First, let me start by saying I never post reviews. But after my experience, there was no way I could let someone else be subjected to what my friends and I experienced at Blake's. Our waitress was downright miserable and RUDE, drinks were disappointing with hardly any alcohol, if any at all. The food was hardly edible so we left and ate elsewhere. Do yourself a favor and choose another restaurant. read more

I went to Blake's before a show at lupos and was less than impressed. The food was very much overpriced. I ordered a buffalo chicken sandwich that had a small sized piece of chicken and a boring roll. The fries were standard. For the drinks, they had a very old school selection on draft. Not to mention, I received the beer in a plastic cup. The beer was also expensive. I think they are trying to prepare you for lupos by charging lupos prices, lol. Anyway, the music was cool, they played the band that was playing at the show. That was neat. All in all, this place was very unimpressive, and I probably won't go again. read more

Stopped in for dinner before a show at the PPAC. Hostess found us a table even though the place was swarming with dinner guests. A table at a window and we quickly ordered the Biltmore martini and a fresh poured Guinness. I enjoyed the fish and chips and my husband had the Steak Ala Mama sandwich. The fish was in a great beer batter and I requested the seasoned fries, which were just right. The steak sandwich was out of this world, so juicy and tender and a very fresh roll. Our waitress was courteous and mindful of our limited time. read more

Unpretentious and nearby. That's enough for me. Add a veggie burger with an option for rye toast along with the comfort of good company afforded by a few friends and there you have it. In a recent visit the service was quite outstanding. Low pressure - despite our taking forever to look at the menu - along with frequent check ins, water refills without asking, you know, what a server should just do and with a smile. Was that condescending? It was meant as a compliment. Blake's is not quite a regular's dive, nor is it one of those worth-going-out-of-your-way-for destinations. It's the type of place where you want to put vinegar on your fries, even if you don't usually take them that way. It's the kind of watering hole where you may run into the reigning queen of Providence drag queens, Miss Kitty Litter. It's the sort of spot where an Advanced Public Speaking professor reserves the back room for a night, so he can have his students give their final presentation - a 5 minute long comedic speech - "in a public setting". It may also be the very location where one strikingly handsome and charismatic 19 year-old stud recounted his many failed sexual escapades for more than three times longer than what was allotted to him and still managed to walk away from the class with an A. I'll keep that A, but have to give Blake's an honorable, much-deserved B++. read more

Blake's Tavern - Chaplin poster - Irish Pub Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Terrible service - Saturday night and only one bartender serving the whole place. Bad vibes. Questionable music

First visit was overall really good, the food was absolutely delicious, drinks were good as well. Service was solid, felt rushed out but other than that the waiter was very polite. I would definitely consider returning here read more

Blake's Tavern - Purple Haze Shot & Tequila Sunrise Mimosa - Irish Pub Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

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Would be zero if I could. Visited prior to a concert at PPAC. 2 hours ahead of time and food service was horrible. Staff was nice but the kitchen team just crumbled. We got our dinner with no time to eat it. We paid and left. Never again. Don't do it. Too many other choices in the area. read more

Worst venue I have EVER been to The table that sat down 20 minutes after us got served well before us... absolute trash service...go some where else.ofmyou need to eat read more

Ate there with two friends, horrible service had Tracey as a waitress, absolutely horrible service couldn't hear anything over her constant complaining about the other servers there. Watched dirty glasses get piled up on the bar, by the time I finally got my check there was probably 30 glasses on the bar. The food was okay, would not recommend this place. read more

This place is just any other ordinary Irish Pub but with American food. I came on the day of Pride and it was crowded, but we sat in the back bar. The draft beer menu was very limited (it was full of IPA). We decided to snack on the fries (not shown in the pictures) and they were very good. They were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They also have a special ketchup that isn't Heinz and it has a barbecue twist to it. The waiting time took a little while for three wraps and a burger, maybe because it's so crowded (?) Anyways, I got the spinach salad wrap with pasta salad. I don't understand the small slice of orange we got with our meals.... The spinach salad wrap was very fresh but didn't have much flavor to it. However, I wasn't allowed to pick what kind of wrap to have with it so there's not much of a selection with that. The pasta salad wasn't overloaded with mayonnaise, in fact they don't use mayonnaise. I believe it is Italian dressing mixed in pasta, carrots, kalamata olives and celery. My boyfriend also really liked the glass that they served his beer in and he asked if he could take the glass and they let him do it for free! Thanks! I would come here again but just for a regular lunch. read more

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Not a single person in my entire social circle will ever go to this bar again. Rudest staff I've ever encountered. I went here right after my own wedding, and can say the staff here was the only negative part of my night. The bartender insisted I was underage (I'm 30) and refused to serve me. She was unnecessarily rude not just to me, but to everyone there. Again- this was my wedding night. Horrible place and honestly hope it shudders it's doors soon. read more

