The Sunset Club is a wonderful beach bar that has a great casual vibe, friendly service and a…read moreflavorful menu with creative takes on beach classics. During this visit, we had nicely crafted mojitos, good selection of beer and wine. The tuna poke has fresh tuna, sesame, just cut jalapeños, fresh spices and sticky rice - nicely done! The fish sandwich had a healthy portion of fish, house sauce, lettuce, on a really nice brioche bun. This evening, the sunset was brilliant! Only feedback is better sound system and more seating.

My friend and I spent the day in the downtown Newburyport area, then biked over to Plum Island. We…read moreworked up and appetite and since this place was packed and high energy, we decided to grab dinner here. They do have a host sitting parties down, but there are also standing areas, self-seating tables, and seats by the bar. The menu includes a good variety of food items, but ultimately the Baja smashburger caught my attention. We placed our order at the counter by the bar, then waited for the food to come to our table. After about 15 minutes, the food arrived. The burger was about $20 and came with the burger and chips. We were unsure if chips meany fries or actual potato chips and unfortunately, it was the latter. The smashburger was good. The patties (2) were smashed a bit, but it didn't have much of the signature crispy, caramelized crust. It came with white cheese melted onto the patties, shredded lettuce, tortilla chips, and Baja mac sauce. I wish the brioche buns were toasted and smashed with the patties on the grill but thankfully the bread was soft and tasted fresh. There was a good amount of mac sauce, to help glue everything together. To my surprise, the tortilla chips were my favorite part. They added texture and slightly more salt. I had a bite of my friends fried white fish tacos but they were a little too fishy for me. I would recommend this place for the vibes and especially for large groups looking for a place to eat and have a good time. They don't accept reservations, but it seems like people are coming in and out constantly, so tables are usually available. They do have a moderate-sized parking lot (free of charge) in the back and when we were they, they had someone ushering cars to empty spots.

We stumbled upon this place and we're so glad we did. It was probably the best food we had in…read moreNewburyport. While we sat outside, the inside was very moody and intimate and I loved the vibe and artwork. The drinks were also the best we had in Newburyport as well (both presentation AND taste). We shared some of the carmelized brussel sprouts (so yummy) and the Fel Fel. I wish we we had dinner there versus just some apps and drinks but we already had reservations elsewhere. Our waitress was attentive and the food runner was this adorable younger teen who was super polite and working so hard the entire time we were there. We will definitely be back for a full meal next time!

This place has delicious food and refreshing drinks Its small plates and some big plates…read more We ordered small plates fried artichokes brussel sprouts tikki fried chicken with hot honey on naan halloumi cheese and beets All delicious but a little too pricey we got maybe 10 small diced beets for 15.00 dollars

My wife and I went there for lunch today. Great looking restaurant inside, though we chose to sit…read moreon the upper deck. Great view and the umbrellas over each table allow you to enjoy the outdoors. We ordered a burger and a tomato and cheese sandwich, both were excellent and some of the best fries I have tasted came with both. Will definitely be back for dinner some evening. Our server ( forgot her name, but Russian accent..sorry) was excellent and seemed to be there just when you needed her. Very nice personality. Price was good considering you are in the heart of Newburyport. Highly recommend.

Let me see. A nice restaurant in Newburyport. Nice atmosphere…read more We were seated, and once our server knew we were there, they took care of us. I had the black Cow burger, medium rare. My husband had the chipotle ranch chicken. My burger was decent. The bacon was smoked...no crunch, but it was good. . The fries were really interesting, I really enjoyed them. My husband was not a fan of his. First, the top bun was flipped...we have no idea why. The breading came off of the chicken after the first bite. The sandwich had no flavor. He wondered if he read it correctly, because he did not taste any heat, yet it is called "chipotle ranch...". Why do we fear heat? Also, the bacon jam spilled all over his plate. He did not eat it. Very messy.

