Great Beef Stew. Nachos on kid's menu were dry and should be deep fried and come with salsa vs charging for a small ramcun of salsa. Kid's menu should come with drink too. Pizza sauce tasted like there were red hots in the sauce. Crust was good. I think if I owned this place I would have my workers wear green Irish sporty shirts with company name on them and black pants vs sweat pants and whatever for it throws off the the establishment in a negative way. The wait staff was fabulous and should be paid well and treated to gift cards and such by the owner for their hard work. The tables/bar area need a make over. There were people coming in to drink at the bar that smelled of marajuana which is a huge turnoff. The atmostphere was dull inside and could be lively with Irish decorations to make the establishment look more inviting. I would hire a decorator or go out and look at other Irish pubs/restaurants to get ideas. There were also people coming in to use the single restroom from the street which means guest at the restaurant, like me, had to wait. I would also call the city to see if they can address the homeless people with their baggage in the middle of that street for no one wants to walk from the the Peforming Arts Theatre and come across vagrants blocking the path and having to cross the stree to avoid them. Your establishment could do more business if you just make a few changes noted above for the food is not bad. read more

Shucks. We have been patronizing this restaurant for years before our PPAC shows and have enjoyed the food and ambiance. They offered simple specials that were always good and it was a great place to meet and chat with friends before the show. Unfortunately since their big makeover they have lost so much. The private, cozy, quiet rooms are gone. In their place is a large bar with the worst acoustics ever. We cannot even be heard at a 6 person table. The food has suffered as well. They do not provide specials and, although we arrive over an hour before our show, we have to wait so long for our food that we are rushed to eat it. It is sad that a longtime tradition for us will be no longer. We are going to find another place where they serve good food in a quieter atmosphere. We will miss Kim the most. read more

Blake's Tavern - Chili with cornbread - Irish Pub Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I felt bad because the bartender was working by herself and she was nice. I order steak allá mamá medium rare it came out more like medium well. She asked me if it was ok and I said it's not medium rare she took it back and when they send it back it was still medium. Which I was like I'm just going to eat it. She came to check on me and asked about the steak and I said it's ok!! She reply the other one was medium rare. I just didn't say año thing to her and stop eating and ask for my check. If you don't know how to cook an steak get a thermometer. Get it right. read more

Nice ambiance and good food, especially the Ruben. A must have. The service was a bit slow, however, I caught them during a rush period. The waiter was clever, drop off our drinks promptly but was slow in taking our order. read more

Had to wait about 10 mins to be seated when our table was ready. The host/manager idk who it was, just took us to the end of the bar without letting us know where and which our table was. The drinks were fine. They're regular bar drinks. As far as the food goes, BLAND AS FFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCC!!! Our apps came out cold. We ordered the Gold Pot and everything was cold/warm. Our entrees were even more terrible. Nothing was seasoned. Seemed like they cooked the meat and just threw sauce on top. Nothing was seasoned EXCEPT the fries which we're all pretty sure they bought it seasoned already. read more

Stopped in this place for a drink on a cold night night. It wasn't very busy, but it was a Monday. I was looking to get warm but found it quite drafty in here. This place is large with a cool setup I would say. I appreciate the Touch tunes, but I thought the volume was quite low. There are many TVs- would be cool for a game day. I think the drinks were a bit over priced especially for the quality taste. I had a Biltmore martini and my friend had a sangria. I found both of them to be overly sweet and unfortunately generic while in their not typical glasses. Lastly we had a round of lemon cookie shots that were also underwhelming. More like eggnog. read more

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Beer & Ruben were delicious. Haven't been for a while and it did not disappoint. Service was good for a Wednesday night. Was craving a good sandwich so I came here. read more

Blake's Tavern - Loose Cannon - Irish Pub Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Katie and Juan were so accommodating and nice!! Such a great atmosphere surrounded by great people. Would definitely recommend Blake's Tavern if you're looking for amazing service and yummy pub food! read more

Nice space, and decent prices for most drinks and food. The food; however, was below average. I got a burger and fries and I don't think a single spice was used (even salt) for either of these items. Extremely bland and flavorless, and the burger was cooked well done despite it being ordered medium. Their menu is absolutely massive, and they serve everything from burgers to fajitas to pizza; not sure if this makes it hard for any one item to be particularly good. Service was fine. read more

I visited Blake's Tavern on a whim when a newer/trendy restaurant nearby was over capacity. I hadn't visited this establishment in nearly 10 years and it still holds up. great food, great drinks, and friendly/prompt staff. You couldn't ask for a better restaurant. Go check it out. you won't regret it! read more

Erin was the absolute best! Recommend the steak and burger it was top notch. We are bottled beer drinkers so we were very happy... also beef stew was great, nice clean bar with an Irish pub vibe in providence! read more

