I usually don’t do these type of reviews.. but this time I HAD TO! We celebrated my sister’s birthday at Thyme On The River in Portsmouth last night & the customer service was UNACCEPTABLE and VERY disappointing! This is a black owned restaurant and it did not meet the expectations AT ALL! We got there at 7:15 pm for a reservation and was seated. Shortly after, our waitress came over to place our orders. We were told immediately that they were out of just about ALL items on the list (including oxtails, grits, red beans & rice, ALL desserts,etc). side note: KEEP IN MIND.. it was Restaurant Week in Portsmouth & they were advertising a 3 course meal for $34.99 (including appetizer, main course, & dessert). How IRONIC.. you’re missing several items on the menu but advertising a deal SHAME! Some ordered appetizers along with their food and alcohol beverages. Time goes on, it is now after 8 pm and drinks were still not served and appetizers were not out. Meals started to come out before appetizers.. which should NEVER happen! One meal in particular, the SMASHburger was ordered & it looked like a McDonald’s burger & we were charged $17 for a burger that was not advertised as shown (CC). At this point, we requested to speak with the manager. The manager came to the table and we had informed him of the terrible service and dissatisfaction of certain meals (catfish- no flavor, burnt taste). He proceeded to apologize for the service & state that he was helping out in the kitchen due to a cook walking out. We asked that the whole table be discounted due to the lack of customer service from the waitress & the duration of time it took for our drinks and food to come out. After being there for over 3 hours, at this point everyone was fed up & ready to leave & to NEVER return! Another waitress had served another table, a slice red velvet cake and vanilla cake.. we all were confused as to how a table who came in after us had desserts when we were told originally they were all OUT of desserts!! OVERALL, we rate Thyme on the River -10000/00 DO NOT RECOMMEND ‼️ DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!! Our waitress came to close our tabs & no discount had been applied. We requested to speak to the manager again, however, he REFUSED to come back out. At this time, the waitress took it upon herself to apply (10%-12%) discounts to each ticket. The waitress even stated that she did not blame us for being upset & that SAYS A LOT! Tickets were over $100 and the service and food was not worth that AT all.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
SongStress
Very nice place! One of the owners introduced himself and gave a little info about themselves and the restaurant. Very kind and down to earth. He mentioned that he is from Jamaica. My bestie and I both had the crab cake sliders, which were extremely tasty, and we tried the Mac and cheese and yams. The fries are also good. The yams are wonderful, and the Mac just needed a little more flavor. We also tried the jerk egg rolls. They were good but extremely spicy for me. And for the record, I don't do spicy, so you all will probably love them as is. We both had the Pears and Potion drink that was omg sooooo good. The waitress was extremely kind. Overall very wonderful place and would definitely recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jerk Chicken Egg Rolls
Darren Sparks
Oh, we walked in, and I wasn't certain that I was even open. Only clue was very loud music. I sat at the bar with my son, and when she asks us, do we want water or straight into a cocktail? I mean, when you're not busy, a glass of water should be kind of like customary. The food was so so I was disappointed. There was only like four things on the menu and they didn't have one of them. Which was oxtail man, it just seems silly to me, and she said that they hadn't had it in months with having such a limited menu, you would think that they would at least have what was on there. And again, the music was really loud. The food came out fast which was good, but it was just fair food. It wasn't great food.It was overpriced and the service was mediocre
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
Betty Meadows
The server was amazing. The food was over-seasoned by a lot but it was good (tolerable). And they had other things that weren’t on the menu that were offered but wasn’t mentioned until we noticed someone else’s plate and asked about it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Kathleen Knight
It was nice. The jerk chicken egg rolls were really good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Tish C
This is a late review. I visited the restaurant in March. I was looking forward to trying their oxtails, but when they arrived, it was a big disappointment. The oxtails were not tender & the meal was cold. I did not eat my food. There were two other adults with me. One who was also disappointed but one who loved who ordered the sliders & loved them. I also ordered the salmon bites which were different than expected but were ok.
I think this may have just been an off day because they were understaffed. A large group walked away after waiting too long for assistance.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Melissa Stewart
I don’t say this lightly—this was hands down the best cabbage, mac and cheese, and catfish I have ever had.
The cabbage tasted like it was kissed by angels—perfectly seasoned, tender, and full of soul. The mac and cheese was rich, creamy, and comforting in that “somebody’s grandma loves you” kind of way. And the catfish? Perfectly battered and fried—crispy on the outside, flaky and seasoned just right on the inside. Not greasy, not heavy… just flawless.
Every bite felt intentional and made with care. This is the kind of food that makes you close your eyes for a second and just appreciate life. I will absolutely be back, and I’ll be bringing people with me.
