One of the weirder experiences I've had at dinner. I am not sure if the our waitress, Jess, was drunk or what or but she took our drink order twice and 45 mins later we still didn't get our drinks. After waiting 45mins and still not get drinks, Jess then came back and took our dinner order and said she would check on our drinks... only to come back a few minutes later and ask again if we wanted to order dinner. When we explained that we had ordered dinner the last time she came by and asked if she checked on our drinks, she started to get mad at us and say that it's more of a bar than a dinner place and most people just drink. I asked what that even means and if she even put in our drink order, her response was "well what do you want me to do... do you guys want to leave or what?" Safe to say we left and won't go back. By far the worst service and rudest experience I've had by a waiter/waitress. I get businesses are short staffed but this was not that. It was either she was drunk or just incompetent. Maybe it's her personality or a speech impediment but Jess was slurring her words and got very mad, very quickly when we asked where our drinks were and explained she already took our food order. Very weird... ambience was nice though so there's that. read more

A fun bar on one side and a decent restaurant through the doors. The doors help keep the noise from the bar from bugging patrons. The bar is a fun place where mostly locals enjoy libations, pretty darn good apps and good food. The bartenders are all pleasant and attentive. A good selection of beers on tap and a surprisingly good selection of ports to choose from. Also, my wife informed me that the chairs at the bar are perfect. Their height in relation to the bar, the angle of the back, the footrest and even the shape of the seat itself. OKay, sounds like she actually put some thought into it. Nice. Overall this place is a fun spot to stop in and grab a cocktail while out and about on Thames Street. read more

Zelda's - A nice port selection - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Great looking place with very friendly and helpful staff. Although crowded for a Monday night, it was not overly noisy. For an appetizer we shared the Mussels Brittany with garlic butter and parley and wished we both had ordered it because it was fantastic. The braised beef short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and port wine sauce "was the best I've ever had". The Portuguese-style grilled pork chop with little necks, garlic and tomato sauce took a little time to get used to, but the flavors all came together after a few bites and was very enjoyable. With 2 drinks and no dessert, the bill, before tip, was around $85 and well worth more than that. read more

For Providence College alums, I find Zelda's being best compared to Rodney Bullock- Wildly inconsistent, Bringing you on the break of mental insanity, all while being absolutely brilliant at times. If ratings alone could be tied to the basement of Zelda's, then this review would be a 5 out of 5 stars. Some friends and I stumbled upon Zelda's and were brought down to the basement of Zelda's on a Friday night and boy did it not disappoint. Between the top shelf perfectly crafted pipe cleaners, deep Dave Matthew Band tracks mixed with deep European trance music, and the free spirited men and women- Zelda's Basement is heaven on Earth. Unfortunately it seems the owner and bartenders aren't too keen on providing a consistent positive experience for their clientele as my friends and I were rudely denied seating on Saturday for some light rose, expresso martinis, and mussels along with completely denying any existence of the aforementioned basement. I have never seen such disrespect for patrons from an owner and bouncer in my life especially seeing as the bouncer at Zelda's had no problem seating the large party waiting behind us who were drinking Budweisers, smoking Marlboros, and screaming obnoxiously about some guy named Malcolm Butler read more

Cafe Zelda has always been one of my favorites. It is extremely intimate, romantic, and unique atmosphere. The bar entry makes you feel like you are in a bar in London, antiqued, nautical, and cozy. It is a small area, and always bussling with locals, sailors, aussies... all between 25-55 years old. It is one of my favorite fine dining spots in Newport. I typically get the steak when I come... it is the most mouthwatering and lush steak I have tasted. This most recent time, Greg and I came for restaurant week. We were seated by the window- which was great for people watching, but was also very cold. We also were seated next to a party of 20 women in their 50's... which was extremely loud. The rest of the resturaunt was full of dates like ourselves. We each ordered red wine. Greg got a Soup (which he was intrigued that it was purree), and I got the calamari. The calamari was melt in your mouth perfection. For second course, I got the pan-roasted local cod, and Greg got the filet. Both were in perfect portions and were cooked exactly as they were asked. The cod was HUGE, and was on a bed of delicious potatoes. For dessert, we each got the mousse. It was unbelievable. I have no words for an experience at this fine dining establishment except "perfect", "excellent" and "lush". Be prepared for your tastebuds to be divine and your smiles to be wide afterwards. read more

