Me and my longtime girlfriends wanted to have a night &ended up here at the oar house !! we sat outside on the deck, what a perfect night, the best spot to be in the summer in new england 🩷food & drinks were delish!! esp the spicy margs ;)
Ann Lloyd-Zaralidis
Food was yummy. I would return.
Larry Sherman
We had dinner last night at the Oar House at the waterside location, the bacon wrapped scallops were incredible - best we ever had, the Lobster Ravioli was also incredible - (although the portion size was a little small), the Caesar Salad was also very good as was the Lobster Roll (although kinda high Market Price). Our server Ben, was fast and attentive and is a genuinely nice young person! Coupled with a few drinks, we had a great dining experience that I'd rate at 5 stars!
Bill Shafer
Cool place right on the dock. The physical restaurant is across the street.
Kelly Williams
I had the escargot and my wife had the coconut shrimp. Both were outstanding, the service was great and couldn't ask for a better view. Highly recommend.
Polina Kalugina
Amazing atmosphere and fantastic specials!
Mantė Nagrodskytė
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/10) The food was absolutely delicious – every dish was full of flavor and beautifully presented. The atmosphere was incredible, really cozy and vibrant, making the whole experience even more enjoyable. And the service? Top-notch! The staff were friendly, attentive, and made us feel truly welcome. Highly recommend – definitely a 10/10 experience!
Riley Kerens
Best Lobster Roll in Portsmouth – Hands Down!
I’m still dreaming about this lobster roll. Absolutely phenomenal. The tail meat was front and center — fresh, tender, and bursting with that sweet ocean flavor that’s so hard to find, even in a seacoast town like Portsmouth. You could tell it was top-quality lobster, not the usual chopped bits you find in tourist traps. This was the real deal — buttery toasted roll, perfectly dressed lobster (not drowning in mayo!), and that succulent tail meat just melted in your mouth.
What made it even better was the whole experience — sitting outside on a sunny day with great vibes all around. The staff was friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming, which made it feel more like a hidden gem than a busy restaurant. The fries were hot and crisp, the slaw was fresh and zesty, and even the ketchup felt fancy.
If you’re in Portsmouth and craving a lobster roll, this is the place to go. Trust me — it’s rare to find lobster this fresh and prepared this well. I’ll absolutely be back.
Mikaela Reisman
I work at the Moffatt-Ladd House across the street and have been meaning to come over and experience their menu, as we often have overlapping customers.
Our host sat us right away, drinks were fabulous, and all the meals were absolutely amazing! (I had the caribbean grilled swordfish.) My mom had been here with her parents in college in the early 80s and clearly Casey is carrying the mantle well. Thank you especially to our server, Rachel!
Mike O'Donnell
I've been here 3 times in the past few months. The food is great and the restaurant is just cool. It's really nice outside when the weather is good, but inside when the weather is bad is great too.
Food, service and ambience were fantastic! Welcoming and comfortable in a beautiful stone bar with Amy and Elton so friendly and waiting on us efficiently. The baked stuffed lobster and Oar House Delight were cooked perfectly and delicious. Fabulous scallops wrapped in bacon. The chocolate torte with raspberry mousse was decadent and delicious too. Overall fabulous experience. We will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: OAR House Delight
Bart-ek D
Nice place. Food was good but not exceptional.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Clam Chowder, Lobster Roll
Mark Seifert
Shauna was excellent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: OAR House Delight
B K
Dined here last night... what a lovely place...great for a romantic dinner.. very attentive staff... one of our party member's salmon was over cooked... but very good portions, tasty and overall great experience... will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
John Sterling
Iconic, old school, New England style tavern / restaurant. We had a wonderful server in the bar area. Dishes are somewhat dated.
Parking: Check out parking instructions before you go. They have a free lot but it's hard to find.
Me and my longtime girlfriends wanted to have a night &ended up here at the oar house !! we sat outside on the deck, what a perfect night, the best spot to be in the summer in new england 🩷food & drinks were delish!! esp the spicy margs ;)
Food was yummy. I would return.
We had dinner last night at the Oar House at the waterside location, the bacon wrapped scallops were incredible - best we ever had, the Lobster Ravioli was also incredible - (although the portion size was a little small), the Caesar Salad was also very good as was the Lobster Roll (although kinda high Market Price). Our server Ben, was fast and attentive and is a genuinely nice young person! Coupled with a few drinks, we had a great dining experience that I'd rate at 5 stars!
Cool place right on the dock. The physical restaurant is across the street.
I had the escargot and my wife had the coconut shrimp. Both were outstanding, the service was great and couldn't ask for a better view. Highly recommend.
Amazing atmosphere and fantastic specials!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (10/10)
The food was absolutely delicious – every dish was full of flavor and beautifully presented. The atmosphere was incredible, really cozy and vibrant, making the whole experience even more enjoyable. And the service? Top-notch! The staff were friendly, attentive, and made us feel truly welcome. Highly recommend – definitely a 10/10 experience!
Best Lobster Roll in Portsmouth – Hands Down!
I’m still dreaming about this lobster roll. Absolutely phenomenal. The tail meat was front and center — fresh, tender, and bursting with that sweet ocean flavor that’s so hard to find, even in a seacoast town like Portsmouth. You could tell it was top-quality lobster, not the usual chopped bits you find in tourist traps. This was the real deal — buttery toasted roll, perfectly dressed lobster (not drowning in mayo!), and that succulent tail meat just melted in your mouth.
What made it even better was the whole experience — sitting outside on a sunny day with great vibes all around. The staff was friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming, which made it feel more like a hidden gem than a busy restaurant. The fries were hot and crisp, the slaw was fresh and zesty, and even the ketchup felt fancy.
If you’re in Portsmouth and craving a lobster roll, this is the place to go. Trust me — it’s rare to find lobster this fresh and prepared this well. I’ll absolutely be back.
I work at the Moffatt-Ladd House across the street and have been meaning to come over and experience their menu, as we often have overlapping customers. Our host sat us right away, drinks were fabulous, and all the meals were absolutely amazing! (I had the caribbean grilled swordfish.) My mom had been here with her parents in college in the early 80s and clearly Casey is carrying the mantle well. Thank you especially to our server, Rachel!
I've been here 3 times in the past few months. The food is great and the restaurant is just cool. It's really nice outside when the weather is good, but inside when the weather is bad is great too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clam Chowder
Restaurantji Recommends
Food, service and ambience were fantastic! Welcoming and comfortable in a beautiful stone bar with Amy and Elton so friendly and waiting on us efficiently. The baked stuffed lobster and Oar House Delight were cooked perfectly and delicious. Fabulous scallops wrapped in bacon. The chocolate torte with raspberry mousse was decadent and delicious too. Overall fabulous experience. We will definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: OAR House Delight
Nice place. Food was good but not exceptional.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Clam Chowder, Lobster Roll
Shauna was excellent.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: OAR House Delight
Dined here last night... what a lovely place...great for a romantic dinner.. very attentive staff... one of our party member's salmon was over cooked... but very good portions, tasty and overall great experience... will be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Iconic, old school, New England style tavern / restaurant. We had a wonderful server in the bar area. Dishes are somewhat dated.
Parking: Check out parking instructions before you go. They have a free lot but it's hard to find.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Clam Chowder
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