoy the weather and boats Food was served fast and hot !!! Best mudslides around read more

This year, I'm disappointed with my dinner served on 8/1. I had Stadler chicken with vegetable medley and baked sweet potato. My other friend had fish with vegetable medley and baked sweet potato. We did not mind waiting baked sweet potato as they were available after 5pm. We didn't mind waiting as we had chicken wings and 7 mudslides then. Natalie had told us that we had to wait for our dinners. Our complaint was the vegetable medley. Granted that it had raw carrot cuts, steamed broccoli, steamed cauliflower and steamed beans. At least be consistent about preparing vegetables either raw or steamed or sauté. Our male companions raw vegetable medley completely and not said anything. In other words, they suck up and ate or not eat their vegetables on their plates. That is a waste of food. The atmosphere was conducive to families and couples. Natalie was understanding and offered a substitute for our vegetables with rice and beans instead. I look forward to a better dinner next year. The mudslides are still the top shelf as is. I hope the chef will consider being consistent on what's on the dinner entrees. If he can reply why the vegetable medley was inconsistent, I would appreciate it. We have been to the Oars more than a decade and would like to continue the tradition of enjoying the food, mudslides and the atmosphere in the years to come. read more

Great views. gorgeous breeze on the day we went and they have umbrellas so you're cool in the shade. Oysters came in a cute boat and were good but a little pricey ($4.50). Was really excited about the mudslides but $15 for a mudslide that comes out of a machine!? Not to mention it had some sort of gelatin in it that made it chewy and grainy. (See pic) Sushi was good. Great ambience but food didn't blow me away. read more

The Oar - Mud slide - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

This is by far one of the best places to have lunch or dinner on the island. Located in New Harbor, you have exquisite views of the water as well as the many boats docked in and around the area. The interior is covered ceiling to floor in a variety of oars collected through the years. The seating on the lawn are picnic tables with umbrellas. They have one of the best mudslides, be sure to order a Meyers floater on the top. Also, they have a great menu which also includes delicious sushi. Our most recent visit was in late June when they first opened back up with the pandemic, they were very cautious and we were lucky that there had been no wait when we arrived for an early dinner. Once we left the wait was much longer and we have been hearing it's over an hour these days. Unfortunately you can't make reservations last time I checked. The Oar is great for kids and adults alike. read more

The Oar - Bring your sunglasses and some sunscreen! - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

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Two days sitting on the deck at the rail. Cold draft Gansett and the lobster roll. First time had crab cakes as well. There are two large cakes with tons of crab. Unfortunately a little over zealous use of salt took away some of the taste of crab. Memo to kitchen: easy on the salt. Lobster rolls are perfect. Large roll grilled or cold, stuffed with meat, lightly mayo'd and a lettuce leaf. Fries on the side were good plain ole fries, no truffle cheese spiced nonsense. The staff is super friendly this year too. All in all a great experience. read more

The Oar - Lobster rolls with fries. - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

Great views at The Oar. During summer you can eat on the lawn, on the deck overlooking the water or inside, so lots of variety in seating. My party always enjoys the sushi and I feel like most dishes we've had have been good. It's a good place for families with kids; very relaxed atmosphere. read more

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I've been here several times and it keeps getting better! This is the only place we ate at twice last week. Our waiter both times was Nick and he was the best server we had during the entire week of eating out 2-3 times a day. The sushi was phenomenal, and the beer selection decent. We had oyster 1/2 shell twice and both times they were great. It doesn't get much better than this! We'll continue to prioritize coming to the Oar when we visit BIRI! You should too! read more

