Awesome diner style restaurant with a large dining room and a front ice cream part. Backroom is the dining part. Large menu with a huge amount of choices, and the dessert menu is equally sizable! Tried the chicken tendie sampler: the coconut ones are absolutely amazing and unique. Chicken very tender and was a huge pile for an order. The portions on everything ordered were huge, come hungry for sure. Tried their dessert: our awesome waitress recommended lemon meringue which was great and the ice cream was super creamy and delish. Great spot, felt like home. Thanks read more

See all

The Backroom Nachos were horrible. $17.50 for a small and they were the most disgusting nachos I've ever had. I make better at home. The Greek salad was ok, the dressing tasted like just vinegar. The feta was like a brick. The rolls that came with the salad were cold and seemed old. The only thing decent was the chicken tenders, but honestly you can get chicken tenders like that anywhere. The fries were ok, not crispy. The server was ok. Never told us any specials, never asked how our food was. Seemed to be in a bad mood. We'll never go back. read more

Puritan Backroom - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

See all

My American friend took me to this shop, and I only bought homemade ice cream from the window. The portions were huge, and there were many customers, but perhaps it just wasn't to my taste. (Most of my Chinese friends who went didn't finish it lol. Butter Pecan: Relatively unsweetened, garnished with pecans, but the pecan flavor was very faint. The smoothness was barely acceptable. Piña Colada: I only knew piña colada as cocktail, this was the first time I'd heard of it as ice cream. I ordered it out of curiosity, only to feel being betrayed... I couldn't taste any rum, coconut milk, or pineapple, it was just extremely sweet, with a thin texture and a very faint flavor, like it was made with low-quality milk. Peanut Butter Cup: Their signature item, and indeed, the best one. The peanut flavor was very strong, with a hint of caramel sweetness, but it was okay for a single bite; a whole serving was too sweet. read more

Puritan Backroom - Butter Pecan, Piña Colada - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

A friend suggested that we try this ice cream because they had great rum raisin ice cream. We pulled into the parking lot and the place was packed with cars and people circling for a parking space. We were lucky to find a space after a few minutes. As we waited in line, I noticed that they were out of several flavors including rum raisin! I ended up going for the chocolate fudge brownie. It was good ice cream. I might have to stop in the future to try their rum raisin. read more

See all

This place puts the PURe in Puritan. Everything was so fresh. Completely agree with Mr. James Beard! 1) I'm forever ruined for chicken tendies. They simply won't suffice elsewhere. 2) prepare to come hungry! 3) the restaurant is called Backroom for a reason. Make sure you go to the back of the restaurant ;) My husband and I were STUFFED by the end. He got the tender sampler - and I got the buffalo chicken tender entree. Complimentary bread (with my entree?) + soup du jour or Greek salad + entree and choice of potato (fries, baked, mashed, etc.) The tenders tasted SO fresh. Breading didn't slide off the tender and the batter was just right. Everything melted in your mouth. We also decided on the chocolate cake (with a scoop of almond coconut chip ice cream) it was so creamy and fresh tasting! Our server was incredible - didn't miss a beat and was so friendly. The colonial-diner vibes inside were also their own special touch. It was quite loud and pretty full - but a ton of seating. A note: your party won't be sat unless everyone is present. read more

See all

Walked in around 8:30 PM on a busy Friday night with no wait. The restaurant has a really cool, unique antique atmosphere. The lemon chicken rice soup was a perfect starter--great citrus balance and finely shredded chicken. The spicy chicken tenders were spectacular: perfectly crunchy, lightly breaded, and not dry at all. The spice level was just right without being overly salty. Their signature duck sauce is a unique, lighter take on sweet and sour, but the tenders are so good you don't even need it. Huge portions that make great leftovers without leaving you feeling uncomfortably heavy. Unfortunately, ordering dessert turned out to be a bit of a mistake. Service took a turn for the worse, and the grapenut custard pudding was lackluster. Overall a good experience, but wish it could have ended on a higher note. read more

Puritan Backroom - Spicy chicken tenders - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

Are they known for their chicken tenders? Yes. Are they as amazing as everyone says they are? No. Do I keep going back to maybe spot Adam Sandler and have some mudslides? Yes! But in all seriousness - the food and service are both good. On weekends expect LONG waits, but on freezing cold Thursday nights, you'll be able to walk in with no wait at all! read more

