Its a block island staple for sure. Located right off the ferry landing you cant miss it. I only ate at the restaurant and didnt use any of the other facilities so will only comment on the restaurant portion. Its got pretty standard beach eats. Menu is pretty extensive. I ended up ordering the lobster roll. It was just okay. The bread just didnt do it for me. Many people in my group commented that the food was a bit salty. Service was great though. My main gripe was the weak drinks. You feel like you are somewhere in the Caribbean when you are on this resort but the weak slushy drinks were the buzz kill. Oh wait a minute. No buzz kill to be had because I never got buzzed to begin with. Probably best to stick with drinks thst you know have an exact amount of alcohol. Have a good time everybody. read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Lobster Roll. Sorry about the neck bend. - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

When most people hear of Ballard's Beach Resort, they associate it with getting off the ferry and day drinking out of pineapples on the beach. You can't beat the lively music, crazy waves, and stunning views. Sadly, if you're not staying overnight on the island, then you probably would not know that they offer an amazing dinner nightly from 7 to 10 PM that is worth way more than they're charging. I ordered the filet special for $19 which included filet mignon, fingerling, potatoes, and asparagus. While the portion size didn't allow for leftovers, it was plenty to fill me up after a day of walking around and beaching it. When our server Diana came over to the table to take our order, I explained my allergies. She wrote everything down and personally spoke to the bartender and the chef who were both willing to accommodate my needs. I love a good dirty martini, but because of my allergy to red peppers, I often cannot have a dirty martini at restaurants because the olive juice has had olives with pimentos in them or the olives have been placed with cherries which I'm also allergic to. Diana went above and on by securing a jar of green olives that did not have pimentos and had the bartender make my drinks using that. Talk about exceptional service! When the food was brought out, Shawn, the manager, personally came over to see to it that I was all set. he conversed easily with my husband and me and had us smiling and laughing in no time. That's a rare gift! Ballards is very lucky to have him as a manager representing their establishment. If you're looking for something other than filet mignon, you'll be happy to know that they also offer a lobster special from 7 to 10 PM that is $20. We saw quite a few plates go by, and let me just tell you they were the biggest lobsters I've ever seen!!! My husband and I will be back for sure. He loved his gluten free Mac and cheese with lobster, and I loved my filet! The sunset dinner deals will have us and our friends coming back. This genius deal, stunning view, delicious food, and exceptional service have turned us into new customers! read more

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Located just to the left of the ferry and right along Ballard's Beach, this spot is super convenient for grabbing drinks and bites. Service was great--minus the lady walking around with the Jell-O shots--but overall friendly and attentive. Food and drinks came out fairly quickly. Their cocktails are fun and Instagram-worthy, but definitely on the sweeter side with hardly any alcohol. My partner and I both ordered the lobster rolls, since they were apparently rated "top lobster roll on the block." Unfortunately, they didn't live up to the hype. The bun was extremely dry and the lobster itself was a bit bland--I had to ask for extra melted butter. That said, the lobster was cooked well and the portion was generous. I would not recommend the sweet potato fries--they were stale yet soggy at the same time. I probably wouldn't come here for the food, but it's a nice spot to grab a fun drink and relax by the beach. read more

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Ballards is always a total blast. Great beachy vibe, Jimmy B. style. Awesome music and lots of tipsy people dancing and having fun. The beach bars and the personal flag poles where you can't hoist the flag for a server to come take your order....you never have to leave your beach blanket or rented lounger! Great place to hang with a group of buddies or the family! No trip to Block Island is complete without a drink at Ballards! read more

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Ordered chicken quesadilla and boneless chicken with hot and bbq sauce and a mango strawberry daiquiri with a souvenir cup ($17 extra on top of drink with no deals little pricy for just that). No napkins, utensils, or requested sauces for food when the food came, so I had to grab my own (besides sauce). Everyone working looked overwhelmed and disoriented, our server included. Place was dirty with trash embedded in the sand (stepped on a knife and straws) and very crowded. The umbrellas were practically on top of each other. I don't get how that is enjoyable with many free beaches along the shore where you can have your own peace of mind. I get the music feel, but damn, I couldn't even hear myself think between the two bands competing at the restaurants. Came, saw, conquered and WONT be back. I still don't see what all the hype is about; it's a bar on the beach read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

