This restaurant now offers Takeout

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The Puddle Dock

Name: The Puddle Dock
Address: 66 Marcy St, Portsmouth, NH, United States, 03801-4650
Telephone: (603) 373-8192
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

523 Reviews

$31 to $50

American

Top Tags:

Located on the grounds of Strawbery Banke Museum in historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire, The Puddle Dock Restaurant proudly offers Modern Colonial feel and fare! Led by esteemed Executive Chef Derek Clough, the Puddle Dock Restaurant will take you back to Colonial America featuring English and American favorites, then snap you back to the present with our modern twists.

Chef Derek takes great pride in growing a lot of our vegetables, foraging our mushrooms, and presenting beauty for your palate. His care is evidence in some of our best-loved dishes, Yorkshire Pudding, Portuguese Salted Cod, Pan-Roasted Duck Breast, and our signature Hoe Cake. Be sure to save room for dessert! All our desserts are made in house - Cinnamon Rum Breading, Dark Chocolate Pudding, and Posset are among the favorites!

Enjoy the ambience of our historic exposed beam building, once a general store offering penny candy, or enjoy our front and rear patios for dinner in the open air.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 3, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 22 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Cocktail Bar, Comfort Food
Hours of operation
Wed–Sun 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm
Phone number
(603) 373-8192
Website
http://www.thepuddledock.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Derek Clough

Location
66 Marcy St, Portsmouth, NH 03801-4650
Neighborhood
Portsmouth
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

What 523 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

New Hampshire
Best Ambiance
New Hampshire
American
Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley
Best Ambiance
Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley
Romantic
Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley
American