Puritan Backroom - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

I'm not sure why this place is so popular. The line on a weekday at 4 pm was huge. We heard about their legendary chicken so we had to try. We had some apps, the mozzarella sticks were Sysco quality and the mariana sauce was watery and bland. The spanikopita was tasteless...I liked the fact that their famous mudslides came in half sizes. They were good but nothing special. Now onto the chicken. Definitely better than Chick-fil-A. I didn't mind their coconut chicken although it was a tad bit dry. They serve their chicken with their signature duck sauce which was more watery and bland than the sauce you'd get at a Chinese restaurant. We ate it, it was good, but boring. Why is this place so busy?? The tables were comfortable, service was excellent. Both the men's and women's room were out of soap when we arrived and when we left. Lots of poo poo hands amongst us. read more

Puritan Backroom - Coconut fried chicken, a bit dry - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

Visiting New Hampshire for the first time so we made it a point to visit the originator of the chicken tenders. Much larger place than we thought and looks nice for family dinners. Make sure you pay attention to the "backroom" part of their name and literally go around back for the restaurant, behind the ice cream parlor. What we ordered: - Fried Chicken Tenders - half regular/half spicy with fries - Broiled Haddock - Fried Shrimp - Chowder Du Jour (some kind of fish) - Soda & Shirley Temple for drinks My favorite thing was actually the chowder! Everything else was fine but they are just not my style of tenders, not very tasty on their own and it comes with a duck sauce for dipping which was not something I am use to. You do get a lot of them so they are definitely shareable. None of the seafood wowed me either, quite bland. I think it's a cool place to try out if you're in the area but I wouldn't go out of my way as I did this time to try them. We tried to get dessert out front but even though the sign says 10:30 close - they were all locked up by 10:15. We went there straight off the road from a 5 hour drive, so we got there pretty late. The people at the host/hostess area were not friendly. We got there around 9:30 and they closed at 10:30 on Fridays, figured they might have just had a long day. Then possibly thought we might have been a little underdressed because I was wearing my travel clothes based on the first few people I saw, but then I did see several people with sweats and even some baseball uniforms so luckily that wasn't the issue. Our server was fine, nothing of note. read more

Puritan Backroom - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

See all

Everything has changed and it's not good any more my family refuses to go there. , now that's sad very sad , over cooked chicken tenders honey mustard dipping sauce awful. read more

Lunch out for my son's birthday. Everything was good: lobster roll, lamb burger, vegi burger, chicken tender wrap. Service was excellent. We would gladly go back again. read more

Very New Hampshire, great food. I came to the restaurant on my way through Manchester it was highly recommended by the folks at the airport. Puritan has a claim that they invented the chicken tender, not here to dismiss or reinforce the claim but it got my attention! It was a very large location the restaurant is big, they have a specific section for takeout and a ballroom. I can tell this is popular. The food was good, they had a very large menu and the portions were very big. I didn't get the breaded tenders but they have coconut breaded tenders that sound delish. I wasn't very hungry got the soup or the day, a nice pumpkin beer with sugar rum, and grilled tenders with special sauce. The waitress was very friendly and everything was great would return. Oh they have really delish mudslides I saw others get, next time! read more

See all

One of the biggest trays of nachos around. $22 and it fed 9 people for an appetizer and we didnt finish them! The buffalo tenders are still delicious. Very good blue cheese too. The prime ribs were massive and looked almost 2" thick! We all had a great experience. The lamb kabobs looked puny compared to everything else. Ha. We arrived at 330 and were seated by 345pm read more

See all

I love this place! No matter what we get it is always excellent. The service is always good, fast and efficient. We love the Greek Salads-with or without Chicken. We absolutely love the tenders of course! I don't care what the naysayers say! The ice cream is fantastic! We love the pistachio, chocolate peanut butter and butter pecan! The baklava is also a favorite! I usually order take out these days, but the restaurant is lovely inside! If you have time to sit and eat, it is quite nice! read more