The good: - Most of…read morethe food: Thai lettuce wraps and Ramen were perfect. - The service: Our waitress was super attentive, helpful and nice. - Atmosphere: I enjoyed the decor and music soundtrack. The bad: - Ran out of food: They ran out of 4 of their key items (all of which we wanted to order) which was kind of a bummer since I came here for my gf's birthday. - Drinks: No bueno here. Probably some of the worst we had while staying in Newburyport. Both drinks tasted like medicine and we stuck to having just one as a result. All-in-all, it was a decent visit but I'd probably head somewhere else the next time I'm in town.

Udon noodle is uncomfortably spicy however the flavor is fantastic…read more I will defeintiely be back! Service is great, the place is super cute, and the food is phenomenal. Even the mocktails! It's clear they put thought and car into them, and they are worth the sips. It is on the pricier side, however the quality meets this price, for sure. Highlights include the green curry and mushroom rolls. We were both left stuffed!

Good food & atmosphere. Friendly staff and efficient !!!!! Super view of the Merrimac River.read more

This is a relatively new restaurant and I expect will improve in time. I do hope so as the location…read moreis nice, the room has been redone nicely, and the food was good, but service was slow and spotty. I think they just don't have enough servers. We arrived just after our friends who advised they had already ordered their drinks. Our waitress arrived promptly and took our drink order and then vanished. No drinks for quite some time. A manager came over to ask if anybody had visited us, apologized for the delay, and returned with our drinks. I'm estimating it was a bit over 30 minutes or so before drinks arrived. Our waitress did return, apologized and took our food order. I wasn't so sure about ordering sushi, but glad we did. The maki we tried were very good, fresh and beautifully presented. A great start. We switched gears for our entree and went with a parpadelle bolognese. A nice generous portion that was as good as some of the Italian spots in the area. Our friends also enjoyed their dishes. Portions were generous and prices were reasonable. I would easily have given 4 stars, but the service needs improvement. You would need to plan to spend at least a couple of hours for a lunch. In our case it was not a big deal as we were enjoying time with friends, but I can understand the other negative reviews now. We do plan to return to work our way deeper into the menu, and hope they will have more staff to help with the front of the house.

We recently had our daughters baby shower Steeple Hall @ Mission Oak Grill. The Room is simply…read moreGorgeous!! This was the best experience I've had planning an event, which I've planned plenty. The Staff on the day of event was more that accommodating, they were pleasant, and willing to do anything needed to make the event the way we envisioned it, From Nik going the extra mile helping us set up the back drop!!! The room was set up beautifully and all Nik's recommendations where perfect. The bartender Kristin was pleasant, happy and fast! The waitress Kathie.... was more than accommodating, she was on the go... if we needed something before I could look for her she was there and ready to help. There was no leaving us to figure anything out, they literally took care of it all. My biggest thing is service always and the staff and facility were exceptional! We'll definitely be back for any future functions. A & T Dalton

My husband and I just had our wedding at this venue this past August. The wedding coordinator (Nik…read moreKedian) was terrific! He's very friendly, organized, professional and a phenomenal communicator (always made himself available for a phone call and responsive via email). We had tremendous confidence in him and it's one of the main reasons why we chose the venue. The other two primary reasons is that the venue is beautiful (it's a hidden gem) and the food is excellent (we are harsh critics and confirm it's great). All of our 100+ guests raved to us how beautiful the venue was and the food (food comes from the restaurant downstairs - go there for dinner!). Thank you again Nik along with all of the wonderful staff. We will always remember you all and your generosity making a rainy day nothing short of perfect!

