On a blustering cold winter night, we stumbled into Ember after discovering the eatery as a nearby dining option while visiting the area. A convenient parking lot directly across the street was a gem since we were in a hurry to warm back up inside. Upon entering, it seemed like a quiet night for the restaurant. The hostess at the front desk was not particularly welcoming or friendly to our family of four, and although there were available tables on the main level, she said she was seating us upstairs. We followed her up to a beautiful dining space with an impressive bar, warm lighting, rustic details, and so much charm. Our server, Scott, was fantastic! Incredibly knowledgeable and patient, providing great recommendations from the menu. We were able to enjoy a delicious dinner, featuring the Ember Burger (so many layers of flavor with a shallot jam, mustard aioli, and cherrywood bacon), a kids' pizza (which is basically a whole medium pizza), and delicious Chicken Vodka Parmesan, which has some kick from the house-made spicy vodka sauce. In the mood to be adventurous, I explored the specialty cocktail menu, crafted with unique ingredients and thoughtfulness. Based on Scott's recommendation, I opted for the Hummingbird Down, made with green chartreuse from Carthusian monks and house-made honey syrup. The herbaceous, spirited beverage was so complex that I enjoyed it until the last sip. I can see the appeal of this location for an intimate date night, chill girls' dinner, and even private events; the space is beautiful! If we lived locally, we'd certainly be coming back! read more

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Found this place in a whim at the last minute. Had a group of 5. They fit us at a nice table by the bar. The place has a great feel to it. Well decorated and lively. Cool vibe. We steered some cocktails and apps. Wow! Our Entrees were also pretty fantastic. Our server was sweet. A little less attentive than I would have liked but fine. This is one of those reviews I hate posting because I like this place so much I still want to be able to get into it! Will be back very soon. read more

I was surprised by the star rating which I looked up after attending a catered event held on the the second floor. The service was excellent! The upstairs was cozy and conducive to great conversation. The bar was easy to access and both bartenders were delightful. The bar menu was quite extensive and the drink offerings were creative. They set up a nice buffet. The food was OK. Many of the attendees were from UNH and commented that the quality was similar to what you get at a UNH event. I liked the meatballs, the gravy (sauce) was better than most places, but there was no red pepper flakes or parm available to enhance. The empanadas looked great but were just OK... They would benefit from some hot sauce. All in all, I would recommend Ember for a catered event, business meeting, etc for its ambiance, service, clean and convenient rest room, beautiful bar, and ample parking in the garage. read more

Everything about this place is great! Food, service, ambiance and drinks--all great. I have been a couple of times now and will keep going back. read more

HELLO!! We found our magical spot, who knew. Dover Nh you guys. Ember is so cool, the staff is so dedicated and fun, the food is delectable from drinks to the main to the desserts! Come on and go. Mark and I will find us going often. Also, the waitress was just phenomenal read more

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Very very good meal last night at Ember. I had the Ribeye, which was excellent. My wife loved her meal. We went with another couple, but they thought it was a little too spicy. Really good service from Kira. I think another reviewer mentioned how good she is and I agree. It wasn't cheap, but it's worth it. We will be back. read more

Attended a wedding reception there and throughly enjoyed the setting, atmosphere, roominess and great service. It was beverages and appetizers but it exceeded expectations - every town needs an Ember Wood - great local tavern with a diverse beverage selection - of course the menu looked great and appetizers that complement the drinks. Cosmos, martinis, ipa's and a great spread of fresh hummus, breads, cheese, fruits and curies meats (way beyond a charcuterie board, it covered an entire table) We'll be visiting them again when next in town read more

A staple for us. We just enjoy our dining experience. Staff is always friendly. Plenty of parking. Food as never disappointed. Today we both tried the specials which were huge portions and yummy. Both had a little kick. Able to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful evening. Thanks again read more

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I would give absolutely 0!! If you are going to be open Christmas Eve make sure you have the help !! Especially if you take reservation with a 2 hour time !!!! read more

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Love the ambiance especially upstairs in winter. They have two great bars with experienced bar tenders. Food is spot on. Would like to see more changes in the menu but definitely have some nice go tos. read more

Nice place! Cozy dining room with a nice bar. Service was great! The ribeye was yummy and large! Lucky for me as it was very expensive comparatively. Good potatoes too. Bolognese was rich and flavorful albeit hard on the tummy. The pork belly app was also very tasty. So many interesting apps to try. Not sure why there's no desserts but overall it was a good experience! read more

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I liked this place so much, I almost don't want to attract more people to it. My other half & I LOVE pizza. I don't know how it took us so long to finally try it, but we did and will be going back. The wings were amazing (we get wings wherever we go) and the ranch they came with...WHOA! Ask for more to dip your pizza crust in. We both got pizzas and both were so delicious, neither of us got a picture because we basically attacked them. Yum! read more

Ember Wood Fired Grill - Lavender Menace - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