Historic, busy, packed, and a 30 minute wait on a Sunday. I had to stop by after finding out this was the birthplace of chicken tenders. The interior is historic, and has a rustic feel to the restaurant. They call your name on the intercom when your table is ready. Our waiter Alex was very accommodating for my friend with a coconut allergy. Mudslide was very good, and it hit us like a TRUCK. LOL. We got the milky way. Fried feta was really good - vastly liked it more than the mozzarella sticks they gave us. Spanakopita was delicate, not burned and very flaky. Potato skins were nice and crispy. Fries were excellent- nice and crispy. Sadly, the pizza was not that great.. although who comes here for pizza? The tenders - so dang good. Everyone (except my friend that can't have any because of the coconut) loved the tenders. So juicy, not overly crunchy like most tenders, and the duck sauce surprisingly was great, even though I was skeptical about it at first. Their ranch was also great. I loved the buffalo, regular, and spicy. Even my friend who doesn't like spicy food really liked the spicy tenders. Overall, the tenders, fries, mudslides, fried feta was great, we felt the other food was lacking. read more

See all

A disappointment AGAIN! Coconut chicken tenders very well done. Mashed potatoes were brought out cool for me and cold for my wife. Second time in a row very disappointing. Other friends making negative comments lately as well. What is happening here??? read more

A staple in the Manchester community so I of course had to drop by. This place is at the back of the ice cream shop (hint the name). It was quite busy when we arrived but we didn't wait long. The tenders are the star here and what they are known for but they have way more food options available. The tenders are soaked in pineapple and you can taste it. They have buffalo, spicy, regular, and coconut. One platter is enough for two or three to share. Seriously. Or leftovers for one if you want that. The drinks were strong and the food was good. I can see why this place stays busy. Ps the duck sauce is different but by far my favorite. read more

See all

I'm a bit surprised at the negative reviews for this institution. First, let me say, Puritan is a massive restaurant. So much so they have branching private rooms for diners. The main dining hall is old school Cool. So the star of the show here is obviously the chicken fingers, they are very good and come with a variety of dipping sauces... All of which are tasty. The only drawback, and this is common to all tenders I think is the temperature is only warm, not piping hot. The menu is extensive, and has New England classics on it. Prices are reasonable for what you get in terms of volume and quality. Service was stellar and quite welcoming, shout out to Athena. Afterwards you must get an ice cream at the ice cream hall, the ice cream Hall also has to go orders from the main menu. The ice cream was fantastic. read more

See all

The chicken tenders were the BEST! Not overly breaded or greasy. Just Perfect! A must have with bake potato. Finally u top it off with the homemade ice cream! OMG! The ambiance was incredible and clean . Our waitress was fantastic and very attentive. I will return while visiting. Love it . read more

Traditional chicken tenders were good. What have they done to the coconut tenders? They didn't seem to be coated in coconut flakes. See pictures. read more

Puritan Backroom - Coconut tenders? - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

See all

I can see how the Puritan Backroom is a NH staple! We went with a NH native, and were told the things to get are the mudslides and the chicken fingers. Apparently they invented chicken fingers? I opted for the chocolate raspberry mudslide, and ooh boy I can see why they limit you to 2 - strong! I loved the raspberry flavor, it didn't taste artificial at all. The famous chicken fingers have a subtle sweet note to them - due to the pineapple puree marinade that tenderizes them, according to the local chatting with us while we waited for our table. I got the spicy version of the chicken fingers, which was very peppery and balanced out the sweet notes from the marinade. I tried most, if not all, of the available dips - the ranch was probably my favorite, both creamy and tangy. The duck sauce was thinner than what you might be used to but gave good sweet and sour vibes. The honey mustard was also a hit at our table. The chicken finger entree came with a choice of side greek salad or soup du jour, and choice of fries, baked potato, mashed potatoes, rice, or veggies. I got the soup which was a classic chicken noodle soup. It hit the spot on the cold winter day we visited, and I loved the fat thick noodles they used. The fries were solid - not the best, but not the worst. Our server was quick and efficient, didn't skimp on handing out sauces, and even threw in extra sauces to go with our leftovers, of which there were plenty given the giant portion sizes. He packed up all of our leftovers for us, which is always a nice touch. I would stop in again if I find myself in NH for some homey classics and their famous chicken fingers! read more

Puritan Backroom - Chocolate Raspberry Mudslide - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

