50 Best American Restaurants near Exeter

“Our server, Dusty, was friendly, attentive, helpful to us as we selected our meals and personable. All four of our meals were excellent and drinks were as we wanted. Good portions. The fish and chips were the best I have had. Highly recommended.“

“Highly recommend eating here. Pizza is outstanding! The Italian stallion is next level. Great people. Variety of desserts to choose from. Cozy atmosphere. Fresh ingredients. Simply Delicious!“

“The fact that the Celestial Cafe folks are still going strong after the many challenges of the last few years is testament to their enduring commitment to producing quality food using locally-sourced ingredients.

One evening a year or two before Covid, about halfway through a five-hour road trip, we stopped in for an early dinner. Things were quiet and we had a chance to chat with Chef Branden Read's mom, who shared the story of how he ended up opening the establishment. To get the whole story, you'll have to stop by at a quiet time and hopefully catch him to hear it first hand, but you should be ready for disappointment, for there aren't that many quiet times these days.

Having been eating here since 2010, I can speak with the perspective of long experience when I say that the food has been consistently excellent -- creative, frequently updated and well-executed. The Baby Back Ribs (a menu staple, thank goodness) are simply superb, just falling off the bone. The cabbages in the slaw and the cucumbers served on top are home pickled, light on the vinegar and delicately sweet. The bread pudding dessert is phenomenal, but with generous portions, perhaps get a helping to go? It's still fantastic the next day, as are the left-over ribs you'll surely be taking home with you.

A hallmark of a good place is staff longevity. Several of the servers have been there at least as long as I've been visiting,

With the fairly recent addition of event space next door and an outstanding bar area, this is one place I wish we could visit more often. Bravo Chef, keep up the good work.“

“This is my first time trying this place since I moved to Rhode Island. I got the buffalo chicken hoagie and it was so good. The roll was so good and the chicken was well done. They don’t do cheese fries but made me one which I appreciate. 9/10 will try again“

“Friendly, great food, fair prices!“

“we have been there for their Breakfast, and Dinner. both were superb! the new owner greeted us upon sitting down , took the time to listen to us, and came back after our meal to make sure everything was good. No complaints here! 10 out of 10!!“

“Server Britney was great. Food was ok but having a great server made experience good“

“Just wanted to take a moment to compliment the service we received from Amanda! It was pretty busy, the restaurant was at capacity, and she was fantastic! I appreciate a server who does a great job, and she handled our table with a perfect display of relaxed competence. Well done!“

“Food was excellent and our waiter Roberto was very accommodating. Will go back again“

“Biscuits and Gravy was top notch.“

“Had a very nice meal here last night, the food was great, and server was very pleasant, polite, and accommodating. I’m sure we will be back soon. I would highly recommend this restaurant.“

“T's is a staple. Consistently good food, good service. The only drawback is their always so busy. We went on Thursday morning and it was STILL slammed. They'll be open for a long time though!

Our go to is a #8 homemade corned beef hash meal with home fries and scrambled eggs. It is exactly the same as when I was eating it a decade ago at the Cranston location - and that's a good thing.

They have upgraded their bread selection though - the sourdough toast was perfect. Fruit bowl for the child, too - a family friendly atmosphere (he loved the hash too).

Mom got eggs Benedict which looked DELICIOUS and we took home a sandwich for Grandpa, for which he was raving.

Consistently good food and experience. Just like I remember it when I was younger.“

“Living in the local area, this place is my 'go to' for an inexpensive meal. Service is great, never had a problem with any of the food (I've been eating here for years), & if you sit at the bar like I do - the locals are very friendly to say the least“

“We had a great experience here for my birthday. Drinks were delicious, food was amazing, and the staff were friendly. Will be back for sure!“

“One of my girls favorites“

“Time to show some love to this Applebee's.

Their classic bacon cheeseburger, fries, and good ol' Busch beer was a home run. My wifey got the grilled chicken and Cole slaw. We tasted that crisp crunch from the slaw. 5 star also goes to my waitress. Solid work for checking in on us.