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Very good food in a casual and relaxing setting. Enjoyed the roasted salmon (with couscous) as well as their steak and frites. Beet and goat cheese appetizer was pretty good, but not as I had expected it. Served with roasted pine nuts instead of candied walnuts makes for a different flavor, but still pretty good. read more

Cafe Zelda has great customer service, a lovely atmosphere and average food. We had: Mussels Brittany - very tasty Beets & Goat Cheese salad - good Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola - the cheese totally overpowered the beef. I had to scrape the cheese off to get beef flavor. Short Ribs - tasty but a bit fatty Espresso Martini - very good Angel Hair pasta - good All in all we had a lovely dinner. The waitress was a doll and the hostess was great. read more

I immediately loved the decor in this small restaurant space: dark blue walls with thin white stripes, with photographs and models of sailboats throughout the cozy room. There is an adjacent bar with a door closing it off from the main dining room, keeping the noise level to a minimum. It's so very Newport :) We decided to order a couple appetizers to share, and opted for the Warm Gorgonzola Sourdough, which was a thick, gooey, creamy bath of warm Gorgonzola cheese and cream, topped with fresh diced tomatoes, and served with crispy toasted bread for dipping. It was incredibly mild in blue cheese flavor, with a slight punch of tang at the end. I love blue cheese of all kinds, and really enjoyed this dip/spread. The fresh tomatoes were a nice touch of acid and color as well. Our second appetizer was equally delicious. It was their take on sushi, a nice piece of ahi tuna, wrapped in seaweed, then breaded and fried to form a crispy exterior while keeping the fish raw. It was served over a bed of seaweed salad with wasabi, and a ponzu dipping sauce. I loved the texture of this dish, with the soft, melt-in-your-mouth raw ahi with a crispy fried surprise. I had never had seaweed salad before, but absolutely loved it! It had a crunchy texture and a strong sesame flavor. I could eat a huge bowl of it, and will have to keep that in mind next time I go for sushi! Cafe Zelda offers weeknight dinner specials. On Monday night they have a small selection of half-priced entrees, while the rest of the weeknights they offer a special prix fixe menu at a very reasonable price. I decided to order off the regular menu instead of trying one of the three offered half-priced entrees, although a couple of my dining companions tried the specials and really enjoyed their food. I immediately landed on the scallops as soon as I read the description... native corn, heirloom tomatoes, haricots verts, and citrus vinaigrette. Sold. It was the perfect dish of summer vegetables with my plump sea scallops. The scallops themselves were a little on the small side compared to some others I've had, but they were delicious nonetheless and the dish was incredibly filling! I was ready to burst by the end of the meal and couldn't even make room for dessert! I loved the fresh vegetables on my plate, the sweet corn, the tart and juicy heirloom tomatoes, and the crispy sweet haricots verts. It was heavier on vegetables than actual scallops, which looked a little unbalanced on the dish, but the five scallops I did have were tender and the meal as a whole was very very filling. read more

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Quaint tavern restaurant with separate bar area. They have a decent selection for lunch choices. We had the ahi tuna for starter which was nicely prepared in a light and crispy batter with soy vinagerette and seaweed salad. Also tried the chowder which is done differently - milky and not as chunky but quite flavorful. For main entrees, we tried the special - duck salad over bed of baby arugula, ginger and citrus and a baguette with ham, gruyere and fries. All were good. Duck was flavorful and cooked nicely keeping the meat tender. Some folks may complain its too red, but its not and that was served right. We were stuffed so no time for dessert. Def recommend as it is one of the few restaurants open at this time of year and quite tasty offerings. Great stop from touring mansions, walking around. read more