Don't bother. Writing this as I wait. Took over 30 minutes to get a drink as I watched the girl poorly pour beers for the people at the bar. The other 3 in our party got their drinks and I had to remind the waitress of what my drink was. The bar then made a second round of drinks (un-ordered) for the other 3 but still none for me until I asked again. After I got my first drink in 45 minutes, the waitress realized the bar made the second round and asked if we wanted them. Of course since we don't want to wait another 30 min. We ordered food shortly after we ordered drinks. It's been an hour and still no food. Less than half the room was filled when we sat down. As time went on, the crowd is now about 3/4 full. Our waitress is nice but the wait time is awful. We gave ourselves 2 hours before the show for dinner and we are unsure if we will make it. 2 of 4 plates came out mixed in with someone else's order about 1h 15m in. Another waitress said sorry, the kitchen arranges the trays. 10 minutes later, my plate came out. 10 more min in, the last plate came out. All the food was a bit underseasoned. The steak skewers were tiny and full of fat. TLDR: Everything took forever and the food was basic. read more

nice spot, cool music, vibes, drinks. food is pretty good but the bartender sarah is pretty rude. been here a good amount of times and each time with her seems to be an unfriendly encounter compared to how she interacts with others sitting around grabbing food and drinks. not sure whats her deal but she gotta check the tude' lol. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped in for lunch here because a friend had told us of a fried Bologna sandwich that was unbelievable - so we made the trip into Providence specifically for it. We sat down, each ordered a soda, and after looking at the menu realized much to our chagrin that we had come to the wrong pub - we were supposed to be at Murphy's, just a short stroll away. Embarrassed, when the server came back with our sodas we let him know of our mistake and that we needed to pay for our drinks and make our way to our original intended destination. To our shock, his demeanor immediately became rude and dismissive in response to our genuine apology for our silly mistake. At this time, he fully decided we were not worth speaking to - and didn't utter a single additional word to us. He simply (and blatantly) rolled his eyes and walked away without saying anything. Not a gracious "ohh boy, sorry to hear that! Let me get your check for you, hope to see you back another time!" or even a simple "oh ok" - he literally looked at us like we had inconvenienced his entire day and strolled away without a word. He came back, dropped the check on the table, and again walked away displaying the poorest attitude I've ever seen from a server in my entire life. We even apologized to him again and he wouldn't even acknowledge us. We had felt so silly for our mistake that we were even planning on tipping him $10 for just our two Diet Cokes. But after that display? For no good reason?? Nope. We still tipped $3 because we're decent and reasonable people - but we were floored by this guy's behavior, to the point that my boyfriend almost said something to him to call him out on it because it was truly mind boggling. Ultimately, I left him a little note on the slip: "We made a simple mistake - there was no reason to act like a jerk" because I needed him to know that his actions were so inappropriate. But, realistically, based on his attitude over something that was such a small silly thing, it likely made no difference. Have fun with getting through life, pal - maybe someday you'll grow up and learn what it means to be gracious. We walked over to Murphy's and had a 5-star experience in a place filled with more character and warmth. If Blake's management reads this, we didn't get his name - but our server was an apathetic young man who looked to be in his 20's, with brown hair growing out of his Bass Pro Shop baseball cap. He doesn't understand the concept of customer service in the slightest. EDIT: I looked at some of the other low-star ratings, some of which contained responses by the owner. This review will definitely fall on deaf ears because they don't seem to give one care about how people perceive their business. Way to go lol. UPDATE: Much to my surprise, the owner reached out to me with a lovely message and apologies for the experience as well as an offer to come back and try them again. I'll bump up to 2 stars for that, but I don't know that we'll find our way back there again. Best of luck - and I hope that the young man who was our server will learn from this one. read more

I was here with a large group of coworkers. We came here for a nightcap. I ordered one drink that was mediocre and ended up sticking to beer fater that. Rudest service I have ever received at the bar. All of the bartenders were extremely rude. I actually asked my coworkers to order the drinks and I stayed away from the bar later on because the negativity there was too much. Most were from out of town and were extremely disappointed by the bar. We did not have the food, but looking at the other reviews, it doesn't seem it was any better than the service or drinks. The bar actually closed earlier than posted and after the bartender let out the loudest, make your ears bleed in pain shrieking "last call" we got the hell out of Dodge. read more

Nothing to go crazy about... it was ok- skimpy poor for a martini. Food is good for the price and staff was unique and nice.

