This restaurant is just bad. Chowder was watered down with absolutely no flavor. The lobster rolls had very little lobster and what was there was flavorless and chewy. The cod tasted fishy and the accompanying side dish consisted of dry plain rice seasoned with smoked paprika. Not edible. Finally the tuna appetizer was so bad, that my friend only ate a tiny bit of 5 pieces. The waitress didn't ask if he wanted something else. You need a new chef ASAP! read more

We had the best meal at The Reef. The Korean BBQ Noodles are amazing. We rented an igloo, The Gilded Age. Definite must in Newport! read more

The Reef - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

We LOVED the Crispy Tuna and Shrimp Tacos, but the service was the best part. Our server Siyan, was amazing. She was attentive and fun and made us feel so welcome. We also thought the igloo seating was so neat!!! read more

The Reef - Igloos at The Reef - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

The service was slow, lobster bisque was a creamy broth without taste and not one piece of lobster (or anything else). Our oysters were good but served by sliding the plate on the table as the waitress passed by, without identification of the 3 types of oyster nor with side plates. Our other appetizer was attractive but tasteless. Two stars as I enjoyed my margarita and the lobster pasta was ok. In a lifetime of seafood experiences from someone who lives in a shore town, very close to my worst seafood restaurant experience. Tourists beware read more

Very much a tourist spot. The brussel sprouts weren't as crispy as expected, and the lobster roll was just okay. The shrimp poboy and drinks were enjoyable. read more

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Mediocre service mediocre food and insanely expensive Got the vegetable curry with feta and it was not good - for 30 dollars. The appetizers were ok. Dessert was ok. It's a tourist trap read more

A great location with plentiful outdoor seating by the ocean, my wife and I lucked out on a weekend trip recently because all the other places were packed and not socially-distanced at all from the looks of it. We were lucky that there were empty seats near the bar indoors, all 6-feet+ apart, in the cool (outdoor covered dining area was completely full, and a few brave souls were eating their seafood while they were roasting to well-done in hot July sun. No thanks!) It was great because it was a welcome escape from the strong all-day sun walking around downtown anyway and the server was reasonably attentive despite this being the "back" area for dining esp. during lunch time. I'll have to say the Tiger shrimp cocktail made us lick our forks. Salad with golden beets were largely forgetful as they were just too drowned in balsamic deluge. We also had mango scallops which were tasty but not extraordinary. Enjoyable nibbling on those mangos though. Lobster roll was decent but also not a stand out. Food-wise I'd say it's a solid 3, but the comfort and the quiet atmosphere to rejuvenate a bit, plus the seating definitely made it the right choice for us that day. Check them out for the comfort, the view, and decent food. If food ranking is high-priority though, I'd check out other places first. read more

Food was really good and the service was incredibly friendly and helpful. Definitely a good spot for a larger group, especially if you have kids with you. read more

Great place! Service and food are great!! Views were amazing! Drinks were special Had raw oysters and drinks read more

This restaurant had a BEAUTIFUL view when we sat outside of the water and all of the boats. The food was tasty and the waitress was really helpful in helping us decide on what to order. We ended up ordering the calamari appetizer, lobster roll, and shrimp scampi. The calamari was so different but really great! read more

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Food was fair at best. In the past I've had some lighter food at the bar which was good, but the dinner was very underwhelming. Atmosphere and service are the only pluses that I would give. Not worth the price of the entrees. read more

Service was very good but the food wasn't. My husband had to pick his 3 rd choice as they ran out of the 2 seafood dishes? I had to pick my 2nd choice. Also ran out of strawberry shortcake (on a Friday night on the summer?). My daughter's lobster pasta was way too firm. Our waiter was so apologetic but I wouldn't recommend read more

We had lunch here and the food was great, but the service was outstanding! Siyan made us laugh, was so friendly and just made the experience that much better! Views of the water are amazing too! read more