A nice small bar/tavern. Very intimate, not made for large groups. Great presentation on the food, our burgers were great, although one was a bit overcooked from what we requested. Love the sides choices, we did the steamed veggies, they were perfect I was dying to try the French fries though because of the tangy ketchup. read more

Blake's Tavern - Yummy - angus burger - Irish Pub Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Don't come to Providence without visiting-great food (not even "bar food"-just awesome comfort plus) and the most friendly service you could find. The young lady working the bar was so sweet and helped us find our way on the map-and what she didn't know, she found someone who did and brought them to our aid! read more

Good selection of beer and wine and very good pub fare from salads and buffalo wings to wraps and burgers, all solid. Friendly, fairly attentive staff. Diverse crowd, several characters but that' Providence. A good regular stop. read more

Will never ever go to Blakes ever again, rudest bartender ever and if you go to Providence College or are an alumni do not go here they do not want our business. The bartender said she hates all the " white kids" from PC, find another bar. When the Dunk opens next year definitely don't give them your business after home basketball games. I've been coming here for the past four years and have never been so humiliated at an establishment in Providence. This bartender obviously did not want to work and she knows who I am talking about,blonde hair, you are so rude and should not serve the public. I will let all Providence alumni and present and future Friars know not to go to your extremely hostile business read more

Went to Blake's great service but there menu's prices increased by 50% and they didn't change there menus. You think your spending one price but when you get the check it's almost double the price . The staff doesn't even tell you . read more

Charged $4 more than was on the menu for a Sandwich. Didn't realize it until later. Don't know how they can do that.

My wife and I went to a couple of other establishments after a dinner at Hemenway's and they were all completely packed. When we arrived at Blake's a couple of people had just left and there were a two places available at the end of the bar. The NCAA tournament was on and we were on a mission to catch a game or two and enjoy a cocktail. The bartender was friendly at first but nothing over the top. She took care of our needs but didn't bother us or go overboard. As we had a drink or two we started talking to her more and even started playing Keno....I forgot this was even a thing! She was having a good time with us and most of the people near us were friendly. There was a gentleman at the corner that looked to have been having a really good time and couldn't stop burping....but hey it was St. Paddy's day! There was an experience with two people sitting next to us where they had clearly been drinking since 8am and were belligerent. They yelled at our bartender friend and she handled herself very well. These guys were definitely in the wrong. I would recommend this place if you're looking for a no BS, neighborhood bar. The people that work here are very nice.....just be nice to them! read more

I have come to this restaurant again and again because they accommodate our group when we go to PPAC. Tonight I had a Caesar salad wrap and onion rings which were delicious as usual. The wait staff there is outstanding. They always accommodate us with anything that we ask. The acoustics are a little loud especially on evenings when there are a lot of PPAC patrons there for a meal. They can accommodate Large and small groups. They always make sure that we are out on time to make a play. read more

Waited over 20 mins for a basic steak sandwich (a slab of fatty, untrimmed steak slapped on a microwaved roll), and they brought it out with the wrong side. I realize it's easier to scoop cold pasta salad than to cook fries, but I ordered fries! When I was finally able to get the bartender's attention and ask her to fix it, she sighed like I was being difficult. I just wanted what I ordered! To top off this crappy experience, the bartender decided not to give me all my change. Are you too lazy to count nickels and dimes Kim, or are you not making enough in tips? "Close enough" isn't good enough when you're dealing with other people's money. I will never go back to this place again. read more

My favorite local bar in the middle of providence. The bartenders are my favorite people in the world and the food is your classic pub fair. Shout out to Sean and Kayla behind the bar! Can't wait to come back once corona is all over! read more

Cannot believe that I've never Yelped this place.... have probably been here a hundred times! It's our go-to place before a show at PPAC. Our waitress, Kim, is the bomb! I love the menu here - everything from healthy options to downright pig out! I love the Margarita chicken dinner or salad when I'm trying to eat well. But they also have the best sweet potato fries anywhere. If you're looking for some great pub grub, they have a pizza/wing/pitcher special that's amazing! The sandwich and wrap selection is really good too. I'm partial to the Famous Rueben, which comes with traditional corned beef or turkey breast. My faithful readers know that I'm not much of a meat eater, so I just love the turkey version, which was my choice tonight. It didn't disappoint! This place has a nice vibe. There's a bright, comfy bar in the renovated dining room, as well as the original bar in the front room. Location is convenient to multiple down city haunts, including PPAC, Trinity Rep, the Dunk, Lupo's and more! read more

Blake's Tavern - Blake's Famous Reuben w/turkey - Irish Pub Near Me - Providence, Rhode Island