If you’re on the fence—don’t be. Go hungry. 💛 ignore the missing bites. I couldn't wait to dig in.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Dan Short
Music was a little loud, but the food and service more than made up for it
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Adriana M Ponte Guerra
The kindest, most cheerful, and polite people work here.
My Wife and I attempted to try catfish and chicken wings but only had drummets and the catfish was freezer burned and incenerated to the point of being inedible along with the crab cake which was crabless and flavorless but the owner was nice enough to Comp the bad experience would not recommend the food but the atmosphere was nice I feel all the effort was spent on the building and decor and nothing on the food overated on social media sorry had to be honest 😔!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Malaika Felton
Extremely disappointed!!! Went on Sunday at 2pm , brunch was being served. Ordered the crab cake sliders. No crab, all filling and salty. The jerk chicken egg rolls were ok but not jerk chicken at all, big chunks of cabbage that were very crunchy. The churro breakfast platter not churro at all. Eggs were in a pool of oil. The waitress SUNNY who was actually the head bartender was super attentive and nice. She saw the dissatisfaction of our group and that we hardly ate any of the food she did discount the meal. The chicken and waffles was OK. Waffle was cold. The menus were ran off from a printer out of ink so very hard to read. I will not return, truly a disappointment for a local business. Maybe a new chef is needed and more staff is needed also. It is not fair to other patrons to host large events and the other customers are ignored.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
Robin Whitley
Been wanting to try this restaurant. Walked in and several people were at tables with no food. No one to greet guests. A really nice bartender to us if we sat at the bar service would be faster. There was only 1 server and the bartender was helping out. Sat down at the bar and was given a menu that looked old and appeared to be a really bad copy. Was able to make out a couple of entrees. Oh wait, saw oxtails only to be told they have stopped serving any oxtails. Why were they still listed on your menu?? We got up and left. I'm done!
Bonita Boone
Live band was the highlight. The jerk chicken is very spicy but good. Red beans and rice were watery and lacked flavor. Catfish was cooked well but could have had more flavor as well. Yams came out cold. Service was OK. We had a large group, maybe 20 people. The first people who ordered were done by the time the last 5 people were served and all orders were taken at the same time. I wouldn't choose to return but it wasn't the worst I've had. At least the people were nice.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
Tracy Rheuark
This was the worst meal I have ever had! I think the waitress was embarrassed. It was Sunday brunch- waffles were cold and limp, bacon never came, speciality waffle never came just the sides. The waitress discounted the order but hard to make up for a terrible experience! Don’t eat here- waste of money and very disappointing!
Absolutely AWESOME place!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I usually don’t do these type of reviews.. but this time I HAD TO! We celebrated my sister’s birthday at Thyme On The River in Portsmouth last night & the customer service was UNACCEPTABLE and VERY disappointing! This is a black owned restaurant and it did not meet the expectations AT ALL! We got there at 7:15 pm for a reservation and was seated. Shortly after, our waitress came over to place our orders. We were told immediately that they were out of just about ALL items on the list (including oxtails, grits, red beans & rice, ALL desserts,etc). side note: KEEP IN MIND.. it was Restaurant Week in Portsmouth & they were advertising a 3 course meal for $34.99 (including appetizer, main course, & dessert). How IRONIC.. you’re missing several items on the menu but advertising a deal SHAME! Some ordered appetizers along with their food and alcohol beverages. Time goes on, it is now after 8 pm and drinks were still not served and appetizers were not out. Meals started to come out before appetizers.. which should NEVER happen! One meal in particular, the SMASHburger was ordered & it looked like a McDonald’s burger & we were charged $17 for a burger that was not advertised as shown (CC). At this point, we requested to speak with the manager. The manager came to the table and we had informed him of the terrible service and dissatisfaction of certain meals (catfish- no flavor, burnt taste). He proceeded to apologize for the service & state that he was helping out in the kitchen due to a cook walking out. We asked that the whole table be discounted due to the lack of customer service from the waitress & the duration of time it took for our drinks and food to come out. After being there for over 3 hours, at this point everyone was fed up & ready to leave & to NEVER return! Another waitress had served another table, a slice red velvet cake and vanilla cake.. we all were confused as to how a table who came in after us had desserts when we were told originally they were all OUT of desserts!! OVERALL, we rate Thyme on the River -10000/00 DO NOT RECOMMEND ‼️ DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!! Our waitress came to close our tabs & no discount had been applied. We requested to speak to the manager again, however, he REFUSED to come back out. At this time, the waitress took it upon herself to apply (10%-12%) discounts to each ticket. The waitress even stated that she did not blame us for being upset & that SAYS A LOT! Tickets were over $100 and the service and food was not worth that AT all.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Very nice place! One of the owners introduced himself and gave a little info about themselves and the restaurant. Very kind and down to earth. He mentioned that he is from Jamaica. My bestie and I both had the crab cake sliders, which were extremely tasty, and we tried the Mac and cheese and yams. The fries are also good. The yams are wonderful, and the Mac just needed a little more flavor. We also tried the jerk egg rolls. They were good but extremely spicy for me. And for the record, I don't do spicy, so you all will probably love them as is. We both had the Pears and Potion drink that was omg sooooo good. The waitress was extremely kind. Overall very wonderful place and would definitely recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Jerk Chicken Egg Rolls