This is about the beach rental- we did not stay at the hotel. The beach was gorgeous, and the convenience of renting the chair was great. They move the chair for you and it is easy to sit back and relax. You can order food and drink to your seat simply by raising the flag they put next to you. Their island vice was the best frozen drink I've ever had other than in a tropical country. There was live music, and multiple bars to order from. There is a bathroom and if you pay you can use the outdoor shower (we did not) but there is no curtain for privacy etc. highly recommend going if you're looking for somewhere to truly lay back and be taken care of! read more

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Couldn't have asked for a better experience for my friend's bachelorette! We rented a cabana, and I'm so glad because we had plenty of shade and space for our group of 6 to hang out. Having a buzzer for our waitress was a plus that I wasn't expecting and definitely appreciated throughout the day. The food and drinks were great, and we were at ease seeing security nearby and keeping an eye on things. Would absolutely consider coming back to rent a cabana again for another beach day! read more

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Fantastic cabanas and service but no enforcement for guys with chairs and towels by security who aren't renting a cabana. Thanks for the tip to saving $300 a day or more! Edited to add: moved them again. We will see. read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

The dining room and patio overlooking the beach are breathtaking, but that's where it ended for me. I ordered a cocktail and requested that it be served in the pineapple. Later I would find out the cocktail cost more than most entrees. It was good, but the amount of drink in the pineapple was less than a normal cocktail. Our service was average. My husband ordered a pizza and I ordered what I thought was the hot lobster roll, but I ended up with the cold, salad one. When I asked my server, I was curtly I firmed that it plainly noted 'salad' on the menu. Fries were cold. 18% gratuity was added to our ticket... standard, even for 2 people. I don't know if my life journeys will bring me back to Block Island, but if they do I will dine elsewhere. read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Standard lobster roll (salad) - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

Four individual reviews: - My burger was good and the sweet potato fries were fine! Needed some salt/seasoning - Shrimp tacos were sad and the veggie mix was just mediocre. The tortilla wasn't grilled either. - The oysters were good but needed more sauce/sauce options - Ceaser salad was standard and good Overall thoughts: - The outdoor seating was really nice! - Never a fan of when a place makes gratuity mandatory (18% mandatory fee) - No substitutions on the menu :/ - Pretty affordable pricing - Our waiter Omar was great! - The QR codes on the table allow you to order but did not work for us to pay read more

Outstanding service. As soon as you walk into the spacious vestibule, you'll think you're in the Keys. Very calm but classic island vibe with a spacious inside and outstanding patio seating. Their Pineapple Chicken comes served with sesame and rice, in a half grilled pineapple. I was impressed that they had plenty of waitstaff foe a very busy 1p lunch crowd. My party's food came out in 15 minutes, which is very reasonable. Omar was our server and his team was great. Our first trip to BI won't be the last. I was impressed how professional & polished the entire place was. The restaurant manager here is to be commended for the customer service of his staff. read more

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We have been here twice this summer. Ballard's has a nice vibe and very good food. We were outdoors under the shade sales. They had the best Calamari I have had this year. (Crispy Point Judith Calamari). The Ballard's Berger was the best burger I have ever had. The bacon was crispy perfect. The drinks were great. I had a mud slide and my wife had the Citron Dell's Crush. Both drinks were perfect. We will be back every time we visit Block Island. They have live music and a beautiful beach area. They will bring drinks and food to you if you want. They automatically add a 18 % gratuity to the bill. I will always add more because they work hard to make you meal a happy one. We will be back. read more

Food & service was excellent! We dined 2 nights in a row! Ewert the manager was gracious & checked in with us on both nights. Beautiful dining by the sea. read more

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By far, the best lobster Benedict I've ever had. The English muffin was tender and flavorful, prosciutto melted in my mouth, the eggs were done to perfection and to top it off, it can with a cup of the freshest lobster and melted butter. Absolutely perfect. I used to think my lobster been was good... Didn't even compare. Thank you Ballards for a memorable experience and amazing breakfast. read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Lobster Benedict - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

This iconic Block island oceanfront hotel and restaurant is on a quarter-mile long beach and was founded in 1956. There were tiki bars on the beach and they provide the beach chairs, umbrellas, and cabanas for a fee. If you don't want to explore the island, Ballard's has all you need. The place is huge, busy, and service was good. Everytime I go to Block Island, I start off there and end up there. It's right near where the ferry docks and on a decent sized private beach. It's a hotel and restaurant; also, you can rent beach chairs and cabanas. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner; you can do takeout or dine inside or on the patio. When I went, they had live music and people were dancing on the patio. A favorite and popular option is to have your drink of choice in a fresh pineapple. They have a huge drink menu. Overall, a great place to hang out, party, and relax! read more