Zero stars for the service level, two for the food. We were seated promptly upon arrival. After that things went south quickly. Our "waitress" took our drink order, came back with half of the drinks, took our food order, then disappeared. She worked the other side of the bar, but never came back to our table. We finally had to go to the bar for our other drinks. We thought this had to be a joke as the place only had a small number of seated patrons. Assuming this was a shift change issue? We came in a little before 5, so I am guessing our "waitress" was done for the day after clearing her other table and never transitioned our table to another server? If not, then there are literally no excuses. Food was finally brought out after an hour, however the meals for our two children was not. (order was never entered). We had to re-order and then wait another 15 minutes for their meals to be brought out. Bartender offered 15% off due to all the issues. Kudos however to the young lad who took over our table late in the game and made sure our kids got their meals. As we were leaving, he even came out to apologize for our experience and ensured that we were given a discounted check. (The initial check was at full cost, only after he checked was the bill reduced.) If we had him the entire time, the experience would have been different. As visitors to Providence this was a terrible choice, so we own that poor decision. With so many other options, you can do better. Food was average, but the initial service was among the worst we have ever had. read more

A lot of school has been skipped here. It's not a good idea to stop in for a quick dinner and drink with a friend after work before a 6:30 Human Resources class. This place is so laid back, cozy, friendly, and ridiculous on certain nights that you will not want to go learn anything. I used to eat well-done fries with a side of honey mustard and turkey wraps. Always delicious. I drink whatever the fuck strikes me from day to day so I don't recommend anything in particular, but the ever classy white zin on the rocks seems pretty darn popular in this bar full of an extremely diverse clientele. You'll have an off-duty cop on one end of the bar, and a drug addict on the other, and they will go make love in a playground after the bar closes. Yes, they will. read more

It is impossible to outdo my dear Erin M's review of Blake Tavern, so I shall just tell you that I have enjoyed my handful of experiences here. And by handful, I mean two, possibly three - though all (both?) were memorable. I love the Blake Tavern because it is oh-so-New England. With it's vague Irishness, dark, yet washed out wood, patrons and bartenders with amazin' accents and simultaneous crustiness-friendliness, and $3 Narraganset tall boys, I'm not sure what more you really could ask for to epitomize Providence, Rhode Island. Well, stuffed quahogs, maybe (stuffers!). But at any rate, this really is a nice little family friendly dive bar (there was a family eating here today, and the children were ridiculously well behaved - kudos). The food is tres satisfying bar food - today I had the quesadillas with guacamole and two Sam Adams (I shoulda had the Narraganset, but I noticed too late... oh well). I tried the well-done fries (see Erin's review) and thought they were three stars/a-ok. Most of all, I enjoyed the decor, the affect, the bar, the bartender, and the old man drinking Budweiser who struck up a convo with me just as we were leaving. If I hadn't had a plane to catch, I can guarantee you I woulda spent some more time drinking tall boys and shooting the shit at Blakes. Perfect spot to knock back a beer or five on a freezing cold, snowy afternoon. read more

Food is good. Service is sometimes hit or miss. One time our food took 35 minutes another time it took 10. Would recommend though, most servers are very friendly. read more

This place is amazing with super professional staff and perfect, yes perfect food. Fajitas rocked and the stew was one of the best I have ever had. More importantly the staff was highly professional. Someone came in who had just a little too much and the nice bartender ordered him food but said could only offer water. What class. Kudos. read more

Where do I even begin with Blake's. Just a nondescript, semi run down looking Irish pub Down City, but it is somehow more than that. It is dark like an Irish pub should be, a couple TV's, some tables and a small bar. Decent selection of beers on tap, and the food is decent. Nothing i would return for but nothing I have ever been disappointed in. It's true beauty is that it is neutral territory, in that it doesn't have a set clientele. It gets a pretty even mix of hipsters, college kids, "street toughs", old neighborhood men, fancy people (the PPAC crowd", people waiting for a show at Lupo's, those either going to or leaving an event or hockey game at the dunk, office people... it is amazing solely for the people watching possibilities here. Other than that the staff is always friendly, the drinks fairly priced.. and the waitresses are usually cute. It is not chic or fancy, it is as unpretentious a place as I can imagine, and thats why I love stopping in. Check it out, accept it for what it is, and you'll have a good time. read more

Ratings should be much higher for Blakes!! Parking is annoying but otherwise it's a great place. If you're a Buffalo lover- get the Buffalo fingers. Prices for nowadays are extremely cheap. Great hang out place for any time of the day read more

