The clam chowder was simply next level. Never had it so good! It was thick, full of bacon and clams. I would come back to this city just for the chowder !! Loved it !! read more

My mom and I stopped in at Drift for an afternoon drink when we spent the day in Gloucester a week or so ago. The day got a little rainy, and we had some time before our dinner reservation. We saw Drift and their Harbor views and their TVs playing the third place game of the World Cup. The service was really friendly, and my mom and I enjoyed a glass of wine and a beer, the view, and the game. (They have food, but we were just having some drinks before our dinner reservation.) It was a nice place to relax for a bit after touristing around Gloucester all day! read more

DRIFT - View - New American Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

My family and I went to Drift for lunch on Saturday. It was great! Luckily we got a table right at the edge of the patio -- great people watching. The drinks were great and while the food menu was more pub food, it was still delicious. We ordered the Bavarian pretzel - big hit with our kids, was huge and came on a stand with cheese dipping sauce! Dumplings. And 2 flatbreads. Our kids definitely liked the pepperoni more than the margarita (this wasn't really a cheese - it had chunky tomato, basil and balsamic). We were all happy and well fed! The waitress we had was nice and was holding down the fort single handily - impressive! read more

Place was very dirty, most fruit flies I've ever seen before in my life. Spilled beer that was never cleaned up also serving dirty plates

Interesting and unfortunately negative experience. I arrived with a group of friends. With no one to greet us at the front when we walked in. I approached someone who I was hoping is a manager/staff and asked if we can sit at an open table. He gave a confused face and then a large, awkward gesture without saying a word spreading his arms across the table. We were all confused to which he then confirmed we can sit there. He then took our orders and pretended not to know items on the menu when we asked about them only to later allow us to order it. He kept repeating this style of awkward jokes that made some at the table feel unwelcome. He later stated he is the owner when apologizing for not having the ingredients for some menu items. We proceeded to wait over 60 minutes for our first app (a pretzel) followed by another 15 minutes between each of the next two apps. We ordered 3 items and it took a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes to get just 3 small dishes. At no point did he apologize for the long wait or update on us in how long we would have to wait. The food itself tasted pretty good but a little too pricey. There were a few other tables around us where patrons were being quite agitated. Disappointing and I see lots of room for improvement but lots of potential as well. The actual restaurant itself is very nice read more

Disappointing Experience We were really looking forward to ending the night at Drift after my daughter's elopement. We had a group of about 20 people who wanted to come celebrate together.(August 2) I checked the website and calendar ahead of time, which showed that Drift was open until 11:00 PM and advertised a piano sing-along that evening. Since you don't take reservations, I emailed and sent a Facebook message letting you know we were planning to come with a large group around 8:00 PM, but unfortunately never received a response. I also called about a week ahead just to give a heads-up, and was told our group would be written down. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we found that Drift had closed early and the evening we had planned for wasn't happening. I completely understand that businesses sometimes have to change their hours or plans, but when your website and calendar say you're open until 11 and you've specifically been contacted about a group of 20 coming in, it would have been nice to have been notified of the early closing. This was a special night for our family, and we were disappointed that something we had planned and tried to communicate about ahead of time didn't work out. I hope the website/calendar and communication with larger groups can be improved so others don't have the same experience. read more

Disappointed to see more AI menus. The specials are delicious but it doesn't need fake enhancement. Believe in yourself and your staff! They're good! read more

Ok, went here after a wedding and they had live music, great open balcony, and about 10 people tending a massive bar. They even have some street level space if the weather is good. The tenders were extremely busy, but VERY focused on trying to serve everyone there. Great job DRIFT! If you're looking for a good place in Gloucester, there is no need to look elsewhere, this place is open when all the others were closed. read more

I had been here before and enjoyed the meal. They changed their menu, though. There was nothing safe for celiac (no gluten allowed) folks or vegetarians- so we had to leave. While we were putting our coats on, another group came in and asked if they had gluten free items on the menu- nope. So all of us left. It's a short sighted chef who loses 6 meals because of 2 people with celiac & 1 vegetarian. read more

Theo is one of my favorite bartenders of all time. The staff are all beautiful and incredibly attentive. Watch the fog roll in over Gloucester Harbor great spot for a drink and to feel like you are amongst friends, even if you are a stranger. read more

Great location and atmosphere. Had a great night listening to the bands. 10/10 for waiter Finn.

