The Oar House

The Oar House reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

1. b

   bellwood

   Charleston13 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on June 18, 2017

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   Went here for Father's Day brunch. Sat on the deck by the water which is a great spot. Waitress was nice but forgot our order twice and had to be politely reminded that we had ordered a drink from the bar that we hadn't yet received. Food was very good. Kids menu is a little pricey, $12 for individual kids pizza. Overall a decent experience.
   

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2. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   San Francisco1 review

   4.0

   Dined on June 12, 2017

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Staff was friendly, helpful and prompt. Ambience of the outdoor deck was terrific, as was the food.
   

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3. S

   Stinkfaul

   Greater Boston1 review

   2.0

   Dined on June 11, 2017

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 2

   Nice location. We made the mistake of opting for the deck because of the warm weather and the proximity to the water. We were promptly seated and the wait staff was attentive. Positives: friendly, informative waitress Negatives: limited menu, not a good value, proximity of our table to the "live entertainment" made it difficult to converse
   

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4. S

   Squint

   Greater Boston14 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on June 3, 2017

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   Though this restaurant is a little pricier than most in Portsmouth, we thought it was worth it. The food was excellent! I had the vegetable lasagna with Parmesan crusted chicken and will go back just for that dish. The dessert (coconut cake) was also fabulous. The only drawback is that the one window table, where we sat, looks out on ranks of trash cans from the restaurant across the street. That can't be helped, since the restaurant is at ground level. If you really want a view, try the upstairs bar at the Black Trumpet. We probably will revisit The Oar House in the winter for its cozy atmosphere.
   

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5. KL

   KateLovesSeafood VIP

   Greater Boston9 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on June 3, 2017

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 1

   First hostess we saw was a bit rude, our waitress was very nice but my friend was served a sandwich on moldy bread and we were not offered a refund.
   

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6. EM

   EM56 VIP

   New York City92 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on May 24, 2017

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   Always a bit of a concern to walk into a fairly empty restaurant. Granted it was a Wednesday night but other Portsmouth places were busy. So we were pleasantly surprised by both the birthday greeting, food and service (by Carla)! Enjoyed Salmon Crudo, oysters, pizza and "the best Bouillabaisse ever" to quote a lover of the dish. Will be back
   

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7. J

   Jmstep

   Greater Boston1 review

   5.0

   Dined on May 20, 2017

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The staff at the Oar House were beyond accommodating with making our son's college graduation dinner special. Chad worked magic to accommodate our large party, and to move our reservation to a more palatable time. The service and the food were outstanding, and we were so grateful that we could bring in our own special dessert. Thank you for the perfect end to a perfect day!
   

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8. S

   Stephanie

   Greater Boston8 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on May 20, 2017

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Our family ate at the Oar House following my daughter's graduation from UNH in Durham. We sat outside on a gorgeous spring day and had a lovely afternoon. Fried calamari appetizer was awesome and a must try! Signature cocktails were great as was the main course dishes! We will keep this restaurant on our list to return to when we are back in New Hampshire.
   

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9. R

   Robert

   Greater Boston15 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on May 20, 2017

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   We arrived early and were seated right away for a special occasion. They were very nice and wishing our graduate best wishes. However, we all felt like they were eager to feed us and get us out to turn over the table- very rushed. Food was average but overpriced. Nothing spectacular. My seafood bouillabaisse was luke warm, filled with lots of chewy mussels, 5 very overcooked rubber shrimp and an unshelled 1/2 lobster that seemed to have been cooked many hours previous. I was daring in that I'd worn a white shirt and ordered a red, brothy stew but I assumed, as with any other bouillabaisse, the lobster would be shelled and ready to eat. It wasn't. And I had to ask for a set of lobster crackers. Which, even though they're a high priced seafood restaurant on the Atlantic, in prime lobster country, they apparently didn't have. Instead I was given a pair of nutcrackers (which can suffice if you know how to use them but are difficult), no picks, no bib. Obviously, made a mess. Sad celebratory lunch.
   

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10. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston1 review

    3.0

    Dined on May 19, 2017

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4

    Probably not the right time to go as it was UNH graduation. As a result the place was crowded, service was slow although friendly, and generally pricey ($80 Surf/Turf that was average at best). I would like to think that the captive audience was not purposely treated to higher prices. Ordered a 1/2 dozen oysters which were very, very small with little substance. I may try it again on a weeknight.
    

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