523 Reviews

B
Benjamin
Greater Boston
21 reviews
vip
5.0
21 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Phenomenal food, drinks and service and a charming callback to settlement times, both on the menu and the historic building. Surprisingly quiet inside, even when the restaurant is packed, making for a very relaxing meal. Attentive service without being overbearing. The best Manhattan I’ve had outside of NYC in a long time. And the food - all so well executed, thoughtful, fresh and deeply comforting. The rarebit was a delight of richness and texture. The mussels were elegant in their simplicity. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and mushrooms a great complement, retaining their snap and rich flavor, without pulling focus. We’re stoked to come back soon. Bravo team.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 1 day ago
overall3food2service4ambience4
Getting seated was not smooth for two of us. Told many people just seated and needed to wait. We were early but wanted a drink at bar. Told by same girl, the bartender doesn’t like it if you stand since there was only one seat. Confused she finally brought us to our table. Not a great welcome. Appetizer was tasty. Entrees bland ( lamb pot pie and swordfish dishes). Lacked seasoning. Waiter was good.
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d
diningout
New York Area
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We enjoyed a lovely dinner celebrating a birthday.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent experience. Will be back. Great service.
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GF
GloriaF
Phoenix
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The ambience, the atmosphere, the service, the accommodations, the drinks and the food were all amazing. We sat at the chefs table which was delightful. Highly recommend.
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ML
MichelleL
Greater Boston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful meal and drinks, beautifully presented, and top notch service from a lovely and knowledgeable server.
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s
stevens
Greater Boston
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on November 25, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Great food, great ambiance, will be back again for sure!
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A
Abtrick
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic in every respect. Food was delicious, drinks very good, ambiance and service were excellent. It was our third visit with various friends and we will definitely come back.
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PB
PaigeB
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
So delicious! Fantastic dinner!! We had a wonderful evening
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f
foodlvr
Greater Boston
18 reviews
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on November 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great meal, attentive service. Deserts were to die for! Nice ambiance, but a bit loud. Pricey.
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AB
AllenB
New Hampshire
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best dining experience we've had in Portsmouth for a long time. Fabulous!!
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LH
LisaH
New Hampshire
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 16, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Fabulous food and fantastic service! We each ordered something different and everyone was pleased. Our host and server were professional and knowledgeable. We enjoyed ourselves. Thank you!
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C
Cliff
Greater Boston
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 11, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience5
We were very happy with our meals and service. Love the ambiance too!! We were on the second floor and did feel sorry for our servers having to go up and down the stairs.
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JA
JeannieA
Greater Boston
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Dinner last night at Puddle Dock was really wonderful! We are local and have eaten at many of the Portsmouth restaurants but hadn't tried Puddle Dock yet. It was restaurant week and reservations were difficult to get at a reasonable time. Luckily, we booked here and now this will be on my list of one of my favorite places to have a nice dinner in Portsmouth! We were seated promptly and service was immediate. The waitstaff was very attentive but not obtrusive. We had the mussels and cheese board for apps and both were amazing. There were 4 of us and each had different entrees which were all excellent. The whole dinner experience was delightful and they gained a huge fan last night. I'll definitely be back!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New Hampshire
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic food in a great historical setting. They have directly adjacent free parking which is rare in Portsmouth. Service was great. Cocktails were superb and a highlight. Only negative was the cheese board which had only a quartered Brie on it with otherwise impressive fruits, bread and a jam. Cheese boards are about trying new cheeses so it was a let down. Aside from that though I am giving them a 92/100 which is a very high rating for me! In the top 5 for Portsmouth. Try it once for sure.
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A
Athena
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on November 9, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Lovely environment and the staff were very friendly and attentive, food was good as week will definitely be returning.
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C
Cathy
Greater Boston
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 9, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Very nice! Great service. Atmosphere was warm and cozy on a rainy fall evening. We’ll be returning.
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M
Margaryta
Greater Boston
14 reviews
vip
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on November 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I was surprised how tasty it was. I love dark places like that.
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EM
EllenM
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Portsmouth chowder is unparalleled! It’s one of reasons I go.
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m
mars
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on October 29, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience1
Reservation 6:45 PM. Appetizer cheese board was good and presentation was also nice. Before main course arrived our bread was removed as was bread plate and some silverware. The cheese to me required the bread to enjoy the cheeses. Steak was good. Mashed potatoes too wet from gravy. Scallops were not sea size but bay. They had no taste. Dessert was good as were drinks. At about 7:30PM we were asked if it was ok to clear our table. Still eating. My suggestion is cut off reservation time if you are expected to finish eating within 45 minutes. Hostess, bartender and others left before we did at 7:40. Would not recommend this restaurant. Prices are very reasonable for meal menu items. Quality did not match pricing, service or experience.
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CW
ChrisW
New York Area
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on October 29, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
This was our second dining experience and it was just as good as the first, if not better. There were four of us ... we had 2 caesars, 1 duck confit & mushroom appetizer with brussels and a duck egg over toasted bread slice, and 1 pear and endive salad to start... the caesars were good but the other two apps were just that little bit more special and tasty. For mains there was the duck breast, an entree portion of the lamb chop app (basically 2 x app portion .. very accomodating), the mushroom soup, and the shepherd's pie. All were devoured. I had the shepherd's pie and the lamb was spice so beautifully ... transported me to the UK; my ony suggestion would be a little less salt, especially on the potato/parsnip topping. Kate was an outstanding server ... very attentive, very well-paced. The best thing about this place aside from quality of the food is the room itself... the tables are well-spaced and not too tiny.... pleasant music in the background and a warm, inviting feel. Great cocktails (Steve's Opus!) and wines as well as non-alchohol options.