Here to try their lunch menu on restaurant week. Clam chowder soup is delicious. Calamari was good too. The Thai sauce was tasty but I like the calamari as it is. Batter is light and crispy but a tat salty. Plenty of food for lunch. Had to take out remaining food. read more

Zelda's - Restaurant Week's lunch entree - calamari. - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Walking down Thames and we saw the 3-day special for a Prix Fixe menu $27 for a glass of wine, starter, entree, and dessert. Let me tell you they didn't skimp! I'll back up, though. We walked in and it was gorgeous. The most beautiful restaurant I've seen (a little tight sitting), but really nice. We obviously went with the Prix Fixe menu and it was such a deal. Normally, an entree alone is $25. The white wine was amazing; the garlic soup was so delicious; a really heft entree size (herbed chicken over alfredo pasta) and the dessert was the icing on the cake - salted caramel gelato. Our waitress was very accommodating and professional. We couldn't stop raving about the place the entire time we were there. Their Prix Fixe menus are SUCH A DEAL. You would be crazy to eat anywhere else on that day. Delicious. I'd give it 4.5 stars just because the (starter) salad was lacking on dressing, but the toppings were fabulous (cherries, apples, and toasted walnuts). read more

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We were very happy with our experience at Zelda's last Thursday night for dinner during Newport Restaurant Week. Hubby and I took our 20-something out to celebrate her new job. Our waitress (blonde, forgot name - sorry!) was friendly and efficient, cocktails were delish and not skimpy on the alcohol, and the food was awesome. A few specific yummies that we had: blueberry/kale salad, lobster cakes, pork chop entree, peach bread pudding, Bailey's chocolate mousse read more

While visiting Newport over the years this time of year we always looked forward to having dinner there and we're sad to hear it had closed down a few years ago. This time we were happy to hear Zelda's had reopened and made a reservation for dinner. Sorry to say we were disappointed. Zelda's has become just another bar. The dining experience has taken a back seat from what it had been. read more

Walking into Zeldas after seeing all of the changes was basically what I had expected. The outdated wallpaper and old sailing pictures have been updated with nice lighting fixtures and a more modern atmosphere, highlighted by a few nice stained glass windows. They did a very good job in keeping Zeldas the way it's always been with a great new facelift. As for the food, I enjoyed my mouels frites and the white wine and cream broth was delicious. The mussels were large and plump, very satisfied after indulging in an enormous bowl! 5 stars. Good luck to the new owners, they're awesome guys. read more

Zelda's - Nice new stained glass windows.(1/2) Great ambiance. - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

I really liked the vibe of Zeldas. We had a couple drinks and spilt the Calamari, which was delicious! Seriously can't figure out the 3.5 rating because the bartender was helpful and friendly and the food and drink didn't disappoint. read more

At Zelda's, they talk about boats and women, boats as women and women as boats. The fries are hot and crispy, the burger is juicy and the Chardonnay is good (though the beer is probably better). If there's a locals joint on Thames, this is probably it. So grab a schooner and talk about your rig. Or your woman. Or your woman-rig. Enjoy! read more

This is a place very close to my house. The food is good, ambiance and service okay. I would have given it 4 stars just because I work in hospitality and understand there are different grades and expectations for various types of restaurants. Tonight I was eating in a booth and watched the server/hostess allow a couple to sit at bar stools immediately next to a seated bar customer. Three restaurants in Newport have shut for a few days each due to staff outbreaks of Covid. I pointed this out to her and she said said she would have it taken care of. My response was that the damage was done and I will not return to that establishment ever again. If that is what happens in full public view, I don't trust what happens behind the scenes. read more