Blake's is a decent neighborhood bar downtown.... if downtown is your neighborhood. The crowd is a mix, as someone else mentioned you get your J&W students, your Lupo's & Civic Center crowds, a handful of office workers, off duty cops (though not as many as before they moved the police station) etc. The food is basic greasy bar fare (burgers, wings, fries, etc) and they stock a full bar but I always get the 'Gansett. They play music that is alternatingly awesome and horrible, but it's not so loud that you can't have a conversation. I mostly wind up here when it's late and I've already been drinking at a bar that closes at midnight, or when it's late and I've been drinking at a bar that doesn't have a kitchen. I have no special affection for Blake's - I would probably never suggest it as a place to start an evening, but there are worse places to end up. read more

I've been to this restaurant twice. The first time (several months ago), the food and service were ok. We went again this past Sunday and had the most horrible experiences. The bathroom (which we didn't use the first time) was DISGUSTING. I had to hold one of the stalls closed so my daughters could have privacy. No paper towels, and no one replaced them (after we were there for almost an hour and a half, and we told them as soon as we arrived). The food: on a Sunday at 5 pm, they were out of many things. It took 50 minutes from the time we sat down until our food arrived. Once we found items they had (hamburgers, salad) - the burgers were not done as ordered (a lot more well done than medium) and the fries were cold. I will often give a restaurant a second chance, but we were so skeeved by the environment, annoyed at the length of time it took to get our food, and that the food was sub-par, we won't be coming back here. But if you're looking for a great price on parking during shows at the PPAC, the garage on the same block only charges $10 on event nights! read more

Stopped here with friends after Rhode Island Comic Con. Looked for a quick "bar food" bite to eat - and that's pretty much what we received. The buffalo chicken pizza was delicious - but my gf's order was completely left out and she had to wait another ten minutes to receive it. We also had pretty slow service on a few requests we had (water, more salad dressing, etc) - and it wasn't really that packed. By the time we'd finished, we could understand why the place has three stars. Sad too, since the food was all very tasty. read more

I needed a quick bite before the Prov. Pride parade, and I just happened to stumble in to Blake's. It was exactly what I was looking for at the moment: relatively cheap bar food. I ordered a basic burger and my boyfriend got a garden salad. The bus boy that brought out the food automatically assumed that the MAN ordered the burger. Tisk, tisk, bro. The burger was decent and the cheese was nice and melty. My boyfriend's salad was big and leafy and the veggies looked pretty fresh. Overall, the food was much better than I expected it would be. At first the service was great, and I was surprised at how our waitress managed to keep on top of things, even amongst a giant party in the city. However, we ended up waiting quite awhile for the bill, which was unexpected. Also, as we were leaving, we overheard another waitress reciting the specials to a table near the door. Before our meal, we had asked our server if there were any specials. She said there were none. Hmm. I was also pretty disappointed in the beer selection. You would think that a rustic-looking bar smack dab in the middle of downcity would have something out of the ordinary on tap. The best beer on tap was probably Sam Summer. I'm sure I'll return. Just like the rating states, it was A-OK. read more

Fun place! We wonder here every so often, but the last time was the best. We sat at the bar and ordered a ton of appetizers to snack on. Our food wasn't great... just your run of the mill greasy bar food. Maybe the sandwiches/entress are better? I'm not sure. But that didn't matter- the bartender that night was John and he was awesome. Treated us well, was a lot of fun, let us taste a beer on tap we'd never heard of. They have a decent selection of beer and it's not overpriced. It was a good night. We'll be back. read more

Nothing gourmet, but they put together great comfort food in a great atmosphere with friendly staff.

Went to dinner her for the first time ! Best wings and service from Taylor and juan tonight ! Covid safe and could still a smile under the masks! read more

Solid bar and extremely friendly staff at Blake's. Casual prime location in downtown Providence to catch a sports game! We ordered the Texas Burger and it was de-li-cious! The beef was cooked perfectly and coated with a slice of cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and wait for it... 5 strips of bacon with BBQ sauce. OMG. Paired with their seasoned fries this dish really kicked it out of the park! Hubby had their buffalo chicken sandwich and the chicken was so tender, jumbo portion and we were both happy at the end of the meal. Our server was OUTSTANDING. You know how you can tell when people just enjoy their job or take their job seriously so it totally shows on their face? That's our server. She kept our drinks full, checked up on us on a non-creepy way and was prompt with our requests. It totally made our experience so much better, pushed it over to a 4 star bar. Thank you for all you do! read more

We stopped in for a Saturday afternoon drink at the bar. Didn't order any food, but we'd totally come back here for a dinner or lunch because our bar tender was that awesome. So friendly and funny! read more

Great local pub, fast service, wonderful food and great drink selection. Beers anywhere between $6-10 in the heart of downtown providence! Burgers and appetizers were wonderful read more

This is my spot. I've lived near Providence my whole life and have been coming for years. The bar staff is the best! There are TVs, two bars, music and all different items on the menu. They serve late night which is great. They have the local Whalers Rise on tap and a full bar. It's a great Irish Bar to get a drink and a burger. (I wouldn't get the calamari though) read more