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The Puddle Dock, Portsmouth, NH

The Puddle Dock

4.8
4.8
834 Reviews
$31 to $50
American
A photo of The Puddle Dock restaurant

The Puddle Dock

4.8
$31 to $50
American
Portsmouth

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 23 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Romantic
Located on the grounds of Strawbery Banke Museum in historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire, The Puddle Dock Restaurant proudly offers Modern Colonial feel and fare! Led by esteemed Executive Chef Derek Clough, the Puddle Dock Restaurant will take you back to Colonial America featuring English and American favorites, then snap you back to the present with our modern twists.

Chef Derek takes great pride in growing a lot of our vegetables, foraging our mushrooms, and presenting beauty for your palate. His care is evidence in some of our best-loved dishes, Yorkshire Pudding, Portuguese Salted Cod, Pan-Roasted Duck Breast, and our signature Hoe Cake. Be sure to save room for dessert! All our desserts are made in house - Cinnamon Rum Breading, Dark Chocolate Pudding, and Posset are among the favorites!

Enjoy the ambience of our historic exposed beam building, once a general store offering penny candy, or enjoy our front and rear patios for dinner in the open air.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Cocktail Bar, Comfort Food
  • Hours of Operation
    Wed–Sat 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Sun 4:30 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (603) 373-8192
  • Website
    http://www.thepuddledock.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Derek Clough

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 834 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • New Hampshire

    Best Ambience

  • New Hampshire

    Innovative

  • New Hampshire

    Romantic

  • New Hampshire

    American

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Best Overall

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Best Ambience

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Innovative

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    Romantic

  • Portsmouth and Merrimack Valley

    American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Puddle Dock in Portsmouth offers an exceptional dining experience with "delicious food, great atmosphere, and great service." Guests rave about the "excellent cocktails" and "fantastic desserts," particularly the bread pudding. The cozy, historic ambiance adds charm, and despite occasional menu limitations, it's a "must-visit" for its creative, high-quality dishes and attentive staff.

834 Reviews

  1. Leonard

    New York City

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was excellent. Service was very good, but could have been a bit more attentive. We sat for quite a while after finishing our meals before the waiter came over. We were seated at a table with one chair over a heating grate. That was not comfortable as it varied between too warm and too cold.

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  2. Deb

    New Hampshire

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our reservations were for 6:15 and we were seated about 20 minutes later. It was a fully booked night and the previous party was lingering and enjoying. Quinn, the Manager, accommodated our party of 6 by putting two tables together and was very apologetic for the delay. Service was very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. Most of us had the steak and potatoes. While tasty, the meat was a bit fatty and very marbled. There was a lot of waste. The port Demi sauce was sweeter than expected and I did not personally enjoy it on my potatoes. I prefer the more savory side of flavors. But that’s just really a personal preference. For the price of the plate, I wanted it to be more of an enjoyable experience. I would dine there again, but would make another entree choice. The cinnamon rum bread pudding was the star of the night. Absolutely amazing!!! The ambiance was wonderful, warm, and inviting. We had a lovely holiday meal with our family.

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  3. Korrine

    Greater Boston

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was fantastic! Thank you Michael. Food was fantastic. Will be going back.

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  4. Marc

    Caribbean

    17 reviews

    3.0

    17 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Portions unfairly small and very pricey for what you get I did call attention and decided to return my meal as the dish was so small for the price. What I had was good not great. Caaser same thing… small portion for price. In fairness they agreed the portion was small and did not charge me, but fair portions at the outset at a higher end place like this shouldn’t be an issue. Atmosphere is great but won’t be returning.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Key West

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of our favorites in Portsmouth or anywhere frankly

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  6. Stephen

    Dallas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding food and attentive friendly service in a charming space with a fireplace in quintessential New England colonial style. I had the Pear and Blue Cheese Salad and the Colonial Pie made with duck filling. It was hearty and delicious. My dinner companion had the scallops which he said were exceptional.

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  7. Irene

    New Hampshire

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great atmosphere, very friendly staff, food was excellent. We made an early reservation which was good, because by 6:30 there were people waiting.

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  8. Lance

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Unbelievably great experience for our anniversary dinner! The Puddle Dock was decorated for Christmas, we were seated by the fireplace and it couldn't have been more cozy. The staff were absolutely top notch and the food was some of the best we've had in Portsmouth - which is saying something from a city known for great eats! On the menu: Deviled Eggs Yorkshire Pudding Duck and plum pie Chicken and Leek pie Almond Pear Cake We can't say enough about everything we tried. The Yorkshire Pudding had to be one of the best starter dishes we've ever tried. The pies were hearty and perfect meals for a rainy December night. Without a doubt, we will absolutely return!

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  9. Fred

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 8 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were a party of six and all enjoyed their meals. The server was friendly and responsive. Lovely atmosphere

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  10. David

    Houston

    50 reviews

    5.0

    50 reviews

    Dined on 8 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a great meal. A unique old building with such charm and ambiance. Food, drinks and service all spot-on. Mushroom soup, duck breast, chicken, and salt cod all great! The bread pudding was right there to top it off.

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FAQs

The Puddle Dock offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (603) 373-8192.

The Puddle Dock is rated 4.8 stars by 834 OpenTable diners.

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

A photo of The Puddle Dock restaurant

The Puddle Dock

4.8
$31 to $50
American
Portsmouth

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 23 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Puddle Dock

66 Marcy St, Portsmouth, NH 03801-4650

Additional information

  • Area
    Portsmouth
  • Hours of Operation
    Wed–Sat 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Sun 4:30 pm–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Cocktail Bar, Comfort Food
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Derek Clough
  • Additional
    Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan
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