Oh, we walked in, and I wasn't certain that I was even open. Only clue was very loud music. I sat at the bar with my son, and when she asks us, do we want water or straight into a cocktail? I mean, when you're not busy, a glass of water should be kind of like customary. The food was so so I was disappointed. There was only like four things on the menu and they didn't have one of them. Which was oxtail man, it just seems silly to me, and she said that they hadn't had it in months with having such a limited menu, you would think that they would at least have what was on there. And again, the music was really loud. The food came out fast which was good, but it was just fair food. It wasn't great food.It was overpriced and the service was mediocre
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
The server was amazing. The food was over-seasoned by a lot but it was good (tolerable). And they had other things that weren’t on the menu that were offered but wasn’t mentioned until we noticed someone else’s plate and asked about it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
It was nice. The jerk chicken egg rolls were really good.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
This is a late review. I visited the restaurant in March. I was looking forward to trying their oxtails, but when they arrived, it was a big disappointment. The oxtails were not tender & the meal was cold. I did not eat my food. There were two other adults with me. One who was also disappointed but one who loved who ordered the sliders & loved them.
I also ordered the salmon bites which were different than expected but were ok.
I think this may have just been an off day because they were understaffed. A large group walked away after waiting too long for assistance.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
I don’t say this lightly—this was hands down the best cabbage, mac and cheese, and catfish I have ever had.
The cabbage tasted like it was kissed by angels—perfectly seasoned, tender, and full of soul. The mac and cheese was rich, creamy, and comforting in that “somebody’s grandma loves you” kind of way. And the catfish? Perfectly battered and fried—crispy on the outside, flaky and seasoned just right on the inside. Not greasy, not heavy… just flawless.
Every bite felt intentional and made with care. This is the kind of food that makes you close your eyes for a second and just appreciate life. I will absolutely be back, and I’ll be bringing people with me.
If you’re on the fence—don’t be. Go hungry. 💛 ignore the missing bites. I couldn't wait to dig in.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Music was a little loud, but the food and service more than made up for it
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
The kindest, most cheerful, and polite people work here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
My Wife and I attempted to try catfish and chicken wings but only had drummets and the catfish was freezer burned and incenerated to the point of being inedible along with the crab cake which was crabless and flavorless but the owner was nice enough to Comp the bad experience would not recommend the food but the atmosphere was nice I feel all the effort was spent on the building and decor and nothing on the food overated on social media sorry had to be honest 😔!!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 5
Extremely disappointed!!! Went on Sunday at 2pm , brunch was being served. Ordered the crab cake sliders. No crab, all filling and salty. The jerk chicken egg rolls were ok but not jerk chicken at all, big chunks of cabbage that were very crunchy. The churro breakfast platter not churro at all. Eggs were in a pool of oil. The waitress SUNNY who was actually the head bartender was super attentive and nice. She saw the dissatisfaction of our group and that we hardly ate any of the food she did discount the meal. The chicken and waffles was OK. Waffle was cold. The menus were ran off from a printer out of ink so very hard to read. I will not return, truly a disappointment for a local business. Maybe a new chef is needed and more staff is needed also. It is not fair to other patrons to host large events and the other customers are ignored.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 3
Been wanting to try this restaurant. Walked in and several people were at tables with no food. No one to greet guests. A really nice bartender to us if we sat at the bar service would be faster. There was only 1 server and the bartender was helping out. Sat down at the bar and was given a menu that looked old and appeared to be a really bad copy. Was able to make out a couple of entrees. Oh wait, saw oxtails only to be told they have stopped serving any oxtails. Why were they still listed on your menu?? We got up and left. I'm done!
Live band was the highlight. The jerk chicken is very spicy but good. Red beans and rice were watery and lacked flavor. Catfish was cooked well but could have had more flavor as well. Yams came out cold. Service was OK. We had a large group, maybe 20 people. The first people who ordered were done by the time the last 5 people were served and all orders were taken at the same time. I wouldn't choose to return but it wasn't the worst I've had. At least the people were nice.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 2
Service: 3
This was the worst meal I have ever had! I think the waitress was embarrassed. It was Sunday brunch- waffles were cold and limp, bacon never came, speciality waffle never came just the sides. The waitress discounted the order but hard to make up for a terrible experience! Don’t eat here- waste of money and very disappointing!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
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