I am sure a lot of great reviews and for food this one of them I was here for lunch ( the review below) ---------- the dinner th as t never happened ----- ........ but sadly the last taste in my mouth at The Oar is that later in the day at 5 pm we came back and attempted to meet over 14 fellow cruisers from our sailing assoc and yacht club that fell apart due to the sheer aggrivation and lack of accommodation and hospitality from the waitstaff and hostess. With almost 20 boats in the harbor we wanted to gather on land and spend a few $$$ on cheer and fellowship. The Oar staff did not seem interested. Had enough business and did not need or want ours. Thats okay I guess as long as they keep coming? About 8 got seated, some scattered to other parts of the restaurant. Sad thing was there were plenty of tables, no line and we wanted to pull a few together. We left with 6 and walked to Dead Eye Dicks. And 6 otehrs cabbed away. , I will pan some of the staff who seemed annoyed or not very friendly, a whole different experience then lunch. I was very disappointed. --------------------------- Lunch was VERY busy and we waited for almost 30 minites for table for 2. Great breezy table. OUR SERVER WAS AWESOME!!! made great recommendation and she was attentive and friendly. My wife got a salad withnoranges and walnuts and chicken and she loved it. I got a kale and arugula southwestern salad in a wrap.......that was one.of the best I ever had!!!!! SOOOO fresh and wonderful were every component i almost ordered one to go! Our server notsted my vefan like orderimg and suggested a suv for the dairy dressing.....she is vegan! She was also fantastic. Geting to the table was like a bad millenial frat party. The clientele seems to be secondary to the staff. I suggest as I "stand down" as you rush through the place, a few more smiles, a little more eye contact and a LOT more politness as multiple folks plowed into me and exused me and my wife as their "work" seemed to be a lot more important then our accomidation or movement through the restaurant or to the bathroom. Sorta new york drivers at work. I guess rude was more like it. Inhave been at truck stops that are busier but more friendly. ******** Anyway food is awesome, the aura and place is the experience we were seeking....********* .maybe the staff is burned out or just pumping UP the volume is all important and not worried about repeat business. Word of mouth is important..... (rant over) read more

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Busy bustling spot in one of BIs marina's. Interesting mix of seafood, tacos and sushi (with many other options along the way!). Tons of outdoor seating. Great for kids (aside from the sometimes longish wait in the mid-summer) and a delightful place to sit at the picnic tables with friends imbibing. Our server was sweet and attentive despite running around super busy! The prices are on-par for the Block (overpriced), and the mudslides with a butterscotch topper keep me coming back. read more

The only redeeming quality about our visit was that we only had to wait for 10 minutes before being sat at our table. 1) We notified our server of a severe shellfish allergy and he told us that the turkey club is cut on the same cutting board as lobster rolls, and that they could not cut the turkey club on another surface. We asked about having it cut on a napkin or a paper plate and he said it was not possible. This is mind blowing and completely unacceptable that a simple request to have an item cut on a non-shellfish contaminated surface due to a severe shellfish allergy could not be done. This tells me they do not have any regard for allergies and are lacking in safe food handling procedures. Completely unacceptable. 2) Our server, who as far as we could see, was not super busy, forgot several drinks and said he had to "go downstairs to get our drinks" but we watched him get both of them from a visible bar window on the same level. Just own it that you forgot to put them in and check back to make sure we received them. There was no dialogue or care for how our meal was either. 3) Only alcoholic drinks can be ordered while waiting for a table in the tented area near the hostess stand. Completely ridiculous for families who cannot get their teenage children a drink while waiting, yet adults can have alcoholic-only beverages. We were denied even a Coke (which is funny because a rum and Coke is allowed to be ordered??). 4) The food is mediocre at best as other reviews have said. Nothing special and a little overpriced for the quality. This was my first and only time I'll come to The Oar after this experience. I don't have super high dining standards but the disregard for the allergy was truly what did it for me. Don't waste your time here unless you think the above is acceptable! read more

Good view. Good service. Don't go for the food. Mediocre at best. The wait is long but you can enjoy a cocktail while waiting.

