My wife and I often use Yelp for restaurant help, but this is my first review. I am not writing it because I am unhappy, but to be honest I hope to get the restaurant's attention as we would both like the Atlantic Grill to be a successful addition to our neighborhood. I am very surprised by the many positive reviews - for the most part because the New Hampshire Seacoast is known among other things for our fine dining and culinary experiences. While a beautiful space (we spent many months awaiting the restaurant's completion and grand opening as we live less than a mile away more or less and have been looking for options outside busy downtown Portsmouth), this restaurant is by no means complete. The food was no better than the Ruby Tuesday's on Woodbury - not to criticize Ruby Tuesday's but that is the closest restaurant I can offer a reader in terms of food. Nicely presented bar food. Period. Nothing more and nothing less. We had heard the same from all of our friends, but wanted to try it ourselves. One of our closest friend's has commented that he would not return except with his grandchildren - or instead he will simply make the trip to the Riverhouse (which we love!). Had it just been for the food, I would have actually given the Atlantic Grill three stars... but the service... no thank you. Not on our Seacoast! We came in just before 8pm and took seats at the bar, but noticed that the two female bartenders started closing up just after 8, or maybe 8:15. By 8:30pm, all the bottles had their tops back on them - and at the very same time we noticed another couple just ordering their food. Did the bartenders want to go home? Absolutely. We felt rushed to say the least, which is not at all what we look for when we are lucky enough to find time to go out together. And there were at least a half a dozen plus people around the bar, and looking around the restaurant, half the tables were full. And what time does the restaurant close? 10pm folks. I asked to confirm. But does that make the Atlantic Grill a one star restaurant? Not yet - but just wait. Both my wife and I ordered two rounds of top shelf cocktails. We also ordered food. About halfway through our experience, my wife asked for a glass of seltzer water, which the bartender poured from the well tap (so it was not from a nice bottle of Pierre for example). And guess what?! Our bill had a charge of $2.95 on it for my wife's soda water! Like I said earlier: not on our Seacoast! Shape up or ship out Atlantic Grill - or add an all you can eat buffet like Ruby's so at least we won't have to travel all the way to Woodbury for a mediocre meal and service. read more

Went there for the first time today. Decor is inviting, comfortable, and the pictures on the wall are interesting. The Jelly Fish tank is amazing. Sat inside the bar area with the 6 flat screen TV's. Decided against the patio for the first visit, but will try their next time. We ordered the Deviled Eggs and Tuna Lettuce wraps for apps. The Devilled eggs were moist and super flavorful, and the crunch on the toppings made it perfect. The Tuna Wraps were the best overall experience I have had with an app in years. Tuna seared perfect, lettuce crisp yet firm. And the sauce should be bottled and sold. (I don't like cooked Tuna so I never order it, as few people can do it right. Glad the wife ordered this as it was perfect) Fried Haddock bites and a Salmon Burger were the meals. The Salmon Burger was HUGE, moist, and super good. The Haddock bites must have come off a boat that morning they were so fresh. And the seasoning was perfect. Just enough to taste with the light batter to not overpower, but so good. We had the regular fries that were perfect Wife took home a dessert and she just tried it. Pistachio Cheesecake with Candied Bacon. Tastes even better than it sounds. Staff was great, funny and you didn't have to wait for the bill. That is the most annoying thing on the planet. If I say we're all done we expect the check. Got it and was not rushed at all. On leaving we poked around the Restaurant. They have Function rooms that can accommodate large groups by th looks of them. The walls are accordion walls so looks like you can get whatever size you need. Met one of the owners who saw up poking around and gave us more info. Super nice. Top 3 Restaurants I have been too for food, service, price, and menu options. This time we drove the car, but next time we're taking the Scoot. Saw motorcycles in the lot and you get the feeling that their not gonna give you that sideways glance if you come in from a long ride. This is my first review I have ever given on Yelp. Just felt the need to get the word out about this place I was that impressed. next Saturday if you see a Silver Road King in the parking lot you will know this was real. We will be back. read more