Very disappointing on so many levels. This is the second time I've been here. The first time the food was okay, but nothing special. It's a nearby local place, so I tried it again. The second time the drinks, food and service were terrible. It wasn't a very busy Sunday night. We waited a very long time for the food, which came out luke warm. The gin and tonics were so weak we thought the bar tender forgot to put in the gin. The waitress was polite when she delivered the food and drinks, but never returned to check on us . She was so inattentive we couldn't complain about the drinks and food. She spent a lot of time talking to her friends. We waited at least twenty minutes to get the check. Tried Zelda's twice, I'll never go back. There a so many better places in Newport, don't waste your time and money here. read more

Had a family outing in Newport and arrived at Zelda's for dinner last night after a recommendation from Warren Buffett - close friend. We had awesome appetizers and main courses. Kelli our waitress was very attentive and poured our wine so freely - Highly recommend this restaurant for your summer outings read more

Great escargot. Bolognese was sublime. Beet salad was well presented but weak on flavor. Great atmosphere, service and Covid compliance. Highly recommended... read more

Had dinner tonight. The ahi tuna sauce was amazing, however the tuna was not fresh it was frozen. My wife's lobster roll was a water, bland, mess. The fries were good though. Calamari was decent. Service was poor. It was not busy, we had to go to the manager many times to ask for our server. read more

We were a party of 3 and walked in on a Tuesday at 5, with only a few people seated at the bar. The hostess informed us, not very nicely, that they only took reservations and could not seat us until 8:30. She clearly just wanted us to leave and didn't seem accommodating. We looked at the website the same morning and it did not say anything about reservations only. Thankfully, a very nice waitress stepped in and offered us a table. I had the Mahi Mahi Tacos which were delicious and the other parties also enjoyed their food. We would give this another star if it wasn't for the unwelcoming hostess. read more

My husband has been going there for 20 years every summer when he is in town. He loves to bring people there. This week, hr was cut off after one drink and the bartender was frustrated by the conversation. We saw other online reviews about the bartenders temperament and lack of service. Too bad. Try Christian at Benjamin's. Great Debi e and great drinks. read more

We tried Zelda's for the first time during restaurant week and were wonderfully surprised. First time there and it was fabulous. From the incredibly friendly and accommodating server to the beautiful private table by the window, warm ambience, candle, delicious local IPA, tasty wine to the amazing food with very generous portions - we were thrilled! Calamari was just the right amount of crisp, not too salty and delicious sauce. Salad offering was crisp with kalamatas, tomato's, feta, spicy pecans and delicious dressing! Yum! The main course was tornadoes of beef, cooked to perfection with a sauce, perfectly cooked with asparagus and roasted potatoes. We were too satisfied to even consider the desert which was included in the restaurant week menu, so we took it to go. This was a wonderful date night out for my husband and I! read more

Went for anniversary dinner... wait staff was great, the expereicne was great... the food was OKAY.. I had the 8 oz of tuna - HUGE portion for only 25 bucks, shared it with my boyfriend... 2 reasons hwy I docked them on a star 1. they use PEANUT OIL on everything, and Danny is HIGHLY allergic and I feel like that was poorly advertised... we would have never picked it if we had known.. in fact we almost left out of fear that he may have a reaction from something... 2. his steak was gross, super fatty and lacked flavor... see attached photos. read more

Zelda's - the crème underneath it was some sort of butter based something or other.. not good for you or good tasting! - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Good food / atmosphere. Nice for both bar atmosphere but also family dining. The four of us enjoyed our meals. Crab dip is phenomenal but cold (we would love to see it as a warm dip one day) and the salmon I ordered was outstanding! Great job everyone. read more

It was good experience. The atmosphere of interior is "old time" as "the era of jazz" was there. Newport is famous place of "old money" and this cafe reminded us the times when Hemingway and Scott Fitzgerald walking along the street, talking and drunk wine . Zelda - is name of famous, lovely and mad Fitzgerald's wife - the icon of feminism 30-th. Cuisine here is very good. We ate lamb and sword fish. All was very tasty. read more

