We absolutely loved this place and made sure to come back on this trip! We grabbed seats right at the bar, and the bartender was so nice and welcoming. This time we had dinner along with a few cocktails, and everything was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere is lively, colorful, and has such a fun energy without feeling overwhelming. We had another great experience and can't wait to come back again! read more

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Restaurant Week in Portsmouth was the perfect opportunity to try out Moxy. Plus an added bonus of $42 for a 4-course meal made it more interesting. We found street parking close to the restaurant so that was great while paying close attention to the fact that street parking is not free in the area until 8 pm. I made a reservation and we were seated right away after we entered the restaurant. Our table was situated on the first floor so the area was small but we had enough space between table to have a private conversation. I started out with salmon tartare and it was my least favorite of all. I found the pita to taste somewhat stale and I ended up not eating it. Salmon was good but I did not find that cream cheese added to the dish. It might be a matter of personal preference but I wished I started out with something else from the menu. My shrimp scampi was delicious and I would come back for this dish. Pasta and sauce were great and shrimp were a nice size. I then went with the beef stew. I found the pastry to be somewhat salty but it balanced with the stew that was slightly underseasoned. Maybe it was intended to be that way. It was a decent dish overall. I loved the strawberry panna cotta. Their rhubarb chutney was beautiful and the dish was a great way to end my meal. I would come back to this restaurant in the future to try out their regular menu. read more

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We made a same-day reservation at Moxy, not knowing it was restaurant week. The interior was cozy and colorful, and we were seated in the upstairs area, so we had a balcony view of the bar. For drinks, I got a glass of Malbec (which was very nice), but they also had many enticing cocktails and mocktails. The restaurant week menu consisted of 4 pre-fixe courses. For the first course, I chose the Salmon Tartare, which was fresh and tasty. It wasn't very salty, which I appreciated. I also tried my friend's carrot soup, which had a nice creamy texture with crunchy peas for contrast. For the second course, I chose the Mushroom Labneh. This one was awesome! Next was the Chicken Thigh, which was so juicy and paired well with the garlic sour cream. I also loved my dessert - Griddled Corn Muffins with wild blueberry compote. Service was friendly and seamless, and we left full and happy. Highly recommend for dinner! read more

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Obviously, this restaurant is popular and well loved by the fact that it was difficult to get a seat. The location is nice, one block from the harbor water. We sat outdoors because there were hardly any tables available indoors. The food was delicious, but I guess I'm not a huge fan of small plates. Either that or I just felt like it was too expensive for us to order more food. We each had about three dishes and I left a little bit hungry. The waitress suggested four plates per person on average. I doubt that I would go again, although the food was beautiful and quite delicious. I'm just a stickler for expensive food. read more

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Okay, so everyone raves about this place, and I was really looking forward to it. I pictured small plates, like tapas, perfect for sharing and trying a bunch of things. Instead, the food was just... underwhelming. Honestly, I don't get what all the hype is about. I guess it just wasn't my cup of tea. read more

My boyfriend and I ended up going here for a fun little dinner date. We didn't make a reservation and were lucky enough to get seated (it's kinda small so maybe make a reservation in case!). And I'm so glad we were able to get in! It was fantastic! So these are tapas style bites, but I would say they are a little larger than your classic Spanish tapas. They're also more American style which is fun. We ordered a few things including the tomato salad, fried chicken sliders, Johnny cake community, fried cauliflower, and honey glazed carrots. Everything was delicious! My favorite was probably the sliders. They came on such a delicious cornmeal biscuit. Our service was great and quick! Our server was attentive and very sweet. Overall, this was a great dinner and everything was absolutely delicious! read more

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It had been 12 or 13 years since I'd last been to Moxy, so I was so excited to bring my fiancé for his first time on Saturday night. About an hour before opening, we were able to easily secure a reservation for 5:45pm and were seated upstairs near the railing. It was his time having tapas so I let him pick most of the dishes to make sure we got things he would enjoy. For our small plates, first to come out was the calamari. It was perfectly spiced and the peppers were a lovely addition. Then the Moxy bread was delightfully toasted. We also got the crispy pork belly (a top dish for both of us, perfect combination of flavors), the mini Italian sausages (this one fell flat for us), and the mini fried chicken (another top dish). We finished off with the whoopie pies, which to me the filling was a bit too sweet, but the dark chocolate sauce helped to cut that a little bit. We had a lovely time and can't wait to come back! For parking, there's some street parking available, but I'd recommend parking in one of the garages and walking, so you don't get caught up waiting for pedestrians and looking for a spot. The Hanover Garage (as of June 1) is undergoing some construction so certain entrances/exits are closed, which can prolong the parking and exiting process. There are signs that recommend the Foundry Garage. read more

