The Oar House

  4.3 – 896 reviews   • American restaurant

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The Oar House is celebrating 50 years of service in 2024. We offer traditional New England seafood including Lobster Rolls, Steamed Lobster, and Baked Stuffed Lobsters. We offer a Filet Mignon, Lamb Chops, a tender short rib, and a seasonal beef as well. There are options for everyone, including fresh pasta made in house and sandwiches. We have a full bar with craft cocktails, draft beer, and an extensive wine list. Our interior is inside of the 1803 Olde Harbour building with a renovated bar. Our deck is on the Piscataqua River with seating in the sun and shade. Parking on site for guests only. We accept reservations on Resy and large party/ private event requests on our website.

A seafood-strong menu & spirits served in a historic harbor setting with a waterfront deck.

✔️Breakfast ✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out The Oar House 03801

Address and Contact Information

Address: 55 Ceres St, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Phone: (603) 436-4025

Website: http://oarhousenh.com/

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Order and Reservations

Reservations: resy.com

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Related Web Results

The Oar House – Portsmouth, NH

Located in the historic Merchant’s Row building at the edge of Portsmouth’s old harbor, The Oar House serves fine food in a setting filled with mementos.

The Oar House Restaurant | Portsmouth NH – Facebook

From our kitchen to your table, every dish made with care. Come dine with us at The Oar House in Portsmouth NH ⚓️ #portsmouthnh #newenglandrestaurants.

Book Your The Oar House Reservation Now on Resy

The Oar House is one of Portsmouth’s premier fine dining destinations and among the city’s oldest restaurants. Located on the waterfront in downtown Portsmouth, …

Reviews

Stephen Priest
What did my daughter want for lunch? Macaroni and Cheese ! Where did we just visit? Portsmouth Harbor Cruises! Who had an outdoor deck along the Piscataqua River literally next door? The Oar House ! Did the Oar House have an associate out front who answered my question about the kid’s menu? Yes ‍↕️!
We were seated right ▶️ away. I ordered Haddock Piccata with unsweetened iced tea with lemon . Delicious ! My daughter devoured her Macaroni and Cheese and asked for more. I tried a few of her Cavatelli mac and cheese and I could see why she liked it.
Great service! Nice view of the Piscataqua River, once the boat from next door left.
Pricey? Yep! But it is downtown and waterfront Portsmouth and we are dealing with inflation.
The only issue was the WiFi did not work where we were. But we are a distance away from the indoor restaurant and we were warned it would probably not work.
I am going to recommend a visit especially if you can get a seat on the outdoor deck. A bar is available there as well.
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Scott Reoch
The food was delicious, but I should have ordered two dinners. I was especially frustrated, as I asked the server “Will this fill me up?” and he replied that they have ample portions.
I left here thinking “I am going to have to get a second dinner.”
It was not an ample portion, but it was priced as such.
Service was a bit slow, and we were not there when they had a full dinner crowd.
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Raajas Joshi
The restaurant had a very local vintage vibe to it. They had a good selection of cocktails and wines. The food was appetizing. Service was good. They had a wide variety of fish entrees and the fish was very fresh.
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FoodPrincess
I chose this restaurant for a meet up with friends from out of state. I got the Oar house special that had an amazing taste to it, but was the smallest portion in the world. It maybe had 4 pieces of overcooked shrimp, 3 overcooked scallops and a tiny piece of haddock that was already broken apart. For the price things should definitely fill you a tiny bit. When the scallops were put down we all laughed. I know things have gone up in price, but come on. The service was great and the views you can’t beat! Portions are ridiculous and seafood overcooked unfortunately. Probably won’t be back. Only giving a 3 star because of the service and views on the deck.
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Roland Herrmann
Great place. Food was excellent. Service was great. Place was cute. Decent wine list. First time in; will be back
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tessa knapp
I had an amazing experience at this waterfront seafood spot. We sat outside on the deck, which made for a beautiful atmosphere to enjoy dinner. Our server, Rachel, was wonderful — she gave us personalized recommendations for both food and drinks, and everything she suggested was spot on.

I started with a spicy margarita and a Great Rhythm IPA — both refreshing and balanced. For appetizers, we tried the crispy ribs (moist and sweet), the fried Brie (absolutely to die for), and the bacon-wrapped scallops, which were phenomenal — truly some of the best I’ve ever had.

For my entrée, I ordered the Caribbean grilled swordfish. It was perfectly cooked, and the pairing of the risotto with a sweet-and-savory mango purée made each bite perfect.

Between the incredible food, great vibe, and attentive service, this place is a standout in Portsmouth. Highly recommend whether you’re coming with a large group or planning a date night — you won’t be disappointed.
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Johanna Norman
The coziest and most historic spot. We walked past and couldn’t resist going in. It really brings me back in time and was perfect for an intimate date night with my boyfriend. We loved it so much that we booked again for my boyfriend’s birthday in June! Get the oar house special (it’s baked haddock, shrimp and scallops), to die for! Also mussels were cooked to perfection and in the a perfect New England lemon broth. 10/10 for the oar house!
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Jerry Weinstock
Great food but the 6.6 Oz lobster roll was ridiculously priced at $62. But it was great.

Update to review – after traveling on to Bar Harbor and eating several lobster rolls there, (we are doing lobster at every meal 🙂 ) I would say that the roll I had at the Oar House was 4x better but at only 2x cost of the rolls we have had here in Bar Harbor. The $28 lobster rolls in Bar Harbor are just not cutting it compared to the Oar House.
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Leo Gomez
Delicious Seafood Experience

I had an amazing seafood meal featuring a crispy, flavorful crab cake, tender boiled lobster served with butter, and a rich, comforting cioppino. Each dish was fresh, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor. A true delight for any seafood lover!
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Allison Shand
If you like seafood, the Oar House is THE PLACE to be! From refreshing cocktails, mouthwatering appetizers, and insanely fresh seafood the whole experience was top tier. I highly recommend the Escargot, coconut shrimp, and bacon wrapped scallops as a starter, all 3 were so good it was hard to pick a favorite! As an entree I got the swordfish over coconut risotto and let me tell you, the coconut risotto was the best risotto I have ever had and the mango glazed swordfish was to die for. My two friends got the haddock Ruben and the Oar House Delight and after having a bite of theirs, I high recommend those too. We sat waterfront and the views were ALMOST more amazing than the food. I highly recommend if you’re in the Portsmouth area
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