Zelda's - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

The dish to top all other dishes: Chicken-Fried Lobster. Four stars for that absolutely divine, battered and fried delight! Not too much work to eat - half the shell remains, but the meat easily peels away, leaving part of the batter around the shell so your arteries don't close up quite as much. Mashed potatoes with lobster gravy (yum) and coleslaw (ehh- never been a fan anywhere) on the side. Two in one: Small bar on the side of this F. Scott Fitzgerald's-other-half-inspired establishment; tons of Sperry's, laid-back, and buzzy vibe. On the other side - restaurant decor could use a face-lift, but it's just dated. Service is good; they were out of the bottle of Cakebread we wanted with dinner upon our last visit, but decent Ferrari-Carano to stand in and quickly offered upon the retraction of our initial wine order. Monday has a short list of half price entrees, but the aforementioned dish won out over the $12-$14 discounted options. In no way the 'best' of Newport- but so much fun and part of the landscape! Don't trip on the door-way between the restaurant and bar - and only two small bathrooms (M and F) available at the back of the bar shared for both venues (they can get kind of gross if you're there for a late night meal as well). Still, worth being on rotation and not a typical tourist trap. There are actually locals here, even in the summer, and far enough down Thames that you may actually find street parking. read more

Best place in Newport for eating and drinking! Dont tell anyone, wouldnt want it to get super crowded! We ALWAYS get the gorgonzola dip to start, I have dreams about it, its so good. One of my favorite entrees is the chicken fried lobster. We love playing ring-toss in the bar as long as its not too crowded and Mark is a great bartender so make sure to tip him :) read more

The other review really made me stop and think if I wanted to try this place...but I am glad I did. We had an experience nothing like that of Michael A., it was really quite pleasurable. The restaurant is dimly (romantically) lit and was the perfect temperature. We (my girlfriend and I) were seated at a quaint, personal table where we could be close to one another. Service was great, our water glasses were refilled five or six times, and the dishes came at the right time. I started with tomato basil soup (yummy) and went on to an 8oz filet mignon with spicy red onion rings, broccoli, and mashed potatoes. I ate EVERY bite of it all, and sopped up the juices with some bread. My girl had seared ahi tuna with a seaweed salad and rice wrapped in nori. The rice was a little unimaginative, but a small thing to complain about. In all, we had a great date night - Cafe Zelda is Newport Life Magazine's 2008 winner for best date place in Newport, and I think we had quite a good time. :-) read more

What can I say about this place that hasn't been said about Afghanistan. First, myself and a group of friends entered and the tall bartender would not serve us and the bouncer removed us. Two of the gentlemen I walked in with had mild form of aspbergers which apparently isn't allowed at Zelda's. All we wanted to do was see the basement... read more

Though a bit pricy, since this is Newport, not Manhattan, the meal was extremely tasty. Menu choices are a tad different than status quo, but appears well designed. Didn't hear any complaints from the other 3. Plans to return are in the making sometime down the road. read more

I love clam chowder; particularly New England style. After receiving our food we were informed that it was Newport Clam Chowder and Gluten free. Thin, watery, and tasteless. The worst Chowder I have ever had from East coast to West coast. Our seafood pasta special was adequate at best. The place looks like a good bar to visit, but skip the food. read more

Best clam chowder I have had in a while, highly recommend!! Had the short ribs a few times, also highly recommend. read more

Stopped by here for lunch and a drink and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We were originally attracted to this bar over others because the lunch menu looked yummy, but not overpriced, and there were people in the bar that seemed to be having a good time. So we tried it! Bartender guy was super friendly and helpful. He let me sample 2 types of wine because he could tell I was undecided. The decor was adorably nautical-sail-y, but in a nice way. I felt like I was eating by the water, even though the bar is not actually on the water. Overall enjoyable experience and I would definitely recommend this bar for lunch (can't speak for dinner since we only had lunch there). Plus hearing the locals joke around is awesome (and watch the overly-tan local guy down 3 shots of whiskey while nursing a bud light was interesting too). read more