They bailed me out last minute but the price was thru the roof. Extra charge for credit cards

We stopped at Drift on a whim when we were in Gloucester because it was a beautiful day and they had open air seating. Drift is a bar like atmosphere. We seating ourselves when we arrived and sat by the open air window with views of the downtown area and the ocean. The service was a little slow because I think there were only two people working the front end of the restaurant. After reviewing the menu and wanting seafood we were told they were in the process of switching over their menu and had no seafood this time of year. We were a little disappointed, but my husband and I each ordered the hot honey chicken sandwich and our daughter got the Summer Salad with Chicken. I have to saw we were pleasantly surprised with our meals. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the sandwich was flavorful. They sandwich's came with tots and an aioli for dipping. The tots were perfectly crispy and the aioli was delicious. Our daughter loved her salad especially the cinnamon pear vinaigrette. We would absolutely return here. read more

DRIFT - View from our table - New American Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

See all

I planned to eat here with my family. However, upon exiting the restroom, the man with glasses behind the counter spoke to me in a highly intimidating and rude manner, assuming I only wanted to use their bathroom. As a result, I had absolutely no interest in dining there. read more

After my bad lunch experience... me and my girls hit up drift for some better food and drinks...love the margs!! Service was so good, and staff was so kind!! The music was pleasant and I over all enjoyed this spot. Cute view and will be returning for some more margs and pretzels!!! read more

My friend and I stopped in for a bite to eat and were immediately greeted by the young bartender, Ryan who was also working the high-top tables by the open windows. Every table has a view of the ocean. So beautiful. Ryan was super friendly and efficient. He immediately took our drink orders and made me a delicious expresso martini! My friend had a soda. I ordered the Haddock Bites and she ordered the salad with sliced chicken breast. Both meals were plentiful and yummy. We definitely will be back!!! read more

The worst experience I've ever had with a bouncer. He made a personal decision on our group on 12/30 at 12am. Nobody was excessively drunk but he made it seem like the whole group was incoherent. We had a member of our group with a speech impediment. I've never seen somebody on as much of a power trip as this "man" read more

We are not from the neighborhood, but we love to go to drift when Brittany is behind the bar ! She is super friendly kind and have a lot of hospitality! In a town that you get a lot of severs with her you make a friend ! Thank you !!!! read more

DRIFT - New American Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

The food was amazing and the service was great! I'm torn between telling everyone to race here and try it - and keeping this fantastic secret to myself! read more

See all

shrimp were too old, yuck couldn't eat the one my friend asked me to try $4 apiece ripoff, must have been sitting in the fridge for about 4 months? salad was ok veg sushi was too bland no sauce besides boring soy chairs not comfortable waitress was good read more

Terrible venue for live music, especially bands. The place is far too cramped, service is slow and the host is very rude. Beware of the unadvertised minimum food and drink spend per a person. This is not published on their website or socials but instead is a tool used by the host to discriminate. They should have a sign outside "Locals Only" because those seem to be the only patrons made to feel comfortable and welcome. I would not recommend this hole to friends, family or other bands. read more

I came here for the first time since they changed the menu and a new chef and was absolutely blown away how good the food is now. I started with the shishito peppers that were so good with a sauce on them and such a large order. I then got the hamachi and added salmon and tuna and all 3 were so fresh and such a nice presentation. The service was exceptional, bartenders so friendly and attentive, refilling water and just very friendly and nice. If you haven't been here since they changed over give it a try you will not be disappointed. read more

Stopped in and had the best meal ever! Citrus Sea Scallops, Tuna Tataki and Fire Kissed sushi roll, all were excellent and extremely fresh. Waiter and bartender were extremely professional and friendly, as well as the manager who stopped by to chat. Will definitely be back! Water view from the restaurant and open air seating was nice. Tell your friends and head to this place next time you are in Gloucester! read more

Very good food, excellent service and a wonderful view of the harbor. What else would one want?!