I have been here multiple times since it has opened and it has been terrific! The service was terrific and the food was amazing. I heard that they got a new chef since the grand opening and it shows! The salmon and the sea bass are my favorites. Perfectly cooked with the right amount of seasoning and sides. Are you planning on changing the menu with the seasons? And when will the patio open? I can't wait to sit outside! I just started this yelp thing because hearing friends and others talk about their experiences was just getting me a little fired up. I have been in the food service industry for over 15 years and from reading reviews for my current job and reading other restaurants I have come to the realization that most people who write these reviews don't know food and the business! They probably have a freezer full of frozen food at home for their meals and wouldn't know a actual fresh, creative, gourmet meal if it bit them in the face! This may be my first review but it most certainty won't be my last! Keep up the good work Atlantic Grill! Can't wait to come in again! read more

Brought my wife and we started with a half dozen oysters that were out of this world. We took the server's advice and went with the well fleet oysters - amazing. Apparently they have a special refrigerator just for seafood that keeps it amazingly fresh. Had those with dirty martini's (of course!) that was just a great start. We then tried the Warm lobster & artichoke dip and the baked brie en croute - we each ordered for ourselves but ended up splitting them they were both so good. We were actually fairly full by then and decided to split an entree. We went with the parmesan pine nut Sea Bass - Some restaurants get bent out of shape if you want to split - they were very nice and brought an extra plate! Generous portion and perfectly cooked - I hate it when they over cook sea bass. The server recommended a very nice wine to pair with the sea bass, which for the life of me I can remember right now. We finished with bananas foster - my wife's favorite - and she was not disappointed. This place is going to be crazy in the summer - and they are built for it - it's huge! read more

Outstanding food and waitstaff! When my husband and I first read the reviews we were hesitant to dine at the Atlantic Grill. Knowing that people usually post negatives rather than positives, we decided to give it a fair shake! We are so glad we did! The staff at Atlantic Grill has definitely heard the negative reviews and have completely transformed this establishment into one of our favorites! The meal we ate was absolutely delicious (30 day aged sirloin, mussels, salmon with bourbon glaze, and raw oysters)! Everything was cooked to perfection and was served at perfect temperature and the presentation was lovely. Our waitress, Leslie, was one of the best waitresses we have had at any restaurant in NH. She was kind, attentive, happy, and could answer all questions we had about the menu and specials. Don't let the negative reviews dissuade you from experiencing the Atlantic Grill. We will definitely return. read more

We always dine here at least 2 times on our trip to RYE,NH. As usual, the experience was delightful. The quality of the food is consistently great. The fillet I had was superb. We travel quite often and the steak here is by far the the best. My wife had the scallop plate and this was also excellent. Very nicely presented and tastey. Service also was great. You can always tell when the personnel are treated well by the owners and management by their attitude and willingness to serve.They are happy to be employed by ATLANTIC GRILLE. Laura,our server is amazing. Todd, the bartender. Lots of energy and personality. Good drinks,also. We also had lunch on the outside patio on another occasion.The construction of this eatery inside and outside is well done and contributes to the overall casual dining experience. Nicely decorated. See you in a few months when we visit from Tenn. read more

While a beautiful space - I agree with the previous reviewers. But, let me say this: the uncrowded parking lot must be due to the lackluster food. This was our second visit, and it was no different than the first. The fish was overcooked, the calamari soggy, and the bread no different than what is served in a school cafeteria. I think the restaurant will survive in part due to its location outside of busy Portsmouth, and due to its "ambience", but I will not return with clients again, nor make it a "special night out" with my wife. Good for a lunch out with the family at best. Too bad as the space is very nice. read more