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The food was awesome. We got to try several different things which was so fun. We tried the Korean beef, manchengo fritters, the halibut, the gnocchi, and the calamari. All the flavors were amazing. Dessert was even better! Highly recommend the whoopie pies and cornbread! The service was great and ambiance was really fun. If you are visiting Portsmouth this is a must. read more

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Was beautiful day and being restaurant week this cozy restaurant in downtown Portsmouth beckoned. A quick check in and right to the table despite being a little early for our reservation. The restaurant week menu had some great selections and was a 4-course offering. I began with the Pancetta Manchego Fritters. What a start! There is a blast of flavor from the fritter with the smooth savory tomato sauce on the side absolutely had me scarfing the dish and looking for more! Only point of critique is that the fry was a bit dark, not sure if it was old oil or slightly overcooked fritters. Regardless the flavor and crunch was there! 2nd Course I went with the Pinchos Morunos. This is a curry forward skewer which is well balanced by the pickled red onion. The baba ghanoush was creamy and balanced well with the other components making for a satisfying bite. Just a bit of spice from the curry flavor but doesn't last. Pork was a bit on the dry side but definitely edible. The third course brought Moxy Chicken Thigh. This was a pleasantly tasty dish. The chicken comes off the bone along with the other components, including the hot sauce (harissa based) and the garlic sour cream. This dish requires that you assemble your own lettuce wraps using the provided Bibb Lettuce. Create your own balance of flavors but the hot sauce was delicious and well balanced with the sour cream. Wish I had a couple more lettuce wraps as there was plenty of filling for it! The finale was the dessert course. In my case I elected to go with the Whoopie Pie Sliders. Not sure why the use of the plural sliders as there was a single whoopie pie alongside a small dish of chocolate sauce. This was in my opinion the most disappointing dish given its simplicity and lack of creativity. Chocolate whoopie pie with chocolate sauce is just too rich for me and a single note. Chocolate lovers will disagree but I think they could have done more with this concept. I also elected to order a Mariposa Mango as a mocktail for the entree course which went well with them all. Overall a good experience and would gladly return to see what other offerings they have. read more

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What a gem! Had never been before but stopped by on our way through town. Tapas dishes were amazing. Calamari so good - pesto gnocchi the same and devoured the whoppi slider for dessert so fast I forgot to take a photo! Thanks Nicole for great service and highly recommend this to tourists and locals alike! read more

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Food was delicious. The drinks were amazing. Best that we had while visiting Portsmouth. Service was perfect.

Overview: delicious tapas and thoughtfully timed service We had a group of 12. They wouldn't let us make reservations for the patio or rotate the 4 top tables, but we made it work. Their drink menu was so fun. They had both cocktails and mocktails. I enjoyed their mezcal drink and their espresso martini. Both were very balanced. We tried pretty much everything in the first two columns of the menu and it was all very good. The carrots and pork belly were stand outs. The only thing I couldn't eat were the salt cod fritters. I guess I should have known from salt being in the name but I've never tasted anything that salty. It was like the lid fell off the salt container while they were making it. What I loved most about the evening was how the server timed out the dishes to come out at a perfect pace to enjoy the food slowly throughout dinner without the tables getting filled with dishes and some things getting cold. The outdoor eating area was really cute and decorated with bright colors and sunflowers. read more