We are a couple in our 60's who have been vacationing on Block Island for over 40 years. Each year, we have dinner and drinks at The Oar at a table along the "rail". However, this year the tradition was broken when a rude, confrontational older male manager refused to allow us to wait for one of those tables saying that they no longer honor requests for table location. Therefore, we will NOT be returning to The Oar again - the food is only mediocre so the draw has been the view and the service - and those are now gone. It was a Friday evening around 6:00 and the restaurant was not crowded. We were called to a table after only a 5 minute wait, but when presented with a middle table, we asked to wait at one of the two dozen vacant picnic tables until a rail table opened up. However, the male manager refused saying they have not accepted table requests "for 5 years, since COVID" (which was 3 summer seasons prior to our visit). I asked if he was the owner, and was surprised to learn he was the manager and not the owner, because it is hard to believe that the owner would hire someone without customer service skills to serve as the manager of such a historic Block Island establishment. The manager said he had been there for 25 years, which we also found surprising because we don't remember him in any prior visits. Last year, the pleasant female manager was happy to honor our request for a rail table, so again this male manager's attitude and statement that they stopped honoring customer requests 5 years ago was shocking. I told the male manager that he had lost our business, but the manager did not appear to care, simply turning his back to us. Clearly, he has no financial interest in the business - his pay is unaffected by customer satisfaction or restaurant volume. What we find most perplexing is the business rationale for failing to allow people to wait for a table along the rail. Those people will likely buy drinks and sit at one of the two dozen picnic tables. The only rationale we can find is that it is easier on the MANAGER to ignore people's requests, certainly not better for the business. Finally, we are sad that our tradition at The Oar has ended. Luckily there are many other restaurants on Block Island that offer friendly service; Dead Eye Dicks, Mohegan Café, Beach Head, and Kimberly's. Also Rebecca's has a fabulous breakfast with great service. read more

Totally lame spot. The windows are screwed shut so it only amplifies the lack of breeze that comes with the heat and humidity of the Block Island experience. No one even came in to the sushi bar with three dudes behind it the entire time I was there. Lame drink list, and really there's no point in even going here. Wow, they have Oars hanging from the ceiling. If this is supposed to be something special, it's not. There's no reason to go to Block Island, and if you are unfortunate enough to have to go there, there's no reason to go to The Oar. read more

Cool, fun restaurant! Nick was an awesome waiter! The food was excellent and the views were beautiful! Definitely will come back again! read more

The Oar - Dinner view - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

Food was good. Be prepared to wait for a long time especially on the weekends in the summer. Food even took long to come out.

excellent southwestern salad with cajun blackened mahi mahi. Sushi rolls, very fresh but expensive. Come for happy hour. If your early grab a seat on the grass and enjoy the view. Peel n eat shrimp are fresh. Oysters and calamari good too. read more

Been here several times because yes they do have the best Mudslides. Tip: add banana you'll thank me later. The staff can be iffy. In the past when I have come I have been unimpressed with the staff and their lack of care for their patrons. Felt very much like they could care less if you came back or not. It is a very busy place so get there early and as cool as it is to sit on the lawn there is a lot of people hanging around waiting to snipe the table because it is seat yourself. So ya gotta be quick. Last week we had a very sweet girl. Took care of us but was a little slow getting back to us. Food was great had a lobster club and it was to die for. read more

The Oar - Lobster club - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

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Solid eatery on the block. I loved the decorative oars posted on the surrounding walls. They got us a table in less than 10 min even though we were told potentially a 30 min wait, so that was cool. Overall a pleasant environment. The food was good but it wasn't great. My man Brad (a big coleslaw fan) was quoted saying "this just ain't it." Also, food took longer than expected to come out. Otherwise the gang enjoyed their time very much here. Will visit again soon! :) read more

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Excellent atmosphere but just average food Yes, they serve sushi just like McDonald's McRib is Texas BBQ. Beautiful location and fun servers but the food is average at best. Now if you've been day drinking and on the beach for 6 hours then it probably is delicious. If you're sober and know what good sushi or steak should taste like then you'll be disappointed. Here is the trick. Go there to enjoy the view, the breeze, the sunset and enjoy some adult beverages. Treat the food as tertiary and you'll love it. If you're a foodie...go somewhere else. read more

The Oar - Sunset from the patio deck at The Oar. - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