See all

Local to the area Will recommend Will return Decided it was about time to try the chicken tenders the famous chicken tenders. I ordered online and drove to pick up. It was very easy convenient and fast. When I got there, the order was ready and it was very hot and it had all of the stuff that I ordered properly in regards to the four different flavors of sauces I didn't add any flavoring to my chicken tenders. The portion size is perfect for two hungry adults and even at that we had a leftovers for the next day. Without any sauce, the breading on the tender is not a breading so to speak it's almost like a powdered rub not saying that's a bad thing just for people with textures and wondering if they're breaded The meat was very juicy very tender size of the tenders were great and there's this sweet taste to them. I'm not sure what it was, but that was good and I didn't alter the flavor or the taste at all by adding any salt because I didn't need to. price forget about price this was a great price for the amount of food you received and for the quality of the tenders read more

See all

I've been hearing the legends of this restaurant every time I've visited New Hampshire, and on my recent trip I finally tried it. The inside is cute and cozy, with an old style feeling and friendly service who you can tell have worked there awhile. We started with the potato skins as an app, and they were your standard potato skin - good, nothing to write home about. The star of the show for me was the mud slide - I chose the raspberry chocolate flavor, and they weren't kidding when they say these things pack a punch! I've heard you're cut off after 2 of these, and it makes sense. They don't taste like alcohol at all, but are packed with it! The raspberry was a nice flavor, and a friend got the seasonal creme brûlée flavor, which was also excellent. I had to get the legendary chicken tenders, and while they were definitely tasty and fresh (I dipped in their honey mustard sauce), I will say they didn't blow me out of the water the way I was expecting. I'm a fan of a more seasoned tender, and these really depended on the sauce. The meal was overall tasty and HUGE - I could easily have split the tender order, so the value is there. Pleased to have tried this local gem! read more

See all

Live this place, always pleasant to eat here Food is great Service is great and your orders do not take long to be served read more

Maybe it is because I am from New England, but not only do I not care for the chicken fingers (I find them stringy and hard to chew), my real problem is that watery substance trying to be passed off as "duck sauce". That is laughable. In no chicken finger world does that remotely resemble what is commonly known as duck sauce. Aside from the very thin composition, the taste is not even close. Weirdly, I do like the unbreaded chicken fingers (strips?) I'm not sure if they come from another part of the chicken, but the sauce they are served in is fabulous. I also like the ice cream out front. Specifically the fact that you can buy peanut butter sauce (among other items) to make your own concoctions at home. Although I am a Richardson's (Middleton, MA) ice cream by default, I also like whatever Puritan has. And everybody is always incredibly thoughtful and pleasant. The dining room could use an update, however. read more

Puritan is always a go to spot for my family and I. We decided to celebrate Father's Day a day late with 10 people on Monday at 12. We were sat within 10 mins of arriving which was amazing for lunch hour. We had adults and children who all ordered a variety of things but overall we were all highly satisfied with the service. I would say the Chicken Tenders are a fav for us. We ordered Buffalo, Spice, Plain, and Coconut. Everyone left raving. My nephew got Haddock kids meal and absolutely loved it. Also, if you aren't a fan of the Greek salad than definitely get the chowder. Every time I have gone the chowder has never done me wrong. My favorite is corn chowder. Also the ambiance is very family friendly you can easily hear each other and the vibes are immaculate. If you thinking about giving this a try. Do not think or contemplate just stop on in it is worth it. read more

Puritan Backroom - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

We decided to check this place out after hearing about it from a very popular YouTube vlogger. Went with the family for lunch, and while the place was busy, we only waited about 10 minutes to be seated. We ordered the chicken sampler since it's one of their signature items, but honestly, it was just okay. The chicken was a bit dry and lacked flavor, though they did serve it with a bunch of dipping sauces to try and make up for it. For our entrees, my husband got the cheesesteak and my daughter ordered the lasagna. Unfortunately, it took over 45 minutes for our food to arrive, and the service was very slow throughout. We also tried their mudslide drink, and honestly, it was meh -- nothing special. Overall, the experience didn't live up to the hype. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back. read more

See all

Chicken tenders are always the best ever. EVER. Get the regular and coconut mix. Better to have too many for left overs.