Went in with a group of 6 on a Tuesday nite in August and sat right down . Service was good , but entrees after our calamari appetizer were blah. The fried clam special was over cooked and dried out ..the fries looked more like burnt Chinese noodles ... Caprizi salad was blah. I'm told the burger was good but it looked like the bun was an English muffin ???? Not impressed and won't be coming back ! read more

4 1/2 stars all the way!! From reservation to seating to coffee and dessert a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Service is friendly and helpful. Ambiance is warm and New Orleans-ish. Green and white striped wallpaper, dark and warm wood and atmosphere. Fireplace for colder days. No A/c tonight but fans provided. Loved our entire evening: Began with a Malbec and a gin and tonic (there are 2 of us dining) with good bread and olive oil. Apps of cold shrimp and point Judith calamari with Thai dipping sauce (great homemade sauce). Moved on to chicken with garlic mashed potatoes grilled asparagus (sauce for chix was strawberry balsamic glaze-delicious). I had seared ahi tuna. It was perfectly raw. Dessert was bread pudding with bourbon sauce and really good coffee. Honey had a lagavulin scotch. We sat and held hands and it was a wonderfully perfect 25th anniversary dinner. We would come back anytime!! read more

Cafe Zelda is on the tail end of the Thames street scene in Newport. Juuuuust out of visual site for those that tend to stick around the docks, but still surrounded by similar nightlife and restaurant options. We were hanging out unexpectedly in Newport on a Saturday night, and it was tough to find a place that had an opening. Cafe Zelda had one! Things I Liked: - Location was great! 15 minute walk or quick Uber ride from your hotel/beach/cah (What? We were in New England!) - Menu was solid, with plenty of modern plates involving fresh and appropriate ingredients for this type of place. I had a duck confit entree with beats, but more interesting was the duck sausage part of the dish. Very good! - Service was great! Attentive and professional, what you would expect from a pricey option. - Drinks were normal, nothing super creative but a fully capable bar resides on the other side of the dining room wall. Things I Didn't Like: - The place is a small row house, and it's halved. One side, classy dining, the other a singles bah (again, I'm in New England). The dining room is small and the booths are a little tricky of you get a corner spot. You won't be eye to eye with everyone in a party of three. This was "meh." The ambience also seemed dated and not in a flattering way. - Bathroom is a broom closet. Look, I know it doesn't really matter to most, but they could try harder to get a door that shuts. Overall, very enjoyable. Have a few drinks and it won't matter that you're squeezed into a corner or peeing on the broom closet floor. I recommend in a pinch! read more

My fiance and I came here for dinner last week during Newport's Restaurant Week and we were so glad we did. We picked the place randomly and after seeing some of the other not-so nice restaurants in the area, I was a little nervous about what we were getting ourselves into. The front part of the restaurant is a bar which seemed very low-key and like a fun place to grab a drink. But the dining area feels very separate and it has a lovely atmosphere. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive and helpfully answered all of our questions about the food. And the food itself was wonderful! I had the onion soup and the roast chicken and they were both extremely tasty. My fiance got the soup of the day, a cream of mushroom, and the pasta and he was happy and full. We shared the chocolate mousse at the end and it was the perfect way to cap off a great meal. The only two minuses to the meal was that the waitress brought my fiance the wrong beer, and their espresso machine was broken so I was not able to get the cappuccino I wanted. But those were really minor and we would definitely go back. read more

In reference to Nicole S...Mark and "Tall" Jay have worked there before the Kilroy's bought it. Their customer service is delightful. The food is delicious. The Kilroy's are wonderful owners---so much so that on my birthday when out of my favorite champagne their floor manager Mimi went to the liquor store to get me more!!! The waitstaff goes out of their way to make your dining exceptional!!! And if I behaved so poorly that I was asked to leave this establishment I would consider it an honor. read more