Every time I look up at the ocean and beach I think - where am I? Then I look back down at my food and say ah, yes. Our waitress starts off strong by reciting a long list of unavailable menu items that are hidden deep down in the kitchen. We ordered a beer and a mudslide hoping to get a well-rounded experience of Ballard's, both of which were delicious and reasonably priced ($7 & $14 respectively). After ordering our lunch, our waitress promptly came over and showed us our order was in the cue, still being prepared. While we contemplated whether we needed that information, and sang a few versus of Hotel California ("this could be heaven, or this could be hell"), our food arrived. Curiously, I was looking for the grouper on my sandwich as I thought they had forgotten it, but to my surprise it was certainly there. My partner's fish and chips came with a sealed container of Ken's™ Tartar sauce.... That I laboriously pulled the label off of. I would've preferred a bowl perhaps.... We both were simultaneously lost in the view and grounded with our choice of food, thankfully, anchored to the block island shore. With wonderful views and overly detailed servers, we enjoyed the food we were served more than anticipated. I still dream of the continental breakfast served at 1661 Inn, as I was eating that, all I could mumble was, "I'll have what I'm having". While you could miss ballard's and be happy, it is an enjoyable stop, one to certainly get drunk at and perhaps trundle along somewhere else for a meal, preferably with a catch of the day that's on the menu. read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

This restaurant is located in a hotel, right by the ferry. My clam chowder was tasty, but my fish tacos left a lot to be desired. The catch of the day was cod, which was fried in an overly thick and fatty batter. I sprinkled some malt vinegar on it to make it less rich, and I had to cut through it to get to the flesh of the fish. The batter content exceeded that of the fish. My dining partner had the Fisherman's Platter, which was bland. She had to add some salt and pepper to it to improve the taste. My self-created watermelon-strawberry lemonade combo was reasonably good, and my friend enjoyed her Margarita. We dined outdoors, viewing the gentle ocean waves and listening to live entertainment. The service was superb because of the attentiveness and friendliness of the staff. Overall, this was a satisfactory dining experience. read more

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Super convenient, right near the ferry. The staff is very friendly, but the food is mediocre,,, I've been quite a few times, and I always find it a bit disappointing,,.. the location, no doubt, is great, right on the beach read more

Had their amazing Lobster Roll, fresh bun and tender lobster. Frozen Daiquiris were great also brain freeze worthy. Live Ban, close and directly on Beach, a must visit staple in BI. read more

Had a very pleasant time at Ballards on my first trip to Block Island! The beach and water was clean, fun to be in, and there was an overall relaxed atmosphere from the staff. Enjoyed some really yummy French fries but, although it looks good, it is very over priced beach bar food. For a day trip, I would bring my chair on my back next time since they are allowed, and the walk from the ferry is extremely easy and short. However if I was planning on sticking around to go out to dinner or explore more of the island it's nice to know rentals are available!! Chairs were a fair price, everything else felt unneeded I would definitely bring in my own towel! The band was good but unless you're part of a Bach party or big group you probably don't get a real crazy dancing bar scene.. maybe I was there on an off night. Overall would be back! Seems like a place where you definitely get a bang for your buck with a large group. read more

My wife, 14 year old daughter and I got 3 chairs and an umbrella, they were great but we then ordered 3 dels lemonades and a chicken cesar salad from a server and were served 3 citron dels crush with citron vodka I let mine sit on the table for a second and my daughter drank about half and then said this tastes weird so I took a sip and all 3 had alcohol. When I asked why they had alcohol I was told we didnt order virgin dels lemondes. I said a dels The salad came and had no dressing we raised the flag but she finished the salad before anyone got there. read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

We've always looked forward to enjoying a meal at Ballard's whenever we visit BI, however, this time we were so disappointed. The server, Jay, brought and charged us $11 for a bottle of water, when we asked for tap. The bottle only provided for two 8oz glasses and he wouldn't bring us any of the tap water other patrons were receiving, even when we asked for it. He was quick to bring the check, and ask for a tip. He explained that the 18% gratuity automatically added to each bill would be "split equally among all staff" and he asked us to consider tipping him privately, so it would go directly to him. We were so insulted by the dishonesty of this employee! There only thing worse than being charged $11 for water is the knowledge that he is also trying to also cheat his fellow employees. So sad. We expected more from Ballard's. read more