We had a party of 9, they were very accommodating! Went before the Simon & Garfunkel Story at PPAC last Saturday night. Great food and portions, very reasonable prices. Our bartender was amazing, very attentive, friendly and organized! It was convenient walking to PPAC and parking right in back. Definitely going back! read more

If I could give zero stars I would. The women at the bar refused to serve my international friends even though they had valid international ids and passports. She kicked us out by using xenophobic slurs and afterwards she called every other bar in the city to make sure we couldnt have a good night. I would have rather been diddled in the bathroom than deal with that waitress again. I would advise going anywhere else in the city (malted barley, fish co, wild colonial). Fuck Blake and fuck his tavern read more

What a great little local spot. Wondered in for a beer. Outstanding selection of local IPA's on draft. Had a really tasty rueben sandwich. The ladies behind the bar with delightful and really responsive to everyone in the place. Looks like they do a solid carry-out business as well. I will be back. read more

Awful food and drink- beer was warm and flat (Pacifico), wings were soggy and ribs were cold. A total miss. The waitress was very attentive and did a great job, I suggested she run far from this place so her skills are not wasted. Even for a pub with low expectations it under-delivers. Shamefully overpriced for the abysmal food quality and lame experience. Avoid. read more

Food is phenomenal recommend the Irish nachos. Shepherds, pie mac & cheese only thing is service is a little slow but the food is worth it. I must admit the time between appetizers and main course made it enjoyable to eat with out rushing would DEFINITELY go the next time I go to a bruins game !!!!!! read more

Never a bad experience...they always seem to have a great staff..food is great...my favourite place in all of downtown! . read more

Me and my buddies were going to the PC Friars game and wanted to get something to eat prior to the game. Bad mistake going to Blake's. Terrible service and the food was horrible. Save yourself and don't go here. This place doesn't deserve to be in business or even have a license to serve anything. I would rather go home to my wife and kids. Lol Seriously this place sucks!! read more

After my girls and I checked out the "Bodyguard" play at the PPAC staring Deborah Cox (It was good. If it's a 10 rating, I give it 7.5 ) we were starving. We Googled restaurants in the area that STILL open. Wake Up RI, why are you going to bed so soon. We walked to Blake's Tavern. I'll admit, I was a bit nervous. I've never been and I hadn't heard from anyone regarding it. They sat us right next to the door which I didn't like. It's cold and patrons walking in and out breathing on your food. Not Cute. The staff was friendly. There are plenty of TV's and my girls said that there drinks were great. So they bring out the food and OH MY. Everything that all of us ordered was fantastic. I never had a Mediterranean pizza before and I loved it. View all my photos. You'll be satisfied with any of these choices. read more

After being tightly seated in the bar, we asked to switch to the less crowded dining area. The waitress followed us there for what seemed to be with some bitterness the we proceeded to feel for the time we dined there. We ordered the calamari which was decent. Then we each had the bourbon steak tip dinner which was one of the priciest meals on the menu. Steak tips were medium rare even though our preference was never asked. Dish was mediocre almost like a meal we could have gotten at Denny's. Our favorite thing about the place was that it was in walking distance from PPAC. We will not be going back anytime soon. read more

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Disappointed I have been a customer of Blake's for 20 years and for some reason it has really gone downhill. There's a whole slew of issues going on here. The menu is a mess, the mainstay corned beef sandwich is on the bottom of the last page on the menu. I ordered a corned beef sandwich on a Friday night and I have to be honest it was one of the worst cb sandwiches I have ever had. The corned beef tasted old like it was cut the day before. Awful Lastly is the prices, Blake's used to be a divey tavern with a cool atmosphere and cheap drinks. None of this is the case anymore. 2 awful sandwiches, 4 draft beers, and an awful patron to deal with 60 bucks. Terrible, I give this place 2 stars instead of 1 for the good decade that I experienced. Those days are long gone. Go to Murphy's Thanks read more

Stumbled across this gem around lunch time. So glad we did! Everything we tried was delicious but we particularly loved the stew, clam chowdah and Blake's nachos with that famous chili. So good! Tried the Apple cider mimosas - life altered! Hope we find our way back there to have another one someday! So good! Service was excellent! read more

Friendly staff , consistent , reasonable pub fare. Good salads, pizza, soups and drinks. Perfect for impromptu get-together or quiet lunch.

Went on a Saturday night with a bigger group for drinks and food. Service was great. Some of the meals was better than other but overall a good experience. read more

This place is awful. The bartenders are super unfriendly. If you are just getting basic drinks it's okay, but never get food here. They will take forever, whether it's take out or ordering in house, leave your food clearly sitting out under temp, make your order completely wrong, and then act like it's your fault. They should stick to cracking open White Claws. read more

Staff was so rude when we walked in. They told us to sit at a table and then said we have to go to the bar to order drinks and while being ignored at the bar we watched that same staff serve a new table of four. Walked out and went somewhere better. read more

I found this place by accident. My friends had stopped in this place nearby which was just too crowded for my taste, so I said I'd wait for them accross the street. As long as I was sitting at their outdoor table, I ordered some coffee and some oreo ice cream pie. The pie was great! I wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was. Then another friend came over and sat with me, so we ordered some mild chicken wings. OMG, they were the best wings I ever had! Big and juicy, perfectly fried, and with a great mix of seasonings. I live in Boston, but I am planning to take the train down to Providence one of these days to get some more of those wings! read more

