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

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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

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

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

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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

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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

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

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

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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

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!

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

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

Be prepared for long lines, large servings and a lively atmosphere! Tip- if you like things sweet, use the house dip (duck sauce) OR order honey mustard or ranch for some variety. The onion rings were so good. read more

Puritan Backroom - Original and coconut tenders platter - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

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

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I went to the Backroom Restaurant last night 1/14 and had a server by the name Debbie. She was so friendly and made our dinner so much more enjoyable. I would have to say she is the best server we have ever had at the Back Room Restaurant. She was like family and made our experience exceptional! Next time we return we will definitely ask for her if the restaurant permits this. Thank you Debbie!!! read more

During mg first visit to Puritan Backroom I was, at first, taken aback that honey mustard wasn't served with their Out Of This World chicken tenders. When I tasted their special & much thinner, smoother version of duck sauce I was Hooked! Every time I'm in Manchester now I get the meal and it takes me 2 days to finish! It's also only an additional $1.50 to add fries and coleslaw! Of course you need to try their legendary frozen mudslides too! If I'm not mistaken they're So good that there's a 2 mudslide limit per person (so you get home safely!) read more

Service was fast and the manager was very helpful when asked about allergy information. The dining room was very eclectic and fun. The cob salad was delicious I added the chicken tenders. The portions were massive and freshly made to order. Well worth the wait, especially when you are waiting with soft warm very fresh rolls. Sadly the line was too long for the desert side of the building. Will visit again to try the deserts in the future. read more

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What happened yesterday at the Backroom bar yesterday? New Years Eve. Did the bar tender call in sick? A place that is famous for mudslides..I ordered a Red Sangria, something was missing...it was red, but bitter like they forgot the sweet wine? Waitress told us we would be charged for it regardless, so I ordered a screwdriver. Simple? mostly vodka hardly any orange juice...it was a pale yellow..I typically don't specify vodka brands at the Backroom, but the large amount of vodka definitely came from the bottom shelf. The chicken tenders were great, haddock a little on the small side..tough night at the Puritan Backroom. read more

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

This restaurant has been in a family business for over 75 years. They are known for starting the famous chicken tenders. They are great with their duck sauce. I do not drink but everyone says the mudslides are great and they are big. The place is always packed but they are definitely worth waiting. Check the wall as you come in there is award given to only a couple of restaurants in the USA. Their ice cream is the best also. The best restaurant to go in NH. read more

Love this place! Always good food and great atmosphere! Would recommend to anyone that wants a good meal.

Long time resident but seldom visit the Backroom. Day before Thanksgiving I needed a place for the now 21' s the younger kids and adults for a quick drink and snack. The Backroom was perfect! Phenomenal Mud slides for the 21+ and the sampler tender appetizer and fries were an unbeatable deal! Old place and new found home for us! read more

After seeing a YouTuber post about this place, I was pretty excited to try it out, but while it ended up being not bad, it didn't impress as much as I had hoped. We ended up driving through NH on a day trip and remembered the video, so we stopped by to give it a try. The food doesn't look like much, but they do above-average chicken tenders. I believe they use the actual cut of chicken called the "chicken tender" rather than chopping up chicken breast, so the chicken is very juicy and tender, but when I had them fresh they didn't have a whole lot of flavor. The duck sauce was a must-have to give the chicken a better taste. HOWEVER, the platter was so big that I couldn't finish it, and when I had it the next day, the chicken somehow tasted better than the fresh version. It had a sweeter taste and I could taste the marinade. On day 2, I didn't need the sauce to eat it - was a bit strange but not complaining. I think if I were in the area again, I'd stop by for some chicken, but I wouldn't make a trip specifically up to NH for this. read more

Puritan Backroom - Chicken tenders with duck sauce - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

Excellent chicken tenders my favorite I've had. Very friendly service. The place homey but I did take out I'll check the ambiance when I go back and eat in. read more

I can't believe I've lived in Southern NH for more than 30 years and have never been here before. It's an institution, lauded for their chicken tenders but they have so much more to offer. First, the restaurant was already full by 430 on Friday. 5 min wait but when we left an hour later, it was packed with people waiting. Despite being full, it's not too loud to talk to your table and server. Speaking of servers, ours was terrific. Not that we were a tough group, just me, hubby and 2 grandchildren. As for the food, everything we tried was as good as you could hope, and reasonable ($66 without drinks or tip) We had: Hot dog, fries and milk off the very reasonable kids menu. Bacon cheeseburger and fries, cooked as ordered Fried Clams and homemade onion rings with Cole slaw - very good! And of course we tried the chicken tenders as an app. Real chicken, very tender, slightly sweet (light breading). Came with duck sauce (odd!). The kids weren't wowed but had we ordered a different sauce, the grownups would eat them again. The prime rib at the next table looked AH-MAZING. And huge. It was a special but probably a regular Friday offering. There are a bunch of other menu items I want to try (there's a Greek selection) so will definitely be back. read more

The service was good. Very busy. Had chicken tenders. They were ok. Tasted like cooked previously and reheated. Dipping sauce was amazing!!!!! Will give another try!!!! read more

The Puritan Backroom in Manchester, NH is a local favorite--and for good reason. Their famous chicken tenders (which they claim to have invented!) are crispy, juicy, and come in flavors like buffalo, coconut, and spicy, usually served with their signature sweet duck sauce. Portions are huge, so come hungry. The vibe is casual and family-friendly, and while it can get busy, the wait is usually worth it. Don't skip dessert either--their baklava ice cream is a hidden gem. Whether you're a regular or just visiting, this spot delivers comfort food with a side of New England charm. read more