We went on a Sunday evening as a family of 5. I called ahead and there was no wait. We sat at picnic tables on the lawn with views of the harbor, boats and the sunset. We were told that the restaurant with the best views on the island was the oar and it did not disappoint. The food alone was a 3 but the vibe and views made it a 4 star experience. The tuna poke was good. Nothing special and not the best I have ever enjoyed but good. My husband's blackened scallops were flavorful and abundant. Again, solid meal but not the best ever. The other items ordered were chicken tacos (just okay- but admittedly a weird choice- it was my daughters) my son had the islander sushi roll. He was full and really enjoyed it. Next was a blt for my youngest. She enjoyed it. No kids menu in case that matters to you. Wait staff was okay. They have cornhole to play while you wait for your meal. Overall good meal with great view! Check out my foodie Instagram @date_night_craves. read more

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The restaurant was full, so we had the option of family-style at picnic tables or table for two w Adirondack chairs on the water. The chairs won! The food and drinks were quick and delicious. Don't be swayed by the crowds...check it out! Everything was great!! read more

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The location and Ambiance of the Oar is the best on Block Island. I have been coming to the Oar for over 40 years. My 2024 review is that it still has the best vibe but the prices are starting to get outrageous. My favorite to start is the Saracha wings which now cost over $2 each. The sushi has always been great but the rolls keep getting smaller and smaller for $25 plus. Plan to spend some bucks, but enjoy the view. read more

Location, location, location! It is simply beautiful! We lucked out and got a rail table. Everyone raves about the mudslides, but I did not indulge. They have a full bar and nice selection of beer. The service was great and with a smile. I had the clam chowder which was amazing! We had a Caesar wrap sandwich and fish sandwich which were both delicious! The coleslaw was fresh and light on the mayo. If your on block island rent a moped and zip on over to the oar. read more

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Very yummy and has the best mudslide on the island in my opinion. Little pricey I'd say, but such lively atmosphere and always had friendly staff. Lots of kiddos around, there's yard games in the grass and you have a nice little view of water w lots of boats in it. Very block island. read more

I love The Oar and always make a point to rent a moped and drop in for a visit when I visit Block Island. Honestly, this is a must see and I love the view. I was here a but later this season so the Adirondack Chairs were packed away. Get there a bit earlier in the season and you can hang out in these chairs for hours...soaking up the sun and the view while enjoying some great drinks. During this trip we were able to score a rail table and enjoy the gorgeous view on a perfect day. The beer was cold...food delicious...and service outstanding as always. By far one if my favorite places on BI and I always highly recommend it... read more

The Oar - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

This is the first food review I've ever written in my life. Ordered a Caesar Salad with blackened shrimp. The salad it self was a standard Caesar with croutons. However the blackened shrimp (which is a $13 up charge) were 5 COLD tiny tiny overcooked pathetic excuses for $13 I've ever seen. Looked and tasted like they had been sitting around waiting to be used. As we walked out of the restaurant I looked over to my friend and said - I just ate prison shrimp! read more

If it wasn't for the sushi I'd give them a zero. So sad because they came SO highly recommended. The sushi was worth six stars. Hands down amazing and delicious. Our waitress while sweet was awful. We moved tables and she stood and watched us. And no apology for the bees... And the place has giant yellow jacket bees flying EVERYWHERE INSIDE! We asked if we could sit outside and we're told there's no service there anymore. Bummer. read more

The Oar - Amazing - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

Love the grilled mahi mahi with mango and black rice and beans. Add a mudslide for perfect combo

The OAR rarely disappoints and anytime I go out to the Block I make sure to make at least 2-3 trips here. As with all restaurants, the price has gone up over the last few years, but they still do an amazing job keeping up the food quality and accommodating so many people with largely a seasonal and friendly staff. See ya in a few days:) read more

The view is perfection during the summer! Decorated oars inside are fun to look at as well. Photo opportunity! Salads, sushi, seafood. The mudslides are delicious! I ordered the lobster salad. DON'T. I pretty much picked out the lobster and tossed the rest. It sucked. Order something else! My friend had the lobster roll and said it was great. Good place for families, couples, groups. Games of corn hole going on. Picnic tables and umbrellas outside. Grab a seat and enjoy the view. Just not the lobster salad. read more