I stopped in solo on a Saturday evening, fresh off a family dinner while they enjoyed a show, with…read moreone singular mission: to try the Spicy Sicilian cocktail. As someone who considers a well-constructed savory cocktail one of life's finer pursuits, I was genuinely excited. The hostess was lovely, warm even, but informed me that without a dinner reservation, the bar wouldn't be available until 9 pm. I was not welcome to simply sit and have a drink. I asked -- politely, I'd like to think -- whether an exception might be made. I was only in town for the weekend and promised that I could be in and out in twenty minutes but the answer was an unambiguous 'no'. There's something particularly unwelcoming about turning away a solo guest who has sought you out specifically for something only your restaurant offers. I came because Carmine does something nobody else does, at least nowhere I've found. And I was unceremoniously turned away with nothing to show for it. I understand the math. A Saturday evening at a restaurant like this lives and dies by full dinner covers, and a solo drinker nursing a cocktail for twenty minutes does not move the needle. But hospitality, real hospitality, has never been purely a numbers exercise. The irony is that I adore this restaurant. The food is spectacular, full stop. Had I possessed a second stomach, I would have happily demolished the Tonno Royale Spaghettini without a moment's hesitation. Carmine has earned genuine loyalty from me as a diner. But a Spicy Sicilian remains, for now, on my list of unfinished business -- and that is a small, specific disappointment I wasn't expecting to leave with.

If the Soup Nazi was a restaurant…read more You have to eat in 60 mins You have to have food to drink at the bar. Don't like your food, you're welcome to pay for something else. All set Carmine.

Very friendly staff. Great sitting out by the water. Everyone's food was delicious. Daughter…read moreenjoyed her cocktail. Would go back if in area again

Poorly executed food and service overshadow a spectacular venue. It's clear that there's a…read moremanagement and training problem at this Newburyport waterfront restaurant. It took way too long to receive our burger and chicken tenders. It's because they were sitting for so long and the burger was not even warm. It had absolutely no flavor. It was advertised as caramelized, onions, Swiss cheese and grilled mushrooms. I only realized now that I received red onions. It was such a disappointment, but I was hungry. It was only remarkable in how remarkably tasteless it was. The service was just abysmal. It was Sunday afternoon around 1pm - 8/16. We had to flag our server down and she was not even friendly. She never said thank you when she handed our receipt. We received our cold meal and we had no utensils or napkins. It took us some time to flag down someone. We had to ask for ketchup and there were no other condiments. It was just terrible. I could not believe the 2.6 rating. It is very believable now. This is just poor management. The location and the restaurant are simply beautiful. It's a large bar with TVs that have the Red Sox on. A very good live singer entertained. The views of the harbor are wonderful. It did not make up for the gaps. I hope someone invests the time and leadership to elevate this experience.

After going whale watching right out of the Merrimack River in the morning, my friend and I wanted…read moreto eat lunch nearby. I had done some research and apparently Brine is a favorite, so we went there. We stayed in the lot we were at and paid $2/hr to park through the passport parking app. It was a beautiful day for outdoor seating, but since the only tables left were directly in the sun, we stayed inside but because they had to windows open, the breeze was still flowing through. We started with the small power tower (cause duh, we're at an oyster bar!) which was supposed to come with 6 oysters, 4 littleneck clams, 2 jumbo cocktail shrimp, and a half order of crudo. Since we both aren't a fan of raw clams, we begged politely to have it swapped for something else and the compromise was 2 oysters. There were 4 options for oysters (Chatham-Chatham, MA, Crowes Pasture-Duxbury, MA, Norumbega-Damariscotta, ME, and Rose and Garnet-Falmouth, MA) so we ended up with 2 of each. As an appetizer, we had the octopus skewer (roasted garlic and zuchinni yogurt, crispy potato, pearl onion, pepperoncini, herbs) and for entrees, we ordered the halibut (jasmine rice, ginger coconut broth, charred asparagus, cilantro chimichurri) and scallop + garganelli (corn, black pepper, brown butter, tarragon breadcrumbs). The oysters tasted fresh with the Norumbega being our favorite. They could've done a little better with shucking them since we did find hard little pieces of stuff in some of them. The sauces they came with were all incredible; the green one tasted like an avocado cilantro and the cocktail sauce was the best I've ever had. The shrimp were massive, juicy, and tender with a snap to them. I didn't like the crudo much since it was in a ponzu sauce so far too much umami for me where it took away from the fresh fish flavor. I would've liked a half order of the halibut instead. The octopus was a little bland; I think they were relying on the sauce to provide all the flavor. It was cooked well, but I wish it was more tasty. I loved the crispy potatoes on top of the sauce as well as the pepperoncini. The halibut was well cooked and the crispy finish to the top was incredible. The broth reminded me of a lighter (in flavor) and less viscous Thai coconut curry. The asparagus was overcooked or maybe not as fresh - I wish it were still bright green and crisp. The scallop and garganelli was amazing. The sauce was thick, savory, and I loved the big pieces of crushed black pepper as well as the sweet corn. The pasta shape was new to me but it did well to capture the sauce. The scallops were cooked perfectly and it came with a good amount. Their bathrooms are very spacious and clean. Our server did a great job; she helped us make some decisions, was patient with last minute changes, and smiled the whole time.