Stopped in the other night after sporting events were done and enjoyed an wonderful meal. I ordered the Poached pear salad with Salmon, the pears tasted fresh and poached to perfection, the salmon was cooked in a very tasty maple bourbon glaze. The kids ordered off the main menu and were very happy with their meals of pasta bolognese, sirloin with corn on the cob, and the sea bass dinner, (they cleaned their plates). Then on to desserts, we split an ice cream brownie Sunday and a banana fosters, both very delicious! Our server was both very friendly and attentive. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

What a great addition to the area. Perfect location, easy to get to from any direction. We sat at the bar. Todd and Dennis were our attentive Bartenders. Beautiful new building. Huge bar that is surrounded by windows on two sides, with a massive stone fireplace and lounge area at the opposite end of the room. The owner stopped by and chatted. Between the dining area, lounge and bar it seats about 400. Average entrée price about $20.00, wine by the glass from $8.00, we sampled the Crab Cake and Baked Oysters. Delicious. A great alternative to downtown Portsmouth. Highly recommend. read more

I don't know why waited so long to go back to the Atlantic Grill. The first time that I visited was for a birthday party after they recently opened. At that function, I only had a chance to enjoy a couple of beverages but I thought the atmosphere was great. On a recent visit, I met a friend for some appetizers and drinks. The service was great and how can you go wrong with fresh Ahi tuna lettuce wraps and deviled eggs as appetizers. It was nice to get out of downtown Portsmouth and not to worry about parking. I'll definitely be headed back to the Atlantic Grill. read more

Our date night at the Atlantic Grill was excellent. Our server Courtney and her supervisor Meredith were more than helpful. I ordered the tuna lettuce wraps not realizing the fish is very rare, which I cannot eat (although it looked wonderful). They were gracious in taking the dish back and replacing it with the deviled eggs (delicious with their lemon flavoring) and took the tuna wraps off our bill with no trouble. The service was quick, however we never felt rushed and all of the food was cooked to perfection. We will be back! read more

We enjoyed a wonderful dining experience last evening at The Atlantic Grill. The food was fabulous from the appetizers through our main courses. Our server Betsy was wonderfully helpful in guiding us to our final selections, and was attentive and most professional. It was our second time visiting the Grill in two months, and believe me it won't be that long again! The food quality and preparation, atmosphere and selections there are spectacular. 5 Stars all the way!!! read more

I was recently given a gift certificate by the physician I work, so my husband and I and our two adults sons headed over on a Saturday night for dinner. We opted for seating in the lounge area right by the window. Service and atmosphere were great and the food was amazing! We had everything from Lobster Artichoke Dip to Filet Mignon, Baked Scallops and Baked Haddock! Needless to say we all enjoyed our entrees, and would most defintely recommend The Atlantic Grill! read more

Went there the other night for dinner for the first time. Great Experience! We sat at the bar, the owner came up introduced himself and chatted with us for a bit. Both Bartender's were very attentive and friendly. We ordered a few different dishes, the oysters, crab legs and crab cakes, all were delicious! Oysters were definitely the favorite!!! We are very excited to add this restaurant on our list as one of our "go to restaurants". We'll definitely be back! read more

I'm a first timer at Atlantic Grill, and am now a HUGE fan! The bartender that served my group, Todd, went over & above in every way. His recommendations were spot-on, his service was prompt, & even though he was extremely busy, he always had a smile and conversation when he checked in with us. If I could, I'd give AG and Todd 10 stars!! read more

Our first experience at the Atlantic Grill was great. We sat in the bar area and experienced great food and excellent service. The bar tender made us feel like we were in a local pub. I would highly recommend the crab cakes. The portion was generous and the quality was excellent! read more

One of the best seafood chowders that I have had and I've had a lot. The oysters were fresh and clean, served with three sauces if you need them. A bit pricy, but definitely worth it. read more

Came for lunch. Drinks were great. Food was too. Wait staff was attentive but left us alone when needed. Recommended!

Great meal great wait staff had coob salad ,haddock , sea food chowder Cold Sam Adams ,iced tea Eli's root beer read more