Forgot my meal so I had to wait an extra 20 min to eat, food was okay but gave me a massive stomach ache afterwards. Feel bad for the waitress as she was the only waitress on the floor in the front on a Friday night. read more

Blake's Tavern leaves much to be desired. A group of friends and I decided to stop in for a quick drink on our way from one location in Providence to another. The first, most uncomfortable experience about walking in here was the bar going absolutely silent as we found a place to settle down. Very. . . awkward. . . silence. . . The waitress came over and ordered our drinks with relative speed. I ordered an Amaretto Sour (of which the waitress was unsure they'd have the ingredients for. . . ) For a bar that boasts "mixed drinks are a specialty at Blake's, we have a complete line of liquors to match any taste" this is very surprising in hindsight. Regardless of this, the drink was mixed decently. About what I expected. After placing our initial orders, service was painfully slow. What should have been an in and out trip turned into a 30 - 40 minute ordeal. We waited forever to get the actual drinks. . . then again for the bill and an eternity to pay. Really not worth the time spent here. In addition, the woman's bathroom is a trek and a half to locate and get to. You must travel through the crowded front bar, maze through the back bar, then finally arrive around another corner. Finding my way back was another story. A somewhat generic beer list matched with their slow turn around will make it easy to walk past this establishment in the future. read more

Came here on a night of a show at Lupos so it was crowded, but npt packed. Keep that in mind. Food was pretty damn good - we got the chili and Bourbon wings. The wings had that sticky sauce...delish! The service on the other hand was pretty freakin bad. I felt horrible for the female bartender...she was handling all the male bartenders problems 'Billy'. Billy is a joke A total douche bag. Yelling be sarcastic to all the customers except these two women whom he knows. This tool bag was purposely ignoring people...expecting other customers (whom he was being a dick to) to hand his friends drinks by saying 'be a gentleman'. The female bartender like I said looked like she was dragged down by her obnoxious idiot, tool bag coworker. I would be too dealing with this idiot. read more

Blake's Tavern - Menu he threw at us - Irish Pub Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Bait and Switch Sign out front advertises fish and chips but when one goes inside they say they ran out. Saturday night at 7:00 PM seems a bit early to be sold out. At very least they could change the chalkboard sign. Particularly infuriating when you have paid for parking based on that advertisement. read more

Blake's Tavern - Don't believe what they say. - Irish Pub Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

I wish I could give this place negative stars. The waitress was disgusting and rude and didn't let me say two words. I brought in food from outside while waiting to order and I was first told not to eat it. That's fine. Then I was told I had to leave and when I was about to let her know I was going to order she repeatedly spoke over me and was horrible and rude. Then claimed she wasn't. I'm sorry speaking over someone and not allowing them to speak and order from your place of employment does not sound like being nice. Negative stars. Don't go here unless you want to be treated like garbage. read more

For a restaurant in the heart of downtown Providence that is blocks away from PPAC and other landmarks, Blake's can NOT handle a rush. At all. I've been here at night for casual drinks and enjoyed myself, but the kitchen and waitstaff were extremely frazzled and borderline rude when I went before a show at PPAC. While I understand that they don't want people to miss their show, refusing to seat people with 2 1/2 hours to go before the show seems ridiculous. Since there weren't many people in our party, we opted to sit at the bar. The bar was not completely full, but somehow the bartender still managed to miss us. (Or ignore us?) The food was good and the prices were reasonable, but the staff's handling of everything really makes me not want to go back anytime an event is happening at PPAC or somewhere nearby..... which is often. read more

Came here before a show at PPAC. This may be the most unpleasant restaurant experience I've ever had in my entire life. The wait staff was rude and it made our table feel extremely uncomfortable. It took a very long time to just get the appetizers (over an hour) and once they came they were not good. The "deluxe" nachos are anything but deluxe. The potato skins were over cooked. The marinated grilled chicken was alright. Our drinks were not good. The margarita which said it came with sea salt rim had no rim. When a person at my table asked about the rim, the waitress stared at her and then just walked away. We watched 3 parties who had reservations be rudely turned away saying "you'll never make it to the show we're too busy". Very awkward all around. When I said we needed some time with the menu, I was met with a look of disgust. We decided to leave after trying to eat the appetizers because of how horrible the service made us feel and how bad the food was. Very unwelcoming. Yikes. Would not recommend to anyone. There are much better places in the area (one of which that we happily found). read more

Went here with some friends to grab a drink and a bite to eat to watch some of the NFL playoff games. They had Downeast cider on draught, which was great and we had an order of their nachos. The nachos were decent and a good size and were easily split between 3 of us. Overall, this place is pretty no frills, but they have plenty of TVs which makes it a great place to watch a game. read more