I'm visiting from Vt. Run to this restaurant! The view, service and food are exceptional. Arwin was our waitress and she was exceptional. I guarantee you'll be very happy with choice.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
M R
I would not waste my money on a Barbara Lynch restaurant.I have eaten in Sportello,Menton, Provincetown and others and never been impressed except for the high price tag.She sets restaurants up with untrained and underpaid help and rips customers off on her past reputation. Barbara Lynch should be ashamed of herself. She will never be a Lydia Shire.
Kitbeau
We loved the ambience, and our waitress was fabulous, as were all of the staff.. Bread and dessert ( bread pudding)were yummy , but we both had the spaghetti Bolognese, and found it mushy and tasteless. We were so disappointed. Greek salad was nothing special.I had never been to a Barbara Lynch restaurant, and had hoped to be wowed, but was not.
Leah Breen
Fantastic food. Loved the Maine oysters, shrimp gnocchi, and bread pudding. Our server Franklin was lovely.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
MargaretG
Many things to like. Staff lovely, atmosphere really appealing to us. Drinks and appetizers were timely and delicious. However I ordered the brioche pizza as a main course and it was weirdly flat and so uninteresting I couldn't eat it. My husband's pork was good (not great) but his plate was cold, so the meat cooled off really fast. Desserts were nice and mine was comped because I didn't like the pizza, which I really appreciated. We will definitely try again!
Brian B.
We've been to several of Barbara Lynch's restaurants, included Menton in Boston, which was the greatest meal of our lives. The Rudder is an institution in Gloucester. With the Chef taking it over and putting her stamp on it, while still keeping to the local tradition, we were curious as to how it would be. Knowing our experience with the Chef's restaurant we shouldn't have been surprised but, still kind of were. We started with French Onion Soup and the New England Clam Chowder. I'm a NE Chowder lover but this was next level. I had the JFK Lobster Stew for my main and it was amazing. Note regarding the great service; Person at the front noticed I moved my jacket several times, as it fell of the chair, and they came over and offered to hang it up. I love that kind of attention.
bjbrn
This was our first visit to The Rudder. The two of us had clam chowder and french onion soup for apps; and for entrees, roasted pork and seared salmon. Everything was cooked to perfection and tasted amazing. On a cold night the cozy gas fireplace was burning, the service was top notch and we can't wait to go back. It was a perfect evening.
Elaine D.
First visit. Went for a late lunch/early dinner. Service was excellent, food was delicious (Crispy duck, rock shrimp with gnocchi, pizza with brioche crust, and French onion soup). The ambience (loved the playlist) made for a most enjoyable visit.
Lee E.
Having eaten at #9 Park Street, we were expecting something at least imaginative from Barbara Lynch's latest. And we know the Rudder from it's days under the hilarious and theatrical Evie Parsons. The place was always mobbed and had quite a buzz then. On November 19 at 5:00, the old warehouse sat virtually empty, with never more than one table and a couple of chairs at the bar in addition to our group of three. Of course we know and love the space, but experiencing it so empty, cold, and drafty made us sad. Service was attentive and pleasant, since there were probably two servers or more for each guest. We ordered the $59 prix fixe of three courses. We probably should have sent back the bibb salad, a tall, very wilted pile with toasted and fresh Paremesan and soft green beans. But we were hungry after long hike. A breaded, fried, bland, and dry chicken cutlet sat on a saffron risotto of pleasant texture and authentic aroma. It reminded me of a lunch counter veal parmigiano without the canned tomato sauce. The only listed desert, a tiny, overly fussy spiral of chocolate cake had a whiff of cocoa but little else. The server found us a leftover custard from the night before for variety
Sheryl Libby
Ok so the place is empty on a Thursday night and the staff, well could be better trained .. the duck was not up to par .. maybe extending to the north shore is too much ..it’s not up to your Boston standards.. over priced for standard food.. best of luck we always loved the Rudder but we were young and times were different.. we took a chance, you all can too ! ?
Awesome place, mouthwatering fresh seafood, breathtaking view, lovely and friendly staff, great service, very joyful atmosphere!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
BLikeBentley
Had a truly lovely experience by all measures. Was a quiet Sunday evening and peering out at the moonlit sky, bright stars, and shimmering water while nestled in the gas fire-warmed comfort of the cozy chic dining room delivered unexpected delights. Our party of three ordered the prix fixe Sunday special: steak, chicken and chocolate cake, and both chicken and steak (on this night, a chicken breast Milanese, and an unctuous short rib with tomato jam ) diners were deeply satisfied. We thought the dinner was a tremendous value. We began with tasty oysters and shrimp cocktail, and shared a well priced and charming bottle of wine. Our server was delightful - in fact, every staff person we encountered was welcoming and helpful. We are already looking forward to a return visit to sample regular menu items. The reimagined Rudder is a wonderful addition to Cape Ann dining options!
Bubber H.
This was our initial visit to the Rudder and we have added it to our preferred list of restaurants. The service was friendly, attentive and we enjoyed speaking with everyone working there. The food preparation and presentation was superb, and we enjoyed the entire experience. Like so many great restaurants tucked back into cozy corners in New England, you will park a few blocks away, but the stroll takes you past art galleries and wonderful shops. I can recommend the Rudder without reservation to anyone. They are open Wednesday through Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday, for the winter in December and January but we will be there again very soon, to have oysters and drinks, looking over the wonderful harbor area of the Neck. You should be too.
Aran Nathanson
Good food on a beautiful patio. Too bad the service is not up to the rest of it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 2
Edie F.
Nice ambiance, more room between tables than the old days. Liquor prices quite high. Had Chicken Milanese, which sadly was quite dry. The arugula with it was nice and fresh, however. Vanilla Bread Pudding was delicious, the Apple Galette was very good, but the pastry impossible to cut through even with a knife. Excellent waitperson. Probably won't go back anytime soon.