If you want to take a trip down the memory lane and eat that American meal after a long day of travel (or hard work), go to this Applebee's.“

“Food was excellent!!! great service & great atmosphere too😊 We will be back!“

“Excellent food, amazing, very friendly and attentive staff. We will definitely be back!“

“Our meal was delicious. My husband and I both had the fish tacos and they were very yummy. They also were not messy to eat. Our waitress was extremely pleasant and the service was great.“

“She's absolutely amazing and describes everything for you . Her food is amazing and delicious 😋 and we can't get enough of it .. I tell everyone about this place and definitely will continue to ... Weve had her Dominican buffet and panini and also the rice bowls .. definitely a variety of foods ... A must try“

“Excellent food with huge portions and great service! Highly recommended if you're ever in the area. 🥰“

“Yum!!!!!! My favorite is their fried green tomato sandwich! I also love the fried green tomato benedict special! I wish that was a regular menu item!“

“Excellent food, recommend“

“Great waitstaff excellent food, one of the best restaurants in the area I’ve never been disappointed there“

“Amazing food. Very friendly staff who really seem to enjoy working there. Highly recommended.“

“A wonderful place for breakfast or lunch. We tried it this morning, amazing homemade hash! Five stars“

“Good food Drinks and entertainment“

“Great food very clean. Awesome customer service“

“Myself and My dad went for the first time ever on Thursday May 9th. we are both huge seafood lovers however my mom and my husband are not. So we planned a night out and our number one goal was to look for a great Buck A Shuck with an excellent menu! We found both, my dad saw the Oyster Po Boy and he was sold right there. We arrived shortly after they opened around 3 and took our seats at the bar. I am horrible at remembering names. We ordered a dozen(6 for each) oysters. Shortly after we realized we should have ordered a dozen(6 for each) little necks. I am sorry for the inconvenience of not ordering them at the same time. After eating both the dozen oysters and little necks which was truly fascinating to watch as he just shucked them open with no problem. I ordered the Salmon Burger which was AMAZING and my dad got his Oyster Po Boy. Which he also said was AMAZING. The bartender asked if we saved room for dessert. However we both looked at each other laughed and ordered another dozen (6 for each)oysters as a dessert. All in All the food was great. Everything tasted so fresh they oysters and little necks were so sweet and briney. Fantastic!! Loved the atmosphere and watching all the orders go out and the gentlemen just shuck away at the oysters and little necks. Looking forward to the next time we come!!“

“First time in. Monday night special is quite the deal! Food tasted excellent and portions are large. I was able to take home plenty of food and my unfinished bottle of wine. We did feel a bit rushed. Not only to place our order but appetizers and salads were served at the same time to our small table. We were asked multiple times if we were done with courses when we had forks in our hands. Because the food was delicious and very well prepared we’ll give it another try and hope for a better service experience.“

“Best breakfast place in RI. Traditional diner style, great hearty food, wicked nice staff, and always a quick and easy sit down breakfast. From their breakfast combos to iced coffees this is somewhere I would 100% recommend if you want breakfast.“

“I met up with a family member here yesterday for lunch. We live in different states and this was the halfway point for us. JP was our server and he was just the best!! Very friendly and funny! The food and drinks were amazing and we loved the separate rooms for dining. We're looking forward to making this our regular meetup spot!“

“This was my first time here. I came here twice in one day. I was visiting from out of town. My first visit was in the afternoon to have lunch with an old friend. Our waitress was very, very kind and really good at her job. My second visit of the day was for dinner with my brother and his wife and kids. Our server was very accommodating and very patient with us as we were waiting for my sister-in-law. We didn't know if she was coming or not. The food was phenomenal for both visits. I would highly recommend this place to anybody get the stuffies, french onion, soup or pizza. Everything I had was phenomenal.“

“Had an early dinner which included perhaps the best hot dog I ever had. Big hotdog on a traditional buttered and grilled roll. Everyone else enjoyed their meals. The restaurant is understaffed (like most these days), but a good server made up for it.“

“Always great sandwiches. The real deal NYC deli. Today on the specials board was a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Sweet and very spicy. I loved it. Lots of pickles. And a thick coating of the sauce. Probably the best one I have had. And as usual excellent onion rings.“

“The service was outstanding. The food was very good. We had the mussels followed by warm lobster rolls with butter. Very good cocktails. The others in our party had desserts which they loved. The sound level was fairly high, but we could still have a nice conversation without screaming.“

“Awesome! Everything from the Awful Awfuls to the burgers were delicious!“

“The coffee shop or Camden’s“

“* revised review for Breakfast*

We recently tried the new breakfast menu, and our initial impression is that the menu is certainly ambitious, but some of the menu items We’re a *bit* on the heavy side for breakfast. Nonetheless, it’s certainly a unique experience, which seems to be what they aim for.