Isn't it wonderful when you find a restaurant with spectacular food, friendly staff and a lovely sophisticated atmosphere? I was at Drift, Main Street, Gloucester last night sampling Wave Kitchen's the chef's magic. Beef sous vide with chimichuri sauce and seasoned roast potatoes, absoluely delicious and creative. Desert was celestial - I need more of that! Interesting cocktails too at a large welcoming bar where one wants to meet for drinks - finally in Gloucester! I was too tardy getting to the newly refurbished expanded Drift, a terrific evening. Don't be tardy! Try Drift and Wave Kitchen. read more

Terrible experience! It was my first time in Gloucester on 6/21/25, and we thought this would be a good restaurant. We arrived at 7:30pm and ordered a flatbread and a garden salad with grilled chicken. At 8:50pm, we still hadn't received the food. I checked in with my server (she was foreign and had fair skin) she went to check and came back saying the kitchen didn't have anymore lettuce after I had ordered the food over 40 mins before. I then cancelled the order and left and the staff, including the manager. They were very dismissive, the host mimicked me when I left and told them to do better. The server I had was running like a child going from one entrance to another, chatting with guests instead of being attentive to her other tables. The staff didn't seem to care, the bartender (blonde tall dude) lied saying that he was the manager so I didn't deal with anyone else after I complained about my unfortunate experience. Overall, bad experience. read more

My wife and I had an excellent dinner there this past Thursday. Their new tuna tartare and Brazilian steak sous vide was awesome! read more

Went for drinks and live music. Drinks came quickly but if you order food, expect a wait if they are busy. Very tasty and fairly priced drinks. Friday night with live music was very packed with a young-middle aged crowd... you might not get a seat (we didn't on a saturday). The band was also not playing and didn't play as they were "behind" so we left. read more

Flatbread was incredible! The beer selection was great and the atmosphere was so much fun.

Relaxed and fun place. The Seared Scallops, Crab Salad and Seafood Chowda were delicious! Loved our waitress. We highly recommend it!!! read more

I'd been meaning to try this place for how long? And FINALLY got the opportunity Friday evening! A group of 5 of us decided on DRIFT after earlier visiting The Cape Ann Museum. I believe we entered close to 8pm. There were people there, but it wasn't too crowded. I got there 1st and was greeted by the friendly host - who may also be an owner? I'm not sure, but I asked if they had room for us . No problem. He gave me a table by the windows.. very nice. I felt right away very cool vibes. The bar area is gorgeous and they offer some very interesting creations... But we all decided on wine. The food menu looked interesting also. But limited... Maybe that's best because everything we ordered was outstanding. I believe 3 of my table mates had chowder as an app . All 3 said they enjoyed there's very much. I ordered a flatbread - being vegetarian " fig without the pig ". Mine was absolutely perfect. 1 person I remember orders the chicken pie and she said it was delicious. Our server was prompt and attentive. At one point he brought over 2 carafes of water with glasses which was great. It wasn't long before their live entertainment began .. an awesome band! Too tired we stayed just for 1 song. When leaving we noticed a line outside waiting to get in. I'm sure they were thrilled seeing 5 people leave early. We all liked it there so much we will definitely be returning soon! read more

A cozy, intimate drinking experience. We came at night time, just in time for the live music. The bartenders knew their stuff and recommended some good scotch. The bar wasn't crowded and offered an intimate drinking night out with good, live music. I'm highly looking forward to going back. read more

DRIFT - Sexy Moscow Mule glass - New American Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

Went here for the first time tonight, and had a great time! The food and my drink were excellent, and the staff and owners were very kind and friendly! read more