Food was so low quality and the service was terrible. The prices are ridiculous. The live music was amazing, so I'd say go for the music if there's a band but otherwise I'd avoid. read more

Ballard's has an incredible location and business concept where it operates restaurant, bar, and hotel. My review is primarily around the bar and restaurant so cannot speak for everything they have to offer. After getting off the ferry, I was pleasantly surprised to see how beautiful Block Island was and could notice how much of a presence Ballard's had. The inside seating for Ballard's was mediocre at best but the fact that you can view the beach outside was incredible. Overall I would rate the speed of service as slow to get attended on - we were clear what we needed but got asked multiple times with questions. For the food options we ordered across the menu. We started with items like the local oysters which were definitely nothing spectacular despite us being located on the water. I will say their hot dishes are probably their winners like the calamari and pastas. The biggest disappointment I had was honestly the lobster rolls - I would assume they do them great but none of the ones I ordered were warm, sat on a soggy bun, and overall lacked flavor. There aren't many options to choose from on Block Island so Ballard's definitely stands out. read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Shrimp Scampi - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

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Came here twice. Beach was clean and water clean, pricey very weak drinks, awesome music, college crowd, pricey af to sit on beach tho. You have to pay to rent chairs and tents. They have live bands there as well. read more

The food is mediocre at best. The service is stellar. Servers are friendly and attentive and are happy to make things right when wrong. Our most recent visit we spent some time on the beach and sipped some frozen drinks. They're average in size. Expect to pay about $17 each. 18% gratuity is already added so be mindful of that and tip more or no more depending on service. The fish tacos are very good but mine came out room temp. I'm not a complainer but my husband is, so when he tried mine and they asked....he told them. They made a new one that was hot. Skip the wings as they are tough. They season fresh chicken and then freeze them resulting in tough meat. Our server asked how they were and my husband was honest (me embarrassed at his compliants). They took them off bill. Expect to pay about $20-$50 per person for food. For such a great location with nice service and good entertainment they really need to work on upping their food game. Frankly no one likes to complain and just wants to enjoy their meal but they really do a great job of trying to keep the patrons satisfied. read more

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This place is great. It's a restaurant, resort, beach to hang at. They have a great thing going. The famous mudslides and the Del's Vodka Lemonade are worth the hype and price. The lobster roll was great. The fish taco's were good. The onions rings were incredible. The açaí bowl was well liked by the kids. It did have a very floral honey on it that was off putting. The wait staff was very good. I would go back for sure. read more

Absolutely absurd to me that they add in a 18% gratuity for a single can of beer. The kid grabbed it out of the cooler, slid it across the bar to me, and they have the nerve to charge me 18% gratuity. There was no effort involved. So $9.58 for a can of Bud Light. What a joke. Yeah, I'm good. There are plenty of other places to get a drink on the island and I'm sure they're cheaper as well. read more

Ballard's is one of the first restaurants off the ferry and I really wanted to visit because the drinks seemed so cool online. I was traveling with a group of friends (we are all college aged) and we felt very poorly treated when we tried to enter. They checked our IDs and bent them to make sure they're real and then gave us special wristbands that we didn't see anyone else there wearing. They also asked if we had any alcohol in our bags (we didn't) and when we said no, they gave us a sarcastic "okay". If you bring your own blanket or towel, the beach is a nice place to sit and hang out. The daiquiris are expensive ($16 after the 18% tip included on everything), and they were not very strong. When we went to the bar to buy daquiris, the bartender asked for our IDs again and quizzed us on our names and birthdays which felt very patronizing. I found online that Ballard's has been under scrutiny for underage drinking in the past, so I understand the hesitation because we look young. However, I think there must be a better way to handle this situation that doesn't make younger guests feel like they're not allowed to be there. read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Jello Shot Injector - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

Convenient location, good island cocktails, and the service was ok...but the food was subpar which was disappointing especially considering the price per entree. The fish in the Fish & Chips entree was soggy, and the lobster meat in the hot lobster rolls was awful. They were not fresh and tasted foul, none of us finished our entrees. Besides the cocktails, we only enjoyed the chips (fries) and the corn on the cob. read more

