I stopped in for a quick bite and was delighted by the kind folks ready to take care of me…read more I was amazed at the seafood variety and couldn't wait to try it! As much as I wanted fish and chips, a lobster roll, or even a chowder, I ended up going with the fried fish sandwich It was definitely the right choice, it was delicious, the right amount of crispy, and I couldn't get enough of the tartar sauce Had a really good time, here and would highly recommend this spot for a great local friendly feel Wonderful environment, exceeded expectations Grateful for Gloucester!

Charlie's Place Gloucester Mass…read moreWe decided to visit Gloucester in February 2026 as a way to help our relative get her new home ready for move-in. We took a Saturday off to do a little touring. After spending the morning touring Cape Ann, enjoying all the beauty there was to behold, we decided to go to Charlie's Place for lunch. It has the feel of a hometown diner without any appearance of a greasy spoon. The interior is very well maintained, extremely clean and pleasantly decorated. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. My sister-in-law had the pepper burger, which was smothered in red and green peppers and she ate every bite. She also enjoyed a cup of the fish stew. She has returned to Charlie's many times to have it again and again, it is that good! Large chunks of haddock crowd the serving while swimming in a buttery, thin, creamy broth. My husband and I made a meal of splitting three items: a bowl of the clam chowder, which has the authentic New England taste we were looking for, a simple turkey sandwich on rye and a side salad which was huge. We felt completely at ease in this restaurant which is obviously a local favorite and left feeling stuffed. The prices are very affordable. We truly enjoyed every bite in our first, but definitely not the last, time visiting Charlie's.

There are restaurants that serve exceptional food, and then there are places that remind you why…read moredining is an art form. My Place by the Sea is unquestionably the latter. Tucked into a quaint, shanty-like house perched at the water's edge in Rockport, this extraordinary little restaurant offers something increasingly rare: hospitality so genuine, humble, and gracious that you feel less like a customer and more like a cherished guest in someone's home. And then there is the food. My goodness, the food. The homemade focaccia was beautifully fresh, the kind of simple perfection that speaks volumes about a kitchen's devotion to its craft. The seafood stew was nothing short of sublime, with a broth so profoundly flavorful that I would have happily enjoyed an entire bowl of it alone. The locally sourced mussels, bathed in white wine and garlic, were delicate, tender, and wonderfully evocative of the Atlantic just beyond our table. A seasonal fruit and pecan salad offered a beautiful balance of freshness, sweetness, and texture. And the wonderfully unapologetic, horseradish-kissed Bloody Mary? Effin' magnificent. What impressed me most was the absolute integrity of the experience. Seafood this fresh needs no theatrics, no unnecessary embellishments, and certainly no pretension. Just exceptional ingredients, a gifted chef who respects them, and the kind of thoughtful, personal hospitality that cannot be manufactured. There is something profoundly moving about enjoying seafood prepared with such care while sitting mere feet from the very waters that provided it. I've experienced beautiful restaurants, but rarely have I encountered one where the setting, the cuisine, and the people felt so perfectly in harmony. **My Place by the Sea doesn't merely feed you. It makes you feel something.** And to me, that is the highest compliment a restaurant can earn. An unforgettable little treasure on the edge of the Atlantic. I would return to Rockport for this experience alone.

What a beautiful setting. On a nice day, a patio seat is hard to beat. Note that this restaurant…read moredoes not take reservations at lunch time, and during season can be busy. We dined this past weekend, and the crush of tourists were gone, and had no problem choosing a table of our choice on the patio. Service here is super friendly and efficient. While there are no "lunch" specials, there are a variety of lighter offerings and sandwiches to try. I had a chicken and brie sandwich, served on a baguette. This was quite good, but nothing exceptional. Cocktails can be a work of art and are very good. I think no matter what you try, it all tastes better when served in such a beautiful atmosphere. This was our second visit, and may be our favorite in Rockport.

Don't be fooled by the humble exterior come on in and be amazed. Our server Patricia was friendly…read moreand helpful. Oh and the food was delicious. I mean really really good. Skip the downtown shenanigans and stop in for lunch or dinner.