I highly recommend trying the breakfast items, but for some it might be a *bit* too fancy...

Attention to detail”.

The stars should speak for themselves, but here is the more in-depth explanation:

It’s absolutely clear that the owners of this establishment invest a profound amount of time and energy into training and MENTORING their staff and holding them to a superb standard of service and of course attention to detail.

The front of the house we staff, from the host or hostess, to the wait staff and the bussers: every single interaction is Matt with professional courtesy and in many cases accommodation. The presentation of the order is always done with precision and accuracy, which I appreciate very much.

The products: whether it’s a quick sandwich for lunch or at dinner spread out over a couple of hours, each plate is prepared again, with intensive care and of course, attention to detail.

I have been coming here since they have open, but I have recently become a regular and I have started coming in here for lunch. I’ve had the opportunity to talk with the bartenders and the various weight staff, and from what I can gather there is a very good relationship between the owners and those whom they employ. Is also clear to me that there is a great deal of time and attention devoted to their training in the maintaining of very high excellent standards of service and conduct and professionalism.

It is with great pleasure that I bestow my highest endorsement professional and dedicated staff here at chophouse grill. I am extremely impressed with the quality of the service and presentation I’m such a finally crafted product, as well as the mentoring that goes into it.

The only true recommendation that I have would be to consider tablecloths for the dinner to “soften” the room/atmosphere. I am usually in there for lunchtime, which is a quick and informal affair. Most of the tables seat four; table cloths would be a nice touch and make the setting that more intimate.

Commendable job folks, extremely well done.

Michael R. Sherman II
History Professor
Johnson and Wales University“

“First time and it was absolutely amazing! From the staff, the cooks to the food it was wonderful! We we treated with such personal service and it felt like home. Will be regulars from now on! Thank you.“

“We loved Tower Hill Brewing, we hosted our welcome party for our wedding. It was amazing! We knew the location was perfect due to proximity to our room block and were in touch with the owners prior to the opening of the space. Christy, the GM, was so accommodating, responsive and helpful. Our guests loved the beer selection and the vibe. Our little family members had the best time playing games. Highly recommend for future events!“

“Clean comfortable restaurant. Plenty of free parking . Friendly helpful staff. The rare roast beef sandwich is my favorite. Once in a while I’ll mix it up with a Yukon specialty sandwich. Great thick cut fries with malt vinegar is my jam. Salads are good too if you need to get some veggies in your diet. Highly recommend dropping by or grab and go in the drive through

Kid-friendliness: Very calm environment“

“Beautiful atmosphere and amazing staff. I have been here a couple times and each time has never failed. I’ve had a handful of different meals and each was cooked to perfection and extremely flavorful. Highly recommend and it has become one of my favorite breakfast or lunch spots.“

“I have been to the pub many times for dinner, whenever we are nearby but this time something was different. The atmosphere and service are great, but we got the huge shrimp cocktail and the brisket sandwich, it really was special. An unexpected treat. Go early.🧐“

“Johnnycakes! .. just like my mom used to make! And the Cranberry Orange muffin was fantastic!“

“I loved smash burger when they first came out. I lived in Colorado where they originated. The problem with that is, not all employees will value your vision as the company grows.

I visited this location in the past and was not impressed.

Today was a different experience, came in during the buy one get one offer. The pricing has gone up so much.
The prices have increased and the size of the items have decreased. The shake for example. Between the cup being filled and the extra. Seemed like it was anywhere between 12-16 oz’s.
The size of the burger also looks a little slimmer.
Had a bacon cheeseburger as pictured, bacon was not good quality. The food was delicious with the offer. Not sure about dropping $40 on burgers without a beer offer.
The fries were nice and crispy, but again the order seemed a little smaller than before.

It’s a hit or miss. If you’re in the area give it a try. But I would not go out of my way.
The service was definitely an attentive improvement and friendly.
I would say visit with the kids during family night.“

“Good food, attentive staff“

“Always responsive, friendly, always going out of their way for special orders.“

“always a friendly atmosphere food is good large portions very clean restaurant“

“Thank you for your membership, we look forward to working with you in the future!“