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Great little tapas place in Portsmouth. Had a 5:30 reservation on a Thursday night, so it was relatively quiet. Seated promptly and our waitress Emma came over shortly after. My friend hadn't arrived yet, so I put in an order for two dishes, short rib & crispy pork belly. Service was incredibly fast, and arrived 2 minutes before my friend. Crispy pork belly was great, would definitely get that again. The short rib was OK. We added an order of the sweet potato fritters and the corn cake Jack's with pork shoulder. We added more corn cakes, as my friend had been there before and suggested we do so, and he was spot on. Flavor of everything was great. I would recommend that they strain the pork, or put a draining tray in the serving dish, as there was a lot of run off (juice) that made them rather messy. The sauces/accoutrements were a nice touch. All and all, service was excellent, Emma was fantastic. Speed of service was perfect. All the food was flavorful, anything that missed the mark was personal preference. Would highly recommend if you're in the area and looking for a quick bite or an eclectic mix. read more

Great people, delicious food, attentive service, and a very nice, inviting atmosphere.

Have not been to Moxy in quite some time, and decided to give them a try for restaurant week. While we enjoyed our meal overall, it was easily the weakest of all the dinners we had over the past two weeks. Moxy serves small plates, Tapas style and offered up 5 courses for restaurant week at $48. Most restaurants offer a 3 course meal for the same price, so the expectation was the portions would be smaller. Typically, portions are a bit smaller for restaurant week elsewhere as well, but I have to say some of the courses at Moxy were embarrassingly small, as in barely a couple of bites. Most, but not all of the dishes were tasty. On the positive side, cocktails were great and service was pleasant and food came out from the kitchen at a nice pace. One of our first courses was cornbread. Delicious but imagine three of the tiniest bites, see my photo. I don't think a plate like this should have left the kitchen. It was as if someone took a small melon baller and carved out 3 bite size pieces of cornbread. The chicken thigh with lettuce wrap was delicious, but there were four very small slices of chicken with huge lettuce wraps and barely anything else to roll up. It was like eating empty rolls of lettuce with a tiny sliver of chicken. I carefully rationed a matchstick sized piece of chicken into the large lettuce leave and sprinkled a thin sliver of ginger and tried to roll it up. It was almost comical as there was nothing to roll! As the "main" large course of the series, I was left a bit surprised. The beet course was the weakest, while there were plenty of beets, they just did not appeal to me. No sweetness, flat, bland, tasteless. On the positive side, the croquette was delicious, but just two small bites, and not even enough to share. Most of what we ate tasted pretty darn good. We are not big eaters, but we did not feel this was a good value. I rarely leave a restaurant hungry, but this was borderline. When dining tapas style, you can continue to order more plates to suit your palate and hunger, but for restaurant week this just didn't really work for us. I think Moxy may want to rethink participation in restaurant week. read more

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This makes me sad to write, but the quality of food at Moxy has gone downhill over the last few years. Once our favorite place, we sadly won't go back again. -short rib toast was soggy and lacked flavor -brie with peach compote was ruined by tasteless, whole wheat pita bread and the compote should have been sweeter to balance out the brie, which was room temperature and coagulated too quickly. -fried pickles were decent, probably the best thing we had, but so basic, the dipping sauces are necessary to enjoy - calamari was undercooked, the breading wasn't crisp enough, also lacked flavor -the chicken sandwiches were served on burnt biscuits, again lacked flavor and we were appalled that the kitchen would serve biscuits with burnt, black bottoms (they did remove this from our bill). In general, $150 is way too expensive for the quality and taste profiles we were served. We're so disappointed. read more

Enjoyed the drinks and food (besides the burnt bottomed biscuits), did not have a problem with the service until they started to talk bad about teachers on April break. We overheard the bartenders talking about how teachers get too much time off and other negative comments. Little did they know they had a teacher sitting in front of them. Do better, would've been a 4/5 stars if we hadn't overheard this conversation from staff, disheartening. read more

I love the vibe of Moxy! It's so cozy a lively. The food was incredible. We were there during food week and the Butternut Squash Soup was unbelievable! The service was great. Can't wait to go back! read more

Honestly had high expectations for an establishment that had multiple James Beard nominations over the last few years. Food was visually plated well but lacked unique and distinctive flavor. The space is a small, hip spot with a main dining area and loft. Service was casual but efficient. read more

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Everything from the food to the service was wonderful. Our server let our party know how many of each came in an order so we would know if we should order extra or to add one if we needed for a party of our size. The drinks were delicious as well and we had a great high top table by the bar. Would have returned the second night if possible! Definitely visit if you are in town! read more