Great meal after whale watching in Gloucester :). The potato skins hit the spot! They were heavy…read moreon the bacon! I had the lobster roll and it was pretty good. I liked the hint of garlic! It was relatively small I'd say but still quite good. The fries were soo crunchy I loved it! We finished our meal with the chocolate mousse cake which was divine! The service was reasonably fast even though the restaurant was crowded.

2nd trip to BH's and its all about Sidedoor Sallys!…read more We came for the chimmichurri pizza. Found out its not a staple on the menu (so sad) but they did make us 2 (that was the deal- if they cut up the steak we had to buy 2. Ok!) You have to try it! Its DELICIOUS!! They are putting out a good bar pizza here. Thanks for hooking us up BH!! Greatly appreciate it.

Went spur of the moment, ate outside, out back which is nice bar atmosphere. There was a party…read moregoing on, and people milling about. Wait staff was great, There for when you need it. Inside is pretty dark so glad we ate outside. Food was underwhelming. Hubby tacos and I got burrito and both were fine. I'd def go back, but not for the food.

We had a wonderful time at a small local restaurant…read more We had booked a 5pm reservation and came early and walked around the area to get a feel for Annisquam. It is a beautiful quiet area with very nice people. We then had a Tuna Tartar, a Halibut Ceviche, a fresh Beet & Burrata salad with Citrus dressing, and shared a Swordfish. The Tuna Tartar was served with avocado, and corn with a light touch of jalapeño and blended quite well together. The Halibut Ceviche had a nice citrus flavor with avocado and was also quite good. The Beet & Burrata salad was simple, but so good. Beets, Cara Cara, Fresh Tomatoes, and Pine Nuts with an awesome home made Burrata. We then shared a Swordfish on a carrot puree served with eggplant. This was cooked very well, not overcooked (which ruins Swordfish). The wait staff was super nice and and answered a number of questions I had about the area, and the portion sizes were quite plentiful. We would definitely go back when we are in the area.

I had dinner with my mom at Talise a week or so ago when we spent a long weekend in Cape Ann…read moretogether. Talise is absolutely beautiful. It's located right on Lobster Cove on the Annisquam River, with beautiful views. We were seated outside, and it was so peaceful out there - the perfect place for a meal! We had an early reservation on a Sunday night (I'd have taken something later, but Talise is very popular, and I took what I could get) and were seated at a beautiful table outside right away. The menu is really incredible - seasonal, fresh, inspired by the restaurant's surroundings. My mom eats mostly vegan, and they were extremely accommodating and made her a pasta dish that wasn't on the menu. I had their sourdough bread with butter, sourdough soy, and sel gris (my mom shared it with me without the butter - more for me!); two of their raw oysters from New Brunswick with a sparkling rose mignonette; two of their dressed oysters with plumcots, prosecco mignonette, and smoked trout roe; and their bucatini with Cape clams, Calabrian chile, onion cream, bacon, pounded basil, bread crumbs, and 2-year Parmigiano Reggiano. Everything was very good, but I wish the sauce on the pasta had been thickened a bit so it would stick to the pasta; the sauce was delicious, but was as thin as broth and that made it hard to enjoy. My mom and I also shared their apple crunch (with almonds, vanilla gelato, and caramel), with the gelato on the side, which was a great ending to the meal. With a glass of orange wine to boot, I really enjoyed the meal overall. The meal was mostly lovely - it'd be hard not enjoy a meal this tasty in such a beautiful location - but I found the service a little cold, almost to the point that I wondered if I had annoyed or offended our server somehow. The less friendly service was only a slight damper on what was a very nice meal. I'd be happy to return - it's a gorgeous spot with a great seasonal and regional approach to its cuisine.

We enjoyed our meal here! It was super cozy and welcoming, with the wood details and the…read morefireplaces, the bar seats were super comfortable as well and our bartender/server was so kind! The cornbread they give you to start was a nice touch and was so buttery and moist. We split the GH smash burger and it was pretty good! The pickles were insanely thick and I wish we had more of the burger sauce on it to give it some flavor - you could honestly really only taste majority pickle. Definitely worth stopping in to if you want a cozy environment and friendly service! Food was very average but it did the trick!