Great food and service. We have never been disappointed in anything we've tried. Highly suggest the meatballs as an app but can't pinpoint my favorite entrée yet. Shoutout to Kira our server - she is genuinely one of the best servers we have come across over many years and locations! read more

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Ok Manhattan for $18 Wedge salad, ok but bacon bits were old. Ember burger: Roll ok, burger ok, cheese not melted, bacon strips hard as a rock. French fries were unimpressed and cold. read more

We had a delightful experience at Ember Wood. Our cocktails were delicious. But the most memorable part was our server's recommendation for dessert. We had the lemon crème cake. By far the best dessert we've had in a long time. read more

First time dining at Ember. Sat at the bar and the bartender was very welcoming and knowledgable about the menu. Her recommendations were excellent. The chorizo mussels (appetizer) were to die for and my ribeye entree was cooked to perfection. Potatoes were very unique and offered a good crunch. 10/10 meal and will certainly be back in the near future. Compliments to the chef for every course presented! The blueberry compote white chocolate creme brûlée was an added bonus! read more

Ember Wood Fired Grill - Ribeye Entree - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

Food and service was excellent! Braised ribs amazing! Ask for Aidan . Not only is he handsome (swoon) but so helpful and sweet.

Nice job! Hats off to the eclectic menu. Though limited had options for all. Decided to go with several apps. Charcuterie was great. Real nice presentation and great balance of meats cheeses and accoutrements. Loved the onion jam! Next was a quinoa cake with smoked carrot and ginger sauce. Great app loaded with flavor. Next was the house made meatballs. Well done, perfectly cooked and seasoned properly ! read more

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Excellent selection of whiskeys and cocktails, decent wine offerings. Food was fabulous - the wedge was outstanding and I love the vodka chicken parm. My husband had steak tips and very much enjoyed his meal. We even had dessert - the Italian lemon cake. Every person on staff, from the host to the servers are friendly, knowledgeable and very efficient. The atmosphere is warm and inviting - we were in the main level dining room. It was a wonderful evening. read more

Me and my bf went for our 11 year anniversary .. the food and apps were delicious so we're the drinks! But what sold me was the waitress kira! She was super sweet funny and personable! We laughed alot while she was proficient at her job! We never had to ask where is our waitress! She rocks and if this place was smart they would never let her go! 5 stars for Kira! read more

RUDE service and SLOW food. 55 minutes for a charcuterie plate, another 30 minutes for short ribs( sooooooo bland) and dessert took another 30 minutes so we canceled just to have to runner/bar back give us attitude about the kitchen time on an empty restaurant. Do better, the brick is even worse!!!! read more

Was expecting so much more. Food was mediocre, service was slow and unresponsive. Nice atmosphere and quiet but not worth the prices or service. Will not be returning. read more

Food and service were great. My only disappointment was the ambiance. Was expecting it to be more nostalgic being in the old fire station.

Small party on a Friday night, food was essentially good. My drink was somewhat lacking. They ran out of a number of the appetizers and specials, we sat at 6pm which I thought early odd to be running out of food.. Some of portions were on the smaller side. My conclusion is they ranked themselves a notch better than I would but that shouldn't stop you from trying it once for yourselves. Bring a sweater or jacket, it was somewhat cold depending where you're seated. We were in the main bar area as well. With warmer weather I would have chosen another area to sit. read more

Beautiful restaurant with outdoor seating options, great services, and amazing food. Elevated food and appropriate serving sizes makes the price reasonable. read more

Me and my boyfriend sat at the bar tonight and had such a great experience. The moment you walk in you are greeted with a smile by the lovely hostess and don't feel lost. She makes you feel comfortable when you ask questions about the difference of the ambiance upstairs and downstairs seating. At the bar I ordered a drink and asked the server to surprise me (option on the menu!) and I had THE BEST COCKTAIL I've had maybe ever, definitely for this summer! Thank you to the amazing bartender and staff! Food also amazing, get the brussel sprouts! read more

Ember Wood Fired Grill - surprise me drink! - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

Great bar. Scotch, bourbon.... they're specialty. We started with the brussels sprouts appetizer. Absolutely delicious. The sauce was perfect. We both had steak for dinner. Lynn had the sirloin. She asked for rare and she got it that way. I had the Angus rib eye. Both our meals were perfect. Very covid respectful. Sara took great care of us. On her advise we both finished our date with an espresso martini. What a perfect date. Can't wait to return for their wood fired pizza. They looked great. read more

Ember Wood Fired Grill - Beautiful, warm fireplace - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

We've enjoyed Ember since they opened. Food is always fantastic, as is the service. This evening we got take out for the first time. Burger was delicious, chicken sandwich was awesome, fries were great. The cauliflower app however was lackluster. Taste was nice, but for $14 I guess I expected a bit more than a couple bites each. read more

Ember Wood Fired Grill - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire

Love the rotating menu at this restaurant offering vegan and non-vegan dishes! The vegan dishes were delicious! The ambience and service of the restaurant were also outstanding! Service was much better than other restaurants I have been to in the nearby comparable restaurants. (Kira was our lovely server)Highly recommend this place for date night and group gathering! read more