I took my mom here for our very first trip to Block Island. We were very pleasantly surprised by the ambiance and service. The restaurant is in a good location for view of the ocean. We visited at lunch on a Thursday and had the perfect table. Staff are very friendly, attentive, and accommodating. Our waitress Rochelle was the best. She was personable and intuitive with pre-busing techniques to keep the table fresh without being obstructive. When asked she made excellent recommendations. The food and drinks were good. I was very impressed with the Mint and Mango. It is a refreshing not overly sweet mocktail. Portions are a good size and value for a beach resort. Well both left happy and satisfied. Would recommend. read more

I absolutely loved this place on our visit to block island! Entrance was free and you had access to their beach which was super clean and accessible. I brought my own beach blanket but they have beach gear to rent on site if you opted to do that. The water was so clear and beautiful! You can easily spend your entire day/ night at block island here! I also loved their daiquiri bar too! Our bartender was so nice! He talked with us about all the fun options we can get and let us try a couple mixed flavors. We ended up getting a mix of 2 in pineapple- so fun! I also tried one of their green tea shots which was great too! The live band was a great perk too! It seriously was just so fun I cannot wait to go back to Ballards on our next stay in Block Island! read more

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Food was slow to come out and gross, but the real icing on this experience was the ladies bathroom, where all sorts of creatures wander off the beach to clean themselves up. My daughter witnessed an older woman fully take her bikini top off and the bathroom attendant just shrugged at me for complaining. As I was on my way out to complain to security a fully naked shoeless toddler walked in with her mother. So unsanitary and flat out creepy. read more

Amazing service. The cabana was very worth it and we had an incident where the security (Scott & Shaq/Shack) immediately took care of it - and are very appreciative of their care. Have been regulars for years and would highly recommend going there for years going forward. Please share this with the security and let them know they did an amazing job with that weirdo. I would upload photos of security taking him out but I don't want any trouble for ballards. I would certainly post the photos of them taking care of the incident if it didn't affect Ballards -- so let me know! Thank you Ballards! read more

I was headed to Block Island mid-week (June) for a wedding, and made reservations for breakfast a week before. For some reason it's more difficult to find a good breakfast spot, but Ballards really delivered! First week in June is still pre-season, and the indoor dining was empty. Our waitress was excellent, quick, and efficient and was prompt with the coffee and refills. Our party of 4 all ordered the same (California omelette and Canadian bacon). The meals were excellent and topped with a dollop of sour cream and very fresh, sliced avocados. I would definitely eat at Ballards again when visiting Block Island. Our reservations were at 10:30, but we wanted to take advantage of breakfast which is served until that time, so I called and was told we could arrive early. I highly recommend this restaurant! Bonus is the beautiful beach view. read more

Service was great, they accommodated our difficult group of 10-12 people on a Sunday in the summer! Food we ordered was delicious but portions were on the smaller side. Mudslides were decent! There is a bell desk that you can drop off all coolers and chairs before you enter the restaurant, that is nice so you don't have a bunch of items on you! read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Poke Bowl - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

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We had excellent steamers and lobster sliders, several cold beers and cocktails and a relaxing day by the water. The beach is a little rocky here, not really the best beach on the island, but the waves were great and we really enjoyed the water. Service was excellent and the band sounded very good. This is a much better place than you typically find for a beach bar and very well managed. We'll return every year to Ballard's! read more

There's a big sign when you walk in that assures guests that they should not worry about tipping because 18% gratuity is included on every bill. You are then hit up for an additional 5%, 6%, 7% on top of that for every transaction. Which is it Ballard's? Enjoy yourself and don't worry about the tip? Or tip additionally? Why are you pushing your payroll onto your guests to subsidize? Can't you just pay your employees a living wage? All the mixed drinks are much too sweet. The bartenders need to take it easy on the simple syrup and grenadine. read more

I think I came here at an off time. I came here on a Saturday at lunchtime (around 12p-1p) and it wasn't as fun as the reviews claim. There wasn't any live music, and very little people here drinking or partying. I think it was just an off day, because I was expecting a party vibe. The salad was good, the froze was really sweet and slushy. The quesadilla wasn't that good. The staff took a while to bring our waters out but after we got those the food & drinks were coming out quickly. Friendly staff! I wish there was more GF markers on the menu besides appetizers and 1 salad. read more

Ballard's Beach Resort - Apple salad with chicken - Beaches Near Me - New Shoreham, Rhode Island

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Sumer time favorite! Such a beautiful place and extremely nice workers! Food is always good although it can take a while, it's worth it when it arrives! read more