They have the best chowder in the downtown area of Gloucester if you are walking around the harbor…read moreand shopping but don't want to get in your car again. The restaurant is pretty big and the wait staff are really nice and friendly. The menu is good sized, reasonably priced for the portions and delicious. You can eat out on their deck or there's a nice view of the harbor. There are two bars and I imagine it gets pretty packed in the summer. I send people here when asked where to go for standard fish and chips fare and feel vindicated now that I've returned in the off season. On the negative side- the vibe is corporate- like you're eating in a hotel lobby in the Midwest. There was one piece of art that looked local and if not for that, you could have been anywhere. Not a damning criticism but also the music made me feel like I was in Ohio not Gloucester. Someone had the station on contemporary country and it was loud. Men singing about going home with drunk women with low self esteem and trying to win back custody of their kids- it's the worst vibe for me. I kept looking at the waitresses trying to determine which one I could pay to change it. If the food wasn't so good and the staff wasn't so nice I would have left. There were so few other customers compared to the other restaurants we passed by I wondered if it was because the music was the reason. There's a way to say "we are a working class hangout " without blasting music that glorifies heavy drinking and dim wits in the background. The restaurant owners have curated every other aspect of the experience- they should go to Oak to Ember or the Franklin at night and realize that the music in addition to the atmosphere makes it or breaks it.

1606 is spectacular! Located in the magnificent Beauport…read moreHotel.. the bar is large with special views of the harbor. Cocktails created by gracious bartenders.. indoors or out on the immense sea view terrace. The food is amazing-- delicious raw bar options plus an extensive menu with options for everyone. We were in a private area surrounded by windows to the water.. but the main dining room is lovely., Highly recommend!

This restaurant was okay, nothing special. We just shared the popovers and then got a White Russian…read moreand an Espresso Martini. The food and drinks were nothing to note, the fruit spread/butter that came with it was super delicious though! I will say the vibes and the view of the resturant is what makes it. The water views, the beach and deck right there and the fireplaces. It felt chaotic with so many people but it was still nice! The bartenders were not very friendly though and seemed almost annoyed that we were sitting there.

I had dinner with my mom at Oak to Ember a week or so ago when we spent a long weekend on Cape Ann…read more Of all the restaurants we had planned to check out, I was most excited about Oak to Ember! Looking right out onto Gloucester Harbor, the location and the views are incredible. It's also an incredibly cool, modern spot. The interior has high ceilings and cool decor (it used to a fisherman's union hall), and the outside seating couldn't be more beautiful with those Gloucester Harbor views. The restaurant serves fresh New England seafood, dishes made with seasonal and regional produce and meat, and dishes made using their live-fire grill and smoker! No kidding, I wanted everything on this menu. My mom eats vegetarian/mostly vegan, so she ordered two small plates for herself that were veggie-focused. I ordered their smoked monkfish burnt ends (with lemongrass chili crunch and apple & celery root slaw) and their pan seared scallops (with summer mushroom risotto, smoked brisket jam, and sun-dried tomato butter). Both dishes were great. I couldn't eat all of it, but I took the leftover burnt ends home and sliced them up for sandwiches the next two days (made the best sandwiches). The risotto was one of the best I've ever had - absolutely great flavor, but I did wish they'd gotten a little more color/sear on the scallops themselves - but they weren't overcooked, which is the most important part of the cook on a scallop! I really loved my meal. Their wine list was also great, and I had a wonderful glass of Bourgogne Blanc. The service was great - Sabrina was our server, and she was wonderful! This is a popular spot, so you need a reservation if you want to grab dinner here during popular hours. We had a reservation for around 7 on a Saturday night, and a group of two walked in without a reservation and were told they had an opening for walk-ins around 9. We had to wait a bit for our table but otherwise our meal was pretty perfect service-wise. We had a great meal at Oak to Ember. I'd love to return.

The food was okay. I ordered the ribs, the ends were tough. Didn't seem like smoked ribs, the…read morecornbread was dry. My wife got some fish tacos that were on special that day. She enjoyed them. Server was really nice, and it is a cute spot.