The Oar - The view! - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

Coming to Block Island, you know your options are limited as far as food goes. By far this is my favorite place to come to. The staff is great, sushi delicious, and drinks a plenty. Furthermore, the view is always a treat. I opted for a seat at the bar and promptly got attended to. My drink order was immediately taken and brought to me. Next up, my bartender went over all the sushi specials, and answered any questions I may have had. My food was brought in less than 30min and my water glass never empty upon waiting. I love this gem off the beaten path in lovely block island. I highly recommend, and look forward to returning and trying more menu items and sushi! read more

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Really good at what it's supposed to be! Menu and quality seems to have picked up this year. Solid beach food, great views , casual and fun, Burgers, wings,fish sandwiches, seafood all good. Have sushi and poke bowls as well coming out of a separate kitchen, very good. Harbor sunsets. Can't go wrong! read more

My boyfriend and I were on a day trip to Block Island. He had heard about The Oar from a friend and we biked from the beach. When we arrived there was a huge line, however we were seated 1 minute after putting our name in so don't be fooled! Jay was an incredible waiter. We had the mahi mahi tacos and the tuna loco roll and would highly recommend both. Also MUST try the mudslides. We will be back! read more

The Oar - View from the Adirondacks - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

We also have been going to the oar for over 40 years and after a 3 year hiatus went back yesterday...bad experience. The great location and view aside, the food was not great...grilled chicken on a bun..the chicken much smaller than the bun, although very good. Lobster grilled cheese ($31) that came out with cheese unmelted and lobster cold. Reheated in micro but terrible afterwards. Portions were small, really,for the price. My favorite sushi roll now $22. They took out the bar that overlooked the harbor...mistake in our opinion. Service was good tho! Price of everything way up...but then inflation taking its toll. read more

Went for a Mudslide because I was told they were the best on Block Island - so this review is specifically for that! Not my drink of choice, but it was good! Refreshing and delicious on a hot day. The bar service was good, and restaurant had a cool vibe and a lot of outdoor seating. The Oar is about a 1.5 mile walk from the Old Harbor area (ferry terminals), and most of the walk had paved sidewalks. read more

The Oar - Mudslide - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

I was not very impressed with The Oar when I went this summer. I ended up getting the Tuna Poke: sashimi tuna with spicy poke dressing & wakame. Served with wonton chips and clam chowder. The Oar is known for a beautiful sunset on BI. Unfortunately we missed the sunset and went for dinner and drinks! I was not impressed by their food, but I was impressed by customer service. They do not take reservations, it is first come first served. Due to Covid they have many picnic tables out on the yard, which would have been fine but it was pitch dark and the lights at the table did not work. We were unable to see our menus and the bugs were starting to bite. Our waitress and a manager were nice enough to put our names at a patio table so we would not get eaten alive by bugs! The clam chowder was not very good. It was watery and there were not many clams in the chowdah. There were a lot of potatoes. The Tuna Poke was also not very good. The tuna itself did not taste very fresh. As I got to the end of the plate the tuna took on a different taste. The wontons were very good, light and crispy. I do not think I would go back to this restaurant to eat but I would go back for a drink and to experience a beautiful sunset over BI read more

The Oar - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

Not really a seafood person, it was nice they have non seafood options. The chicken tacos were delicious and while I usually do not eat sushi, I really enjoyed the shrimp tempura roll. Beautiful scenery and ample seating. read more

The Oar - Blackened chicken tacos - Seafood Near Me - Block Island, Rhode Island

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I'm giving the Oar 2 stars because a few years ago we had a fabulous experience, drinks, food, service.... Went this weekend, there were 6 of us - the drinks were hideous (we didn't eat anything) the mudslides had absolutely zero flavor, & little booze, the girls had mojitos and they said they tasted like gasoline. I hope they can get their act together going forward.... read more

Try the lobster club. Trust me. It's good! Their shrimp is wonderful(the shrimp tempura was SOOO good!). We got the lobster roll, toasted and the lobster club. They were both so good. The club was the favorite and thankfully my husband is fine sharing dishes. Haha. The lobster was fresh and prepared well(not rubbery). The staff was nice and helpful. The view can't be beat! read more

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