Rated by others as one of the top 2 in town (Cure being the other). We had a delightful and memorable meal in this "New England, modern tapas (or sharing)" spot. Nice space; lively, very good service. With the exception of one dish (whoopie sliders that were on the dry side needing more cream or filling), the dishes were superb. See attached pics. Our only real concern was timing. We had 1.5 hours before a show and expected a leisurely meal would be 60 - 75 minutes. In spite of pacing our orders - order cocktails, order appetizers, order entrees, and then order dessert, we were in and out in 50 minutes, When you place an order, it is out in minutes. Maybe their biz model to turn tables but a bit rushed. Dinner for 2 with tip was $175. Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Value 4/5 Cleanliness 5/5 Noise 3/5 (lively) Decor 4/5 Recommended! read more

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The best thing on the menu, the chicken lettuce wraps, are gone. The menu has been revamped to be extremely carb heavy. We've been coming since Moxy opened, but it's not likely we will be back unless things change. read more

If you'd like an example of how good tapas/small plates can be in Portsmouth, Moxy is a very good place to start. I came in with a fairly large party, we sampled a wide variety of small and medium plates and beverages, and it was a big thumbs up all around. The smallest bites really are quite small, best to be shared with one other person at most, unless you have someone very good at splitting things with a knife. The flavors, sauces, and taste combinations were pleasing if not addicting, and if you order anything that comes in a sauce, be sure to get bread to sop/dunk so as to not miss anything. I will say that I think service does go down a small amount when you're with a group of more than 6 (we were 12), but not enough to remove a star from the review. It felt like sometimes there was a disconnect between our waitress and our servers as to where specific orders were to be placed on the table - sometimes they asked where plates went, a few times they just looked for room on the table. The food did manage to find its way to the right people. There's also limited space downstairs to wait for your table, especially if you're a large party. Definitely plan around that, whether it be a reservation or dressing warmly if you have to stand outside for a bit (after all, we were in Portsmouth in February on a night with some wintry mix). read more

Putting the "small" in "small plates". I've been to many Tapas restaurants, and Moxy has the smallest servings I have seen. I hate to be so blunt, but the value for the money isn't there. My trip to Moxy emptied my wallet and failed to fill my stomach. Some serving sizes are confusing: the mushroom fritters come in a serving of 3.... even though most dinner parties are commonly 2 or 4 people. The seared chicken thighs, supposedly one of the "larger plates", came with 6-7 lettuce leaves to make wraps with, but only 4 tiny pieces of chicken. I ended up eating the extra lettuce pieces as I hate food going to waste. The beef short rib marmalade is 2 tiny bites, for $12. At the end of the day, the food itself is nothing special. Most of the courses feel like slightly better versions of hors d'oeuvres served at corporate award ceremonies. If I'm getting a tiny portion to experience a dish, I expect high quality ingredients and a great depth of flavor to compensate. The drinks were decent. One item we ordered never showed up, but it wasn't on our bill. With all the awards they display, Moxy must have been great at one point. But when I start feeling like I'm paying a lot more to get a lot less, it ruins the Tapas experience. read more

The food was SO good. Very nice to share plates and enjoy the evening in Portsmouth. Our server April was definitely a delight. Had the marinated beets, cauliflower, pork belly and the eggplant pasta. Flavors were outstanding. And generous small plates -- hubby and I had more than a few bites from each plate. My only question was whether the eggplant dish was meant to be served warm as ours was fairly room temperature. Meant to ask our server but since it tasted so good it wasn't a big deal. read more

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We had been to Moxy 6 years ago and had a great meal then. We returned to Moxy tonight and had another delicious tapas meal. Our server was Leah and she was fabulous! We asked many questions and she made good meal suggestions. We especially enjoyed the potatoes bravas and the burger sliders. The lemon lavender Great Bay martinis were delicious. And the price is so reasonable. I am not sure when we will return to Portsmouth again. But when we do, we will definitely go to Moxy. read more

Best restaurant in New England! The service, food, ambiance was all amazing! We orders 7 different small plates and they were all sublime. If you like sharing a variety of well crafted dishes then Moxy should be on your list. Located in beautiful downtown Portsmouth, it makes for a great night! read more

