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The Black Pearl, Newport, RI

The Black Pearl

4.3
4.3
210 Reviews
$31 to $50
American

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 12 times today
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Lively
The Black Pearl, located in the heart of the city's bustling waterfront on Bannister's Wharf, is one of Newport's best-known and best-loved restaurants. From the warm ambiance and classic cuisine of our Commodore's Room and Tavern to the al-fresco charm of our Waterside Patio, the Black Pearl has something to offer everyone. Enjoy our clam chowder, raw bar, steamed lobster, sandwiches (including burgers, corned beef reuben, salmon, and swordfish), locally caught seafood, and more.

Hours: Open 7 days a week at 11am for Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner.
Reservations: Limited. No reservations will be accepted through the Summer Season.
Dress Code: Casual. Men are required to wear sleeves.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Seafood
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (401) 846-5264
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Private party facilities
    Please visit our website and leave your contact info for information about private events.
  • Area
    Newport
  • Cross Street
    Bannister's Wharf
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine

What 210 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.3
4.3 based on recent ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Newport County

    Hot spot

  • Newport County

    Great for outdoor dining

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Black Pearl offers a delightful dining experience with "amazing clam chowder" and a "historical" New England pub-like atmosphere. Guests praise the attentive service and delicious seafood options. While some reviewers mention noise and occasional service lapses, the overall charm and quality make it a "real Newport gem" worth visiting.

210 Reviews
  1. Jeff

    Greater Boston

    7 reviews

    2.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 15 December 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Restaurant was fine, but nothing to brag about. Food was average. Made a reservation for an early dinner after 4pm before a night out in Newport. However, we were surprised to find that we could only order off of the limited lunch menu until 5pm, and the dinner menu was not available. We were on a time crunch and could not wait until 5pm. This was a real let down. Drinks were average at best, and small. Staff was very friendly, so no complaints there. The ambiance was ok, but we were seated very close together with our neighboring table, and their own conversation dominated our experience. My food (Tavern Burger) was incredibly greasy, and wound up fairly ill for the rest of the evening. However, I probably would have ordered something different had I had the regular dinner options. My wife ordered the salmon, which was very good, but the salad that it was paired with was bland and had unusual pickled vegetables, which she did not care for. Overall, I wouldn’t say we won’t go back as we would like to try the dinner menu that everyone raves about, but I can’t say that we will be rushing back anytime soon. P.S. our “table mates” didn’t care for their dish either and sent it back to the kitchen.
    The Black PearlResponded on 16 December 2024
    Thank you for letting us know about your experience Jeff. I apologize it was not what you were expecting. I'm guessing you mentioned this to your server? I will speak to the staff about how we address guest feedback in the moment.

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  2. Philip

    New York City

    19 reviews

    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on 11 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious food, cod, Shrimp and grits, the best clam chowder (full of clams!) and a slice of coconut cake to die for. Our server was friendly and efficient.
    The Black PearlResponded 6 days ago
    Thank you Philip for the kind words and the 5 stars. I eat the clam chowder every day, so I know where you're coming from.

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  3. Catherine

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 7 December 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Hasn’t changed in 50 years. Food ok, service mediocre at best. The locale saves it
    The Black PearlResponded on 10 December 2024
    Sorry to see you didn't have the experience you thought you were going to have Catherine. If you'd like to call the restaurant and speak to a manager we'd be happy to hear your thoughts.

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  4. LisaMarie

    Greater Boston

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 23 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was tasty, service was good, a little close to other diners. I look forward to visiting again.
    The Black PearlResponded on 25 November 2024
    Thank you LisaMarie for the 5 stars and the kind words. I'm sure you were seated inside in our Tavern dining room, which is intended to have the close-quarter feel. We have 2 other dining rooms -- one inside called the Commodore Room which was not open due to expected business on the day you were here, and the outdoor Patio, which while covered and heated was still not perfect for dining. If on your next visit you would like to try one of those other dining areas it may feel more spacious.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 17 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    The chowder which has a history of being the best was not what it use to be. I was disappointed.
    The Black PearlResponded on 18 November 2024
    Hi, sorry to hear that. I wonder why it was different since we haven't changed the recipe. If you'd like to reach out at the restaurant I'd like to make it up to you. -Rob

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  6. steve

    Greater Boston

    26 reviews

    4.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on 11 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Food and service is always good. Never disappoints.
    The Black PearlResponded on 13 November 2024
    We're glad you had a good time Steve. If you feeling like calling the restaurant our managers would enjoy hearing your feedback on how we could have turned those 4 stars into 5.

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  7. AmandaS

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 8 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Amazing clam chowder!! Also, the lobster salad sandwich (pretty much a lobster roll on a croissant) was such a good value and flavor!! Highly recommend. We were seated in the annex which didn’t give it a tavern vibe but still amazing!! Service was slow to start, then on par.
    The Black PearlResponded on 13 November 2024
    Thank you for the kind words and the 5 stars. Clam chowder and lobster sandwich is my go-to recommendation for here. We're glad you had a good time.

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  8. C

    Key West

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 7 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    Thankful for server who sold us a Hat and T when 3 others said no.

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  9. Jacqueline

    Fort Lauderdale

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on 5 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our food was delicious! The service was good. I will definitely return to Black Pearl.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Victoria

    VIP

    Greater Boston

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 26 October 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved the meal and service. Loud group was near us but not your fault, we would go back!
    The Black PearlResponded on 1 November 2024
    Thank you Victoria for the 5 stars. We're glad you enjoyed your visit despite some noisy neighbors. Please let us know next time so we can thank those other people for having a good time but to maybe bring it down a notch so everyone can also have a good time.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Black Pearl is rated 4.3 stars by 210 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 12 times today
Google Map for The Black Pearl

30 Bannisters Wharf, Newport, RI 02840

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Bannister's Wharf
  • Area
    Newport
  • Hours of Operation
    Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Phone number
    (401) 846-5264
  • Private party facilities
    Please visit our website and leave your contact info for information about private events.
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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