Charlie was a wonderful server! Great service, attentive but not overly so, and the lobster with artichokes dish wasn't too heavy (we went for lunch). Patio seating area felt comfortable and the menu had a variety of choices. Loved my visit here! read more

Terrible service. Kicked our large group out 20 mins before closing time. Staff was rude and unfriendly. They kept saying "last call" every 15 mins to try to get us to order more drinks, and then complained because people weren't ordering enough. If you're staying at the Beauport hotel and looking for a place to grab a drink after the hotel bar closes, go anywhere but here. Crow's Nest is a great suggestion. Owner of this place is incompetent. read more

Stopped into Drift for a post-concert drink last Saturday night. We attended the concert in Rockport, but Rockport in the off season offers very little in the way of dining/cocktail options, so we skipped over to Gloucester and found this gem of a bar. Right from the outset all signs pointed to a swell experience: we quickly found parking in the muni-lot across the street, on entering the jam-packed bar, the awesome bouncer (in the 'SECURITY" tee shirt) made sure we got a table, the bartender who took our first drink order quickly fulfilled it, and the wonderful waitress kept tabs on us making sure everything was great, and taking our second drink order, and the nearby patrons were super friendly. Additionally, this place has a nice upscale vibe, and there is live music! Definitely plan to return for a drink when we are in Gloucester again. read more

Finally getting around to writing this review a year late. This place is def a mixed bag. The food was sort of like what you get at the airport. Small plates that you'd swear you saw the bartender unwrapping in a little closet room behind the bar. Maybe they've improved this since then. My wife's glass of rose was served in a huge thick rimmed glass goblet. That was odd. The view of the harbor overlooking the parking lot below was sorta nice. I gave them an extra star for the live music. read more

I am back in Gloucester for the summer and was excited to try Drift. Three of us went for dinner because small plates intrigue us and we enjoy ordering them in restaurants. My party was of people who do not need much to eat or desire large portions of food. However, this brought a new meaning to "small" plates. "Tiny" and "over priced" is a better description. 4 out of the 5 morsels we ordered were just OK. In addition, they sprinkled a tiny amount of greens on each plate as fillers. A couple of greens had rot on them to boot. One thing we had was the charcuterie board and it was the smallest one I have ever been served at a restaurant. That would have been fine if the quality of the cheeses were exceptional but unfortunately they were the quality and taste of a generic, cheap, supermarket brand! The only thing that I liked about the restaurant was that we sat where we could watch Gloucester traffic below. The bill came to over $100 and we were all very hungry when we left and went down the street to eat! This has never happened to me. On top of it, the bar tender (guy with lots of tatoos and facial hair) was unfriendly and should not be in customer service. The drinks are in minuscule glasses, expensive and mostly ice. This place smacks of trying desperately to be cool. Not sure why there are good reviews but the style of the writer sounds the same in all of them. read more

I absolutely hate to give this place anything but 5 stars, but truthfully 3 is being generous. The atmosphere is very cool and the drinks are good, but the food is atrocious....sooo expensive for what you get. My husband and I ordered the meatballs and legit thought we were being punked...it's not they weren't good but they reminded of the tiny food trend going around on social media. I get that they are small plates, but they should be called minuscule plates. The owners are so nice, I like them both, and clearly the place is always packed, and I'm happy for them. The only reason I will ever stop in there again will be for a cocktail read more

First time trying this place since I moved to town and honestly a lovely experience. Went with a few friends and we were sat immediately, which is phenomenal considering the current situation with our world. The waiter was polite and attentive, and gave just the right amount of space. One of my friends and I got the turkey and cheese panini, adding avocado. The last of us got the cheese panini, adding chicken. We also got the meat platter appetizer, which was quite lovely despite the high price. The wind was the worst part, as it did not wish to let up. The only reason I docked a star was the overall cost of the meal. For what we got it was a bit pricey, though we will all be back most likely. Perhaps on a day where we can catch one of the specials, as none of us drink that much. read more