Okay I really try to not write many negative reviews but the Reef rubbed me in all the wrong ways. We had a reservation for 7:15 but ultimately had to wait until 8:15. Why? Because a thunderstorm was coming in and they moved everyone from the outside to the inside. Hey you can't control mother nature. So that's not really their fault. What is their fault is not updating their reservation system. I booked this reservation for 7:15 at 6:25. When they already knew of the impending storm. 6:25 is when they opened up more spots in OpenTable. And when I checked the reservation system while we were waiting for 1 hour it listed the restaurant as having tables available. If they knew they wouldn't be able to accomodate the people coming in with reservations why would they keep making people come in and wait? Just not smart. We finally sat down and got greeted by Hope. She was very friendly and despite not writing any of our orders down she nailed all of them. Color me impressed. The second nail in the coffin for The Reef was their absolutely sub par Calamari. It's one of the more expensive ones I have ordered as its $18. 1st time it came out the Calamari was cold. When I addressed this Hope quickly got us a new one. The second on was definitely hotter but..... you can totally tell the frying oil is just old. I absolutely despise old cooking oil. I mean I know because of the war and inflation cooking oil is really expensive. I give this Calamari a D-. It was just heavy and soaked in old oil. All the other food items were just average. I would only consider The Reef when the weather is nice so you can get a nice water view and the boats. But at night time when the view is non existent The Reef has no advantages. Go get a nice meal on Broadway for a fraction of the price.. I would delegate The Reef to the realm of a tourist trap. read more

2nd visit in 2 weeks. Booked again to do winter wonderland igloo 2 days b4 x mas w/fam. Reserved, paid, advised choices of theme. Reserved theme, only to end up in "fall theme" (worst one). So bummed out. So disappointed would never paid for that. Manager offered free dessert, which did not happen. Ended up paying $25 for 2 "slim" of cheesecake. Lesson learned. Go to The Mooring. Don't trust managers read more

Just ok. Wish the service was better and the bathrooms were clean! It's always disappointing when a bathroom smells of feces. read more

The Reef - Having desert - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Our waitress Ashlee was amazing thank you for an amazing night with friends- best service.

For lunch during the week we found this an enjoyable experience. Service acceptable, and friendly. Tuna appetizer generous and tasty. Turkey sandwich good but accompanying kale salad (instead of French fries) was pleasantly fresh and good. I'd recommend that! Price reasonable. Views of big ships to my liking. Would I go back? And recommend? Yes and yes. read more

Ambiance was nice and open with a nice view. The drinks were delicious, great dirty martinis and stuffed olives! Everyone enjoyed their meal, nice spice choices. The service was top notch with Siyan! She was adorable and knowledgeable with the menu! Nice job Syian!! read more

Food was not that great. Food came out cold. Fries seemed to have been sitting for awhile. Was not fresh. Bartender was good though. It's more for the scenery tbh. read more

In town for a family wedding and 29 of us descended on this restaurant. That alone is worth 5 stars. The wait staff was awesome. The view was awesome and the breeze made the dining pleasant. We were visiting so the food came second to visiting we each other but there were no complaints about the food read more

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The place was beautiful. Go during sunset and you will have a breathtaking view! Definitely make reservations. Their food was very good. They also had a lot of gluten free choices. Appetizers: CHEESE PLATE - great for sharing! daily selection of cheeses, cured meats, local Aquidneck honey, candied cashews, fresh fruit, crackers & crostini LOUISIANA SHRIMP CAKES - it comes with 2 cakes baby spinach, lemon aioli, chili oil I never had a shrimp cake before but it was actually good. The chili oil gave it a nice kick... Entrees: LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO- it came with a nice portion of lobster lobster meat & tail, linguini, fresh herbs, spicy roasted tomato sauce SHRIMP SCAMPI - I really liked this dish... they gave a nice amount of shrimp on top. grape tomatoes, garlic, white wine, butter, fresh herbs, linguine STATLER CHICKEN BREAST - it was very good Asparagus , roasted potatoes, lemon-caper sauce The place closes pretty early and we were the last ones to leave. I liked that they didn't rush you out. read more

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The reef has a great atmosphere and delicious, fresh tasting food. The water views are beautiful throughout the restaurant. The poke ahi tuna is appetizer and shrimp scampi linguini were both out of this world! All staff are friendly and attentive. read more

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I was in Newport for the day and thought I'd try a new spot, The Reef is tucked away from Thames St along the water side. The inside & outside of the restaurant is nice, especially the outside deck which features an outdoor bar, plenty of seating & palm trees. The staff was very nice although the food was slow to come out, my burger was very good but I think my biggest complaint was the calamari not sporting a ton of calamari. The calamari was fried along with banana peppers which visually gives you the idea you are getting a good amount of calamari but that is not true. Aside from that the food was very good (Reef Burger) and I would come back (water side seating is a W). read more