Came here after roaming around Newburyport. It was completely empty when we arrived at 12:30pm on a…read moreSaturday. We were actually afraid it wouldn't be good. They ended up filling up a little bit after we arrived. It was cute how the menu lists out all team members including servers. That's a sweet touch and I guess easy to do when they're changing menus every few weeks. We liked how fresh and clean everything tasted. Seafood portions were big too. We ordered: small power tower, dozen oysters (3 of each on their menu), 2 composed oysters, octopus skewer, mussels, lobster salad, crab bisque, lobster pasta, and baked Alaska We started off with the small power tower. We couldn't choose the oysters or ceviche but it came out being 3 Dixon Point, 3 Norumbega, and tuna crudo. The ceviche portion seemed a bit small even after knowing that it's half a portion of a regular order. My family enjoyed the oysters so much that we ended up ordering a dozen more, 3 of each available at the time. It was fun to try out the different flavor profiles across the various oysters. We also inquired about the composed oysters which changes even more regularly than their menu. Each time it's some sort of tart flavor and a fruity flavor. When we went, they added grape and some sort of vinegar to it. We didn't expect that combination and it turned out quite refreshing. Octopus skewer might be the least favorite of the table. The texture was a bit soft, more mushy than tender chewy. Mussels were also something my family liked. I only ate a few pieces because I had a muddy one in the beginning. Lobster salad was a crowd favorite given the large pieces of lobster and avocado. Using bibb lettuce made it less wet and watery which adds to the creaminess. Lobster pasta felt duplicative when we already got lobster salad but I still really wanted to order it for some creamy savoriness and carbs. It hit the spot for sure. Unfortunately there were a few pieces of lobster that weren't as fresh and couldn't eat. We told them about it and didn't request for anything but they ended up comping the dish. We last minute added the crab bisque after enjoying all the other items so much. I didn't like the smokey flavor so didn't have too much. At the end we were so satisfied that we wanted to try out the desserts too. We were debating between the baked Alaska and the tofu cheesecake. We ended up getting the baked Alaska because it seems more unique. It's not the type where you get a whole ice cream mountain covered in meringue that they'll bake, torch, or pour alcohol lit on fire. I think it's more like a deconstructed baked Alaska - disappointing but still looked nice and tasted good. The meringue was whipped very nicely, thick fluffy texture. The torch on it was just right too, providing sufficient char in appearance and flavor. The black sesame praline on top was surprising as an element and its nice toasty smokey addition to the dish. The splash of yuzu (or passionfruit?) sauce at the bottom was sufficient for the cake pieces and not sweet meringue (I know it probably still has a lot).

This place is the perfect dive bar in Newburyport Drinks galore and lots of socializing There…read moreis darts and tvs for watching The decor is fantastic full of ocean life Service was great

If you Google define a neighborhood dive bar, you will see a picture of the Thirsty Whale…read more This is the kind of place where locals and visitors mingle freely. On a dank spring (typical) early New England spring afternoon, we wandered in for a pre-dinner cocktail. The drinks are solid and reasonably priced. They do have a few high-end spirits and a few surprise special cocktails. There is also a good selection of local beers. We stopped by for a nightcap and were surprised that on a Wednesday night, they were packed and rocking to a live band. If you appreciate a good dive bar with personality, strong drinks, and a local crowd, this place is worth checking out.