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II
IconicIoniq
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 28, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Great spot, service was good but could definitely be better. However, it was a busy evening so we did not mind. Food was excellent and so was the atmosphere. We will be visiting again.
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t
tmd11
New York Area
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on October 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We aren't strangers to Puddle Dock. We know we will always enjoy our meals and drinks and service is friendly. The ambiance is cozy. Love it!
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C
Cyrrob
Greater Boston
33 reviews
vip
5.0
33 reviews
Dined on October 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A very nice time to the Puddle Dock for a first time visit. For sure we will be back. Dinners we deliciously prepared and a great value.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A bit privy but worth every penny. Wonderful drinks/food and excellent service. Great atmosphere
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EJ
EileenJ
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We enjoyed the evening very much. Our waitress was very attentive without being intrusive. The food was delicious as anticipated. Overall the meal did not disappoint.
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BS
BillS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely meal! Wonderful cocktails and excellent service. Would recommend to anyone as the menu is fairly diverse.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was excellent. Service perfect. Can’t wait to go back. Chef is superb
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on October 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
As always the bartender, drinks and food were fabulous!
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O
Oxonian
London
61 reviews
vip
4.0
61 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Nice location, warm welcome, immaculate service. Interesting menu, good wine list.
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J
John
Greater Boston
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
Ambiance was very good. Seafood chowder was excellent. I asked our server the thickness of the swordfish steak and the width displayed via distance between fingers was over an inch which would have been fine. Three out of four of us ordered swordfish. The steaks were about 1/2 inch thick. The sauce was excellent but the fish was kind of dry, which is typical for a thin cut. Plenty of good restaurants in Portsmouth, so will try another next time.
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EC
ElizabethC
Hawaii
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Puddle Dock is one of our favorite Portsmouth restaurants! Incredible service and amazing food. Five stars across the board.
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SF
SFfoodietransplant
Greater Boston
7 reviews
3.0
7 reviews
Dined on October 19, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
I’ve been here a few times. I’ve complained about the wine list before and nothing has changed. The wine is not great. They need to add a few solid wines that people can recognize and some nicer wines to the menu. They need to filter the water. Nobody likes the taste of Portsmouth water. The cheese board used to be beautiful, now one cheese. My favorite part was the key lime posset dessert was perfect. $360 for a cheese plate, bottle of wine $67 and 3 entrees.
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AJ
ArmJ
Miami
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on October 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I had the pan-seared duck breast. It was terrific, tender, moist and succulent. I was so impressed, I think the owner should consider changing the name of the place to "PUDDLE DUCK". Thanks - RMJ
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L
Luv2trvl
Greater Boston
13 reviews
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on October 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We were a party of six and we can't wait to go back! The chowder, beet salad, the lamb chop and duck were perfectly prepared and delicious. The staff and drinks were great too. Highly recommend!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 18, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience5
We had an excellent meal at PuddleDock last fall which was memorable, so when our out of state visitor wanted a special dining experience we immediately thought to go here again. We were not disappointed. The menu had just the right amount of dinner options. We each found something to our liking. However, our guest was disappointed that his first choice of Shepherds pie had been sold out by our 7pm reservation. We sampled the Snails in puffed Pastry, and Beet Salads as appetizers and the Fish and Chips, Roasted chicken and Duck entrees. All were of outstanding quality, taste and piping hot. The mushrooms served in the chicken dish were exceptionally prepared. Our server was pleasant but could have been slightly more present. I had sampled the Mussels which are offered on the appetizer menu our last visit and am still thinking about them. Probably the best I have ever had. We loved the cozy atmosphere, rustic New England decor and charm of this restaurant. It’s proximity to Prescott Park and Strawberry Banke make it a must if you are taking in the sites. Definitely recommend if you are in Portsmouth to dine.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
My husband had the swordfish and I enjoyed the salted cod with chorizo and navy beans - delicious! For Dessert we chose the chocolate pudding; quite small but yummy 😋
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A
Aleafe
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very niche dishes that are all crafted to perfection. Excellent ambiance and parking, not to mention the high quality cleanliness and service. Apps to deserts are must haves.
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SM
SamM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 13, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience3
Food was great, servings were good for a hungry person not looking to have leftovers. The duck rarebit was delicious, but not necessarily shareable. Our server, Mikayla (sp?), was attentive, nice and realized an anniversary dessert instead of a toast was in order.
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T
Taylor
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
So yummy, cute fall menu. My boyfriend and I will definitely be back!
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

The Puddle Dock offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (603) 373-8192.

The Puddle Dock is rated 4.7 stars by 523 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Dec 3, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 22 times today

Order delivery or takeout

66 Marcy St, Portsmouth, NH 03801-4650

Additional information

Neighborhood
Portsmouth
Hours of operation
Wed–Sun 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Cocktail Bar, Comfort Food
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Private Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Derek Clough
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.thepuddledock.com/
Phone number
(603) 373-8192

This restaurant now offers Takeout

The Puddle Dock

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Popular dishes

Camp Fire Mussels

Portsmouth Chowder

Seared Local Scallops

Menu

What 523 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

Does The Puddle Dock offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Puddle Dock restaurant rated?

Is The Puddle Dock currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information