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Was in the Dover area so we checked out Ember Wood Fired Grille. We sat at a booth near the door that went to the outside patio so it was cold every time they opened the door. We sat down and a nice waitress came over and asked about drinks. Then she came over a short time later and asked if we were ready to order. I ordered the Chicken Milanese and hubby the steak which was a special. After a while we asked the waitress if they had any bread and she said no, but they did have garlic bread for $4.00. We waited for our dinners and they finally came. Mine looked delicious. However, upon eating the chicken was fairly dry as the dressing only dressed the salad. There was fingerling potatoes underneath the chicken which was a little weird when trying to cut the chicken. There was grated cheese on the top which was a little strong for me. Overall it was OK. Hubby got his steak which was cooked to perfection, and fairly tender. He got pureed potatoes which were definitely pureed. Even too much. We did not opt for dessert even though they has a crème brulee on the menu which I love. Overall it was an OK experience. read more

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I can't say enough good things in regard to Ember, great pizza, great portions for entrees and great customer service! The drink menu is really good and we loved the atmosphere! read more

We ate there twice in the last two weeks. The food was excellent both times. The service was excellent the first time. Unfortunately, the second time I was a bit disappointed. The waitress was not attentive. read more

Ok, so I felt the need to write this tonight as positive with some flaws for sure. 1st thing, our waitress, Cheyenne, was outstanding! Friendly, knowledgeable, and very quick with drinks and food. We loved her! The martinis were spot on delicious! Thank you for that! Into the food. Being a Chef, I was really looking forward to our meals. They sounded great in the descriptions Sadly, this is where the disappointment was. I ordered U10 Scallops. The Scallops I received were 10/20s or even 20/30s. Small, poorly seared, and underwhelming. The menu said they came with pork belly. There was zero pork belly on my plate. The pea puree wasn't strained, and lacking flavor. The Roasted vegetables were forgettable as well. Bummer. My dinner guest was equally disappointed in her pork. Dry and kind of underwhelming. All in all, maybe we expected too much. But after immaculate service from Cheyenne along with fantastic drinks, we were expecting the food to match. Sadly it didn't. We will give it another go, as we loved the service and bar. But the kitchen needs some help, I'm afraid. Cheers. read more

We were treated so rudely we could not even finish our drinks or order any food. The General Manager was shockingly unprofessional, arrogant, and all but physically ran us out. We had just been across the street at Brick House (same ownership) and it was excellent. Go there instead! Please avoid the negative experience of Ember. read more

Wow why did it take so long for me to try this place! Fantastic whiskey selection and service, thank you Mickey! Steak was great ribs were tender, savory and tangy Awaiting dessert with fresh coffee We will be back and will try the upstairs next time that is only open on the weekends read more

Both time I visited the service was terrible. The wait staff was rude - would not recommend. And the food was average at best.

This restaurant gets 5 stars from me because the food was really incredible. I'm vegetarian and it is hard to find creative vegetarian food in our area. My husband is a meat eater, and so we needed something that appealed to both of us. We started with the appetizer special - onion bhaji with a generous amount of cilantro-mint sauce. The bhaji was crispy and light and the sauce was so good, I wanted to lick the plate. I had the mushroom-quinoa dish for dinner. It had a wonderful sauce. It was probably the best vegetarian entree I've ever had at a restaurant - and I don't usually like quinoa that much. My husband had the grilled salmon dish. It was very tasty. Dessert was chocolate cake with Bailey's whipped cream. Portions were generous and the food was excellent. Our whole meal (including drinks, appetizers and dessert) came to $100. We'll definitely be back! The one down side is that the downstairs dining room was very loud because the bar was busy and noisy and crowded on a Friday evening. There is another bar upstairs, but I definitely think the upstairs is quieter. read more

Great dinner. Large portions of food and salads. Everything was excellent. Our server was Kira was excellent. Great personally and made night very enjoyable. She has a great personally that goes with excellent food. I had the Dan Dan Szechuan ribs, the pork belly steamed buns and the quinoa bowl. My wife had short ribs and every thing was excellent. She Also had the spring salad and it was excellent. read more

Please don't take my review as negative but as constructive criticism. As a wood fire grill your pizza should be on point. The sauce had not sat long enough to serve because the acidity level was off the charts. The cheese needs a little more "funk" is the only way I can describe it. There is a science to it that needs to be looked into I think, maybe it was a one-off I'm not sure. It came out super hot and fresh. Besides that your service was AMAZING. Chris our bartender and server was fantastic. I wish I could say 4.5. read more

I come to Ember for special occasions because it is such a delight. So cozy and comfy with the nicest staff and the food is UNREAL :) the Kung Pao Brussels app is to die for and the braised short rib made me tear up. Yum yum yay read more

Ember Wood Fired Grill - Braised Short Rib with mashed potatoes, asparagus and carrot - Whiskey Bars Near Me - Dover, New Hampshire