I'm visiting from Vt. Run to this restaurant! The view, service and food are exceptional. Arwin was our waitress and she was exceptional. I guarantee you'll be very happy with choice.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I would not waste my money on a Barbara Lynch restaurant.I have eaten in Sportello,Menton, Provincetown and others and never been impressed except for the high price tag.She sets restaurants up with untrained and underpaid help and rips customers off on her past reputation. Barbara Lynch should be ashamed of herself. She will never be a Lydia Shire.
We loved the ambience, and our waitress was fabulous, as were all of the staff.. Bread and dessert ( bread pudding)were yummy , but we both had the spaghetti Bolognese, and found it mushy and tasteless. We were so disappointed. Greek salad was nothing special.I had never been to a Barbara Lynch restaurant, and had hoped to be wowed, but was not.
Fantastic food. Loved the Maine oysters, shrimp gnocchi, and bread pudding. Our server Franklin was lovely.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Many things to like. Staff lovely, atmosphere really appealing to us. Drinks and appetizers were timely and delicious. However I ordered the brioche pizza as a main course and it was weirdly flat and so uninteresting I couldn't eat it. My husband's pork was good (not great) but his plate was cold, so the meat cooled off really fast. Desserts were nice and mine was comped because I didn't like the pizza, which I really appreciated. We will definitely try again!
We've been to several of Barbara Lynch's restaurants, included Menton in Boston, which was the greatest meal of our lives. The Rudder is an institution in Gloucester. With the Chef taking it over and putting her stamp on it, while still keeping to the local tradition, we were curious as to how it would be. Knowing our experience with the Chef's restaurant we shouldn't have been surprised but, still kind of were. We started with French Onion Soup and the New England Clam Chowder. I'm a NE Chowder lover but this was next level. I had the JFK Lobster Stew for my main and it was amazing. Note regarding the great service; Person at the front noticed I moved my jacket several times, as it fell of the chair, and they came over and offered to hang it up. I love that kind of attention.
This was our first visit to The Rudder. The two of us had clam chowder and french onion soup for apps; and for entrees, roasted pork and seared salmon. Everything was cooked to perfection and tasted amazing. On a cold night the cozy gas fireplace was burning, the service was top notch and we can't wait to go back. It was a perfect evening.
First visit. Went for a late lunch/early dinner. Service was excellent, food was delicious (Crispy duck, rock shrimp with gnocchi, pizza with brioche crust, and French onion soup). The ambience (loved the playlist) made for a most enjoyable visit.
Having eaten at #9 Park Street, we were expecting something at least imaginative from Barbara Lynch's latest. And we know the Rudder from it's days under the hilarious and theatrical Evie Parsons. The place was always mobbed and had quite a buzz then. On November 19 at 5:00, the old warehouse sat virtually empty, with never more than one table and a couple of chairs at the bar in addition to our group of three. Of course we know and love the space, but experiencing it so empty, cold, and drafty made us sad. Service was attentive and pleasant, since there were probably two servers or more for each guest. We ordered the $59 prix fixe of three courses. We probably should have sent back the bibb salad, a tall, very wilted pile with toasted and fresh Paremesan and soft green beans. But we were hungry after long hike. A breaded, fried, bland, and dry chicken cutlet sat on a saffron risotto of pleasant texture and authentic aroma. It reminded me of a lunch counter veal parmigiano without the canned tomato sauce. The only listed desert, a tiny, overly fussy spiral of chocolate cake had a whiff of cocoa but little else. The server found us a leftover custard from the night before for variety
Ok so the place is empty on a Thursday night and the staff, well could be better trained .. the duck was not up to par .. maybe extending to the north shore is too much ..it’s not up to your Boston standards.. over priced for standard food.. best of luck we always loved the Rudder but we were young and times were different.. we took a chance, you all can too ! ?
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Restaurantji Recommends
Awesome place, mouthwatering fresh seafood, breathtaking view, lovely and friendly staff, great service, very joyful atmosphere!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had a truly lovely experience by all measures. Was a quiet Sunday evening and peering out at the moonlit sky, bright stars, and shimmering water while nestled in the gas fire-warmed comfort of the cozy chic dining room delivered unexpected delights. Our party of three ordered the prix fixe Sunday special: steak, chicken and chocolate cake, and both chicken and steak (on this night, a chicken breast Milanese, and an unctuous short rib with tomato jam ) diners were deeply satisfied. We thought the dinner was a tremendous value. We began with tasty oysters and shrimp cocktail, and shared a well priced and charming bottle of wine. Our server was delightful - in fact, every staff person we encountered was welcoming and helpful. We are already looking forward to a return visit to sample regular menu items. The reimagined Rudder is a wonderful addition to Cape Ann dining options!
This was our initial visit to the Rudder and we have added it to our preferred list of restaurants. The service was friendly, attentive and we enjoyed speaking with everyone working there. The food preparation and presentation was superb, and we enjoyed the entire experience. Like so many great restaurants tucked back into cozy corners in New England, you will park a few blocks away, but the stroll takes you past art galleries and wonderful shops. I can recommend the Rudder without reservation to anyone. They are open Wednesday through Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday, for the winter in December and January but we will be there again very soon, to have oysters and drinks, looking over the wonderful harbor area of the Neck. You should be too.
Good food on a beautiful patio. Too bad the service is not up to the rest of it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 2
Nice ambiance, more room between tables than the old days. Liquor prices quite high. Had Chicken Milanese, which sadly was quite dry. The arugula with it was nice and fresh, however. Vanilla Bread Pudding was delicious, the Apple Galette was very good, but the pastry impossible to cut through even with a knife. Excellent waitperson. Probably won't go back anytime soon.