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    Water View Grill

    3.8 (106 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 8:30 pm

    Water View Grill Photos

    WATER VIEW GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Water View Grill

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    Stacy M.

    Location Location!! Beautiful views of the harbor on sunny days . Recommend their Caprese Chix sandwich and delicious shrimp cocktail. Friendly accommodating waitstaff. Nice eatery for sure!!!

    Caprese chicken sandwich with side salad
    Alana K.

    I came here with my dad for lunch on a Thursday afternoon. It's a huge restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating options. We opted to sit on the outdoor patio downstairs. I had the caprese chicken sandwich, which had grilled pesto chicken, mozzarella, and roasted tomatoes served on a focaccia bun. I subbed a side salad, which was a bit overdressed, for the default French fries. The sandwich was huge! So huge that it was difficult to eat as a handheld item. It tasted pretty good, though. Our server was really nice and was attentive despite it being fairly busy!

    Seafood chowder Salmon bites
    Rachel B.

    The best part of my visit was the seafood chowder, but every other dish was mediocre, and the service was terribly slow. The seafood chowder was flavorful and full of chunks of seafood. The salmon bites were over saturated in sauce so much so that the panko was soggy, the pan seared scallops were decent but I found the bacon jam to be too sweet paired with the scallops. We could not flag down our waiter any of the times we needed her and every time we asked someone else for help they'd leave and not come back. When it started raining and we needed to move indoors she was gone for so long she was surprised when she returned and we had already had been helped inside by another staff member. We ended the meal when she said she'd come back with water only to disappear and we ended up asking another waitress for the check, and she redirected it back to our waitress, who finally came back with no water. The restaurant was by no means full so I'm not sure what the large gaps in service was, and at one point my friend noticed the waitresses chatting in the kitchen while we were craning our necks. I'd only come back to order the seafood chowder as the rest of the dishes weren't good enough to make up for this.

    Sandra T.

    My daughter and I stopped by Water View Grill in Portsmouth for lunch and shared the haddock and fries platter. The portion was generous, with plenty of seasoned fries and two fried haddock fillets--easily enough for two people. Unfortunately, the fish didn't taste very fresh and seemed more like it had been previously frozen. The outdoor seating offered nice views of the tugboats, and we also ordered the lobster rangoons, which were quite tasty. The mocktails were refreshing, especially the Watermelon Lemonade and Blueberry Spritz, although the presentation was disappointing. My Blueberry Spritz had only two blueberries and no garnish, which felt underwhelming for the price. Service was average. Our server took our order and brought our drinks but wasn't particularly engaging or attentive. Considering the level of service, a 20% tip felt a bit steep, though I hope the host, food runner, and busser shared in it. Overall, the waterfront setting was enjoyable, but the food quality, presentation, service, and pricing left room for improvement.

    3% Surcharge
    T L.

    Food and service were average. Did not appreciate the CC surcharge on a $150 tab. Choose accordingly.

    Kelly M.

    When we were ready to pay, we were told that the computers were down & that meant the credit card reader wasn't working. It would have been good to know that in advance, as we didn't have a lot of cash on-hand, leaving us scrambling to scrape the payment and tip together between the 3 of us. Our food was great. The server was attentive & kind. We loved the heated, covered outdoor seating area by the water.

    Sign
    Teresa M.

    A rainy day stop in Oct 2025, as party of 3, around 2pm, for a late lunch. We were greeted quickly and advised of the option of covered heated patio seating or indoor seating. We went with the outdoor. Each of us ordered a drink & water. We also each picked 1 dish for a family-style meal/ tasting. The service was great, as was the food. The prices may have been a tad high, but not too crazy. The only issue was that the machines were down when it came time to pay. I do wish they'd advised of that earlier, as it left us scrambling for cash. Had we known up front, we'd have skipped the drinks and made sure we had enough to leave a decent tip. I dare say we shorted the gal in that area.

    Lobster ravioli
    Kylie V.

    Lobster ravioli and drinks were great, hostess, bar staff and our server were super friendly, attentive and helpful. We got a drink downstairs and then sat upstairs outside and had a great view. Confused about the negative reviews...

    Caroline N.

    Stopped in for a quick bite and was blown away by the great service--friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable staff who made the whole experience even better. The views were also really beautiful especially since it was during the sunset. The seafood chowder was rich, flavorful, and packed with fresh seafood--comforting without being too heavy. The bacon-wrapped scallops were a standout: perfectly seared, with crispy bacon and tender scallops. I only tried one oyster on the half shell, but it was fresh, briny, and expertly shucked. I tried the featured wine of the week which was the Vermentino Di Sadegna Aragosta Sardina from Italy. It was light, crisp and super flavorful. We also ordered a strawberry lime sunset mocktail which was delicious. Small order, big impression. Can't wait to come back for more! I definitely recommend both the seafood chowder and the scallops.

    Jessica T.

    We walked in as a table of 4 mid afternoon and were attended to very quickly. Food wait didn't take long and everything was tasty. Really enjoyed the crab cake app as it was extra crispy! 3/4 ordered hot lobster rolls which I found was tasty but smaller compared to other ones I've had in Maine. 4th person ordered a steak and was thrown off by how small it was in person! Overall still good service and food. Would recommend if you're looking for water front views!

    Clearly open tables overlooking the water

    Terrible experience at this restaurant and i will never return. After making a reservation for lunch, I was treated as a second class citizen versus those who simply walked in. I asked to be seated outside as it was a nice sunny day and there were clearly many open tables. I was told they were only available for walkins and those with reservations had to sit inside. And oh by the way, if I tried to cancel my reservation I would be charged a $25 per head cancellation fee. Absolutely absurdist policy and apparently even the Manager who I indeed escalated to thinking this was merely a training glitch, could not override the policy.

    One quarter of this carrot coffee cake dessert caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream.

    SALMON BITES!!! I have an addiction! Every time I go there. I promise to try other things. Don't get me started. I have eaten quite a bit of different entrees and they are all so delicious! Kudos! To chef Sam! The atmosphere is chillaxed and fun. Wait staff marvelous!!! Omg. Lobster bake! Yummmm! Blueberry, lemon, bread pudding heated with whipped cream and fresh blueberries. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!

    Michelle E.

    We stopped here for drinks before dinner at a place nearby. The drinks were okay, not great. The place gave me a touristy vibe. The view of the water and tug boats from the downstairs patio area was pretty.

    Waterview Burger yum!!!!!

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    Crystal S.

    Thank you Karen! Hope to see you again soon!

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    Ask the Community - Water View Grill

    Is there parking?

    Street parking and several lots nearby.

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