We celebrated my best friend's milestone 50th birthday at Moxy, and it exceeded every expectation. The team made us feel truly welcome, the food was phenomenal, and the service was flawless. Sitting outside, we soaked in the charming sights and sounds of Portsmouth--it was the perfect evening. We'll definitely be back! read more

Ambiance was cozy and service was excellent. We split 3 tapas dishes as we weren't super hungry and two were amazing and one was a satisfying potato dish. read more

My first meal in Portsmouth,NH which has become a foodie haven. Moxy is simple awesome. There are not enough superlatives to describe this place. James Beard level - definitely! The Patatas Brava was delicious and just the right amount of spice. For cocktails I started with the Ellen Ripley which was really good - tequila and tamarind what a combo! I then had the crispy pork belly which was prepared perfectly and the sweetness of the sweet potato and fennel relish complemented the pork perfectly. For dessert I had the great bay martini with the fried brioche. Who knows fried bread would be soooo good! Service was excellent and the ambiance was great for a post work get together or a great first date because the small plates lend themselves to intimate dining with conversation focusing on the drinks and food. read more

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Absolutely our favorite! Everything about Moxy is special, the food, the atmosphery, AJ!!! BEST! Never gets old read more

Hostess was incredibly rude. Didn't even look up when we entered. Found a much friendlier restaurant.

Absolutely amazing food and drink and service. Don't miss it! Awesome day exploring all the sights! read more

Moxy - Small plates and cocktails - American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

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T'was the night before Thanksgiving and Portsmouth was hopping. The hostess greeted us warmly and seated us at an excellent upstairs table for two. Though the place was full, we had no trouble having a conversation. Our server, Emma, provided samples of two brews and answered our menu questions. We loved our mostly vegetarian food and arctic char. Each dish is well-conceived and flavorful. But the most impressive aspect of Moxy is the teamwork. Hostess, servers and wait staff all pitch in to make a visit memorable. We shall return! read more

We walked in without reservations on a Saturday night, but the host was super friendly, and found two seats at the bar for us. We really enjoyed sitting at the bar to socialize and watch the bartenders at work. Definitely come hungry and ready to try a bunch of items. The presentation of everything is beautiful, we LOVED the fried clams and crab cakes. We tried a sangria and a scotch that had a s'more garnish. Loved it. We had coffee after our meal, and even that was served really thoughtfully. Can't wait to come back! read more

Moxy - French press coffee after dinner at the bar. - American Near Me - Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Excellent service Superb Espresso Martini The pork belly and short ribs were to die for A+++ read more

Our go-to for pretty much every occasion or gathering with friends. The beautiful small plates and creative cocktails never disappoint!

Were town for girls weekend and we all loved it! Staff was friendly and happily accommodated allergies. Food and drinks were delicious!!! Highly recommend and I rarely write reviews. read more

What a find. We were in Portsmouth for the night and saw the other reviews and ratings. While we had to wait until later to get a table, it was worth it. The restaurant vibe was a mix of modern / hipness, which we like. The tapas style menu was not something we normally go for, but we loved it. Our server explained it all to us and even suggested dishes to accommodate our party of 3. We tried the sausage dish, the Johnny cake / pork shoulder, fried clam, potatoes, and a few others. They even adjusted portion sizes to accommodate. Such a great selection food, all delicious and beautifully presented. The cocktail menu, also great, a good variety of drinks featuring different spirits, and unique ingredients. Service was on point, the right amount of attention, interaction. A wonderful experience, looking forward to our return. read more

Definitely the place to go for a great night of food, drink, and atmosphere! The outdoor seating is fantastic, with string lights, heating, and a nice view. We came here as a double date, mostly because with more people, you can get more tapas! They were very accommodating, and made any dish that had 3 parts into a dish with 4, so each of us could try it. My favorite tapas were beef short rib marmalade, gnocchi (comes with delicious chorizo and feta), and the corn muffins (so tasty we got two orders). The sangria pitcher is a must- it was enough for two rounds of drinks for the four of us, and so so good! Unlike some places, where the sangria tastes super alcoholic. We also got some pet-nat (naturally fermented wine), which was so interesting and delightful! The service was great and prompt, with food coming out in waves Would absolutely come back here again! read more