Love the friendly service, delicious food, and their lifetime. Dedication to the community. My favorites are chicken fingers and frozen mudslides . Agreat place to go with friends. read more

Ah yes the Puritan Backroom is a great restaurant my favorite there is the lazy-man lobster fantastic. I just am not a lobster roll person I like mine hot buttery n delicious n that is why I go here when I want one Also there Steak I love as well as there's fried broccoli n cheese. Yum They are big on large crowds n service is great. I have ones in the family who love chicken tenders n there is the best very large n juicy. I don't think you could be disappointed in anything they have, from fish to beef dishes are wonderful. Also make sure you get their Strawberry Short cake yum again Enjoy n tell them LorraineP sent you. read more

I will give them two out of five because the chicken fingers were amazing and server was great. I recently visited this establishment and was extremely disappointed with the level of service at the front. The host was very rude, unprofessional, and gave off the impression that they had no interest in being there. They seemed very young and inexperienced, and instead of greeting guests with a smile or offering any kind of hospitality, they made the interaction feel uncomfortable and unwelcoming. First impressions matter, and unfortunately, this one left a bad taste before I even sat down. I hope management addresses this issue because it really affects the overall experience. Not sure if me and my husband will be back. read more

Puritan Backroom - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

Hadn't eaten in the Backroom since 2023 so decided to have an early dinner - arrived at 4:00. No wait and we were seated promptly. We were sat in a booth near the bar which offered privacy to chat without it being too loud at that hour. Ordered my favorite broiled chicken tenders in their special sauce- plentiful, delicious and accompanied by a Greek salad and rice, I took half home because there was a lot of food. My MIL ordered the Chaz Special pizza with veggies, they happily swapped accommodated our request to replace the pepperoni with broiled chicken, the toppings were plentiful and the taste was just right. I can see why this place is always busy and has been in business for so many years. You get quality food, good quantity at a fair price. We will visit again soon! read more

Puritan Backroom - Broiled chicken tenders and the Chaz Special pizza - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

Had their chicken fingers and fries exceptionally delicious! Had the honey mustard sauce which was good and the duck sauce which was very good. Large portion and plenty for lunch the next day. read more

Ordered the steak n cheese sub few weeks ago awesome big chinks of steak cook perfect !!! Decided to order it again today and the steak was all chopped in tiny pieces and over cooked almost burnt so disappointed!!! New cook on the grill?? Wish food was just consistent when you find something you like ! Won't order that again for that price it should have been better !! Thumbs down for us ! read more

So friendly. So Manchester. Such a fixture. You know what you're going in for and that's the chicken tenders. My husband brings them home occasionally, but just ate in the restaurant for the first time recently and it was so fun! Diner food/club sandwich also great and would've liked to try the ice cream cocktails, but too early in the day. read more

came here with work and got to finally try the famous tenders in their created oasis. I would rate them 9. Great crisp, interesting marination taste and huge amount. Definitely get your moneys worth, the ambiance and service are welcoming as well. Happy to find out the secret which makes the tenders sweet... read more

Puritan Backroom - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

Slightly overhyped and crowded. Food not bad but not something to craze over. Our waitress was nice. Good place for get togethers if you don't mind crowds. read more

Food topnotch service A plus delicious chicken and sides great drinks too Waitress very nice read more

food was good and super hot, quiet for lunch and great to meet with family! service was lovely and quick. steak and cheese was great!

After a family recommendation, we made it on a busy Saturday! Luckily, our timing was perfect. We arrived without a long wait, but on the way out (about 4pm) there was a long list of folks waiting for a seat. We were seated quickly and addressed with requests for drinks. The waiter was very nice and reviewed a few things on the menu. We ordered an app of mozzarella sticks (see pic) and they came hot and plenty of them. They were great! Perfect size and fresh! We then ordered our main dish. Between us we had 2 small salads, a veggie pizza, chicken tenders with regular fries and spicy tenders with sweet potato fries. The amount of time between the mozzarella, our salads and our main dish was perfect. We all got refills on our drinks, in between, as our waitress was around the area and paying attention! Our 2 salads were great....basic tossed salad with italian dressing.....fresh and tasty! Our food was just "ok". The food didn't seem to have a great taste. I had the chicken tenders, which were plentiful but not very tasty. The fries were great but, again, I did not love the tenders....they were just "ok". The spicy tenders were a notch better than the regular tenders. The flavor was great with just the right amount of heat. I am not a fan of sweet potato fries but I was told they were excellent. I gave 4 stars. The service was excellent. The time it took to be seated- fine. Parking- plentiful (although it might not be that way when they are packed at dinner time). Price- fair and expected. We did not eat the ice cream on the way out! Maybe next time.....it certainly was busy in there! read more

See all