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Where to begin... Let me just start by saying anybody that watches Below Deck or Below Deck Mediterranean and didn't have tickets to last nights event, boy did you miss out!!!! Chef Ben cooked the food and entertained us all night! Not only was he super fun, friendly, HOT and give the best hugs ever, his food was out of this world! He took several pics and selfies with us at different times of the evening. As we were leaving he chatted with us more and he actually grabbed my phone and took one last selfie with us!! He is so awesome!!! (For all you ladies wondering... he actually made my chest all flustered) That never happens. Hahaha We started with a miniature cup of clam chowder with a puff pastry. Omg, delicious! The flavor and the CLAMS! Easily one of the best chowders I have ever had! Next was a seared diver scallop in a delicious tomato garlic purée with chorizo and basil foam. Soooo good! I wanted to lick the bowl!! lol For our entree' we had New England lobster tail, Filet mignon, English peas & Hollandaise. It was spectacular!! The flavors were exploding in my mouth! The filet was cooked to perfection and cut like butter! The lobster tail was so, so delicious! Even the peas... like who can ever rave about a pea? The sauce on top was just fabulous! My Gosh, I will be looking for any and every event Ben has because it was by far one of the best nights ever!!!! Dessert was chocolate fondant, lemon mousse, strawberry sorbet with freeze dried raspberries. So unique and absolutely delicious!!! The Reef is located in one of the best spots here in Newport! What a view! Awesome outside bar too! I think this will be one of our go to places going forward!! Thank you to The Reef for having such a handsome, talented chef in your kitchen last night! We will surely be back to see what your chef's are about!! Cheers to Chef Ben Robinson! read more

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So if I had a new restaurant in Newport (right on the water and abundant with breathtaking views) and the tourist season was coming to a close, how would I attract new customers and fill my restaurant all night long? I would call Chef Ben Robinson from Bravo's Below Deck of course! Seriously, what an awesome idea! So perhaps the food that I had tonight was from Chef Ben, but the actual chef at The Reef was in the kitchen with all of their staff, so I have to absolutely give them credit for this culinary piece of heaven! The wait staff was on point; they worked as a team and executed this night flawlessly! I only felt bad for the poor bartender that seemed to be by himself out on the patio before we were all seated... someone needs to buy him a drink! Tonight's menu was as follows: Miniature cup of clam chowder with puff pastry Seared diver scallops, basil foam, tomato garlic purée, chorizo New England lobster tail, Filet mignon, English Pea, hollandaise Chocolate fondant, lemon mousse, strawberry sorbet, freeze dried raspberries. This chowder was by far the best I have ever had! Loaded with clams and abundant with flavor. The texture and the ingredients were absolute perfection! The scallop was large and cooked to perfection! Amazingly tender and perfect for dipping in the tomato garlic purée (which I would gladly drink with a straw). This filet was absolutely the single most tender filet I have ever experienced. Like you could cut it with a plastic fork kind of tender!!! The sauce was simply outstanding and complemented the filet like words cannot describe! I am from Kansas City, and I know a good steak, this was world class beef! The lobster was good, make no mistake, but the filet was the star of that round! I was also fortunate enough to have the peas! Which were extremely good as well! The chocolate fondant would have certainly been good on its own, but then along came the lemon mousse, strawberry sorbet, and freeze dried raspberries... Simply a combination that was matched in heaven! Simply amazing! A huge thank you to The Reef for bringing in Chef Ben, I had an absolutely amazing time and probably the best meal of my life! I cannot wait to come back on a regular day and see what your staff can do on their own. Of course you will now be held to an extremely high standard! read more

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OMG! You need to stop by this place! We rented an igloo for a group of 4. The service was amazing! The waitress was very nice and friendly who we felt was above and beyond with us! Their dishes was all amazing if only we had more space to keep eating! From the calamari to their lobster roll and the lobster penne vodka was all amazing! We felt like never leaving! If your in town you need to stop by for their local catches and friendly Newport vibes is known for! read more

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Great Sunday Brunch this morning at The Reef. Our server Jenna was great!! Delicious Lobster Benedict's and loaded Bloody Maria's!! read more

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We had a wonderful experience at the restaurant last night for my husband's birthday. Great service from Ashley, our waitress. Food came quick and everyone was filled. Karen, the hostess, arranged a special dessert for my husband and so sweet that it even came with a birthday card signed by the staff. They don't know us and we don't know them but I think it was a nice touch. The manager also came around to make sure everyone is okay. Overall, great service! And yes, beautiful water view. read more

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Food and dinner service not great but the bar and bartender were awesome. We will give another try soon.

Oh my goo goo, where should I begin? The salmon entree literally changed my life. Everything else was totally on point too. Get your lovely butts here and enjoy the best meal of your life (or year at least). read more

The Reef - Happy Customer - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

We went to The Reef for our 22nd anniversary with friends. It was busy, and I heard the hosts turning away anyone who didn't have reservations for the night. The boat show was in town, so it made sense. Matt, our server, was very attentive. Between the four of us, we had the prime burger, short ribs, tuna with crispy rice, and the calamari. Everything was delicious. What we really admired about The Reef besides the great food and service was that no one rushed us out of there. Quick table turnover seems to be an ongoing trend with popular restaurants lately, and it's such a downer to the night. Although we didn't overstay our welcome, we were so happy that we didn't feel guilty about lingering for a few more minutes to watch the spectacular sunset. We will definitely return to The Reef soon, and will recommend it to anyone visiting Newport. read more

Stopped into The Reef for a quick lunch while in Newport. Surprisingly the restaurant wasn't too busy and we were able to sit inside looking at the water. You couldn't have had a more perfect seat. My date and I both ordered the shrimp pizza and enjoyed it. We could have split it, it was so generous. Each slice has a generous sized shrimp and they were not stingy with the cheese. We both enjoyed the restaurant! It was a perfect break from a fun, busy day!! read more

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This place is ok, Made an open table for lunch, staff is ok, had something on the lunch menu for everyone, fairly quick service, food was ok, outside seating next to the bay which is really nice, would try again. read more

The Reef - Raw Bar - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Unfortunately it was an off and on rainy day so we were outside but I will it looks absolutely gorgeous outside, and the inside is also pretty nice. The service was relatively quick and good, and the duck wings were fantastic! Unfortunately though the entree's were not as great. The warm lobster roll was fine, not much flavor though. You do get a lot of lobster which is nice though. The filet mingon was cooked unevenly and the sauce was sort of meh in my opinion. Overall a little disappointed by the entrees for the price but still a solid restaurant. read more

Service was great. Waiter was attentive. Food was slow to come out of the kitchen. Ordered a side salad and it took forever. Food is OK not great but good. Would recommend but a little overpriced for the quality of the food. Location is great. read more

Had been wanting to try the menu under Chef Carmine Mottola and even in a festive winter wonderland igloo on a windy cold evening the food was sinfully fabulous. Chef surprised with an incredible tuna starter that was lit on fire - amazing. The clam chowder was full of clam and potato but not too thick (in other words, perfection). I had the most insanely yummy short rib with truffled mash potatoes and my friend had the mushroom risotto which was equally bananas delicious. Strawberry shortcake and molten chocolate cake? Yes please! We rolled our full bellies home. read more

Mediocre at best. For a waterfront restaurant in Newport you would expect something more. The food was pretty bland with small portions for the prices. Service was okay, ambiance was nice. Not a bad experience but I wouldn't return to this restaurant if I had the choice. read more

A friend who used to vacation in Newport years ago recommended The Pier--however it was gone and replaced by The Reef. It was okay; nothing special. The Pier I am told was lively, all ages, great fun and very good food. The Reef does have a nice location on the water. Sunday brunch ambiance was lovely--steel drum band of two played perfect music. The food was okay-nothing special. read more

As visitors from NYC, The Reef certainly lived up to its hype! We were able to get a seat at the bar on Easter Sunday at 7PM immediately, which was a relief because we were expecting a long wait time! I normally don't enjoy sitting at the bar but the barista/server was very nice, as were the guests who sat on the other side of the glass (for social distancing purposes). For appetizers, we got the calamari and fried pickles. The calamari was delicious with the right amount of crunch. The fried pickles were a tad soggy and not as fried as expected. For entrees, we both went with the fish and chips which tasted fantastic. No complaints there! As we were headed out the door, we realized the dining room had filled up considerably. I would highly recommend making a reservation if you intend to get a table, as some of the folks who sat at the bar were waiting for a table. I'm looking forward to returning in the summer to eat outdoors. The barista/server also mentioned that they may be adding a roof top, which gives us even more of a reason to return! read more

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