Steve's Diner

We had the Porchetta and Cubano sandwiches, my son and I shared them and both were equally…read moredelicious for various reasons. The Porchetta heavily relied on the pork and the sear, seasoning and proper cooking of the meat. It pulled apart easily, had a nice thin crust on it and was plenty tender while also juicy. The arugula was a good balance and helped keep the cheese in place. The bread was perfectly toasted and crusty but absolutely fresh like a good hoagie should be. The Cubano had seasonings ON the panini pressed bread that were on point with the rest of the flavor profile of the sandwich. The balance between the mustard, pickles, and seasoned bread accentuated the meat instead of covering it up. Everything tasted and felt incredibly fresh and we look forward to our next stop here when we are in town.

First time visit to this location. And will be our last. Food took 50min from when we ordered…read moreto when it came out. And my dish was lukewarm (noodle bowl) and the other dish was warm but not hot as it should be. The service was not great either. After 30+ min the server apologized for the but offered nothing for us while we waited. So the food finally arrived and the kitchen staff "thank you for your patience" in a very aggressive and kinda annoying tone. In the end I had expected some of the meal to be discounted. But no. Instead was overcharged for the Avacado that never arrived on my wife's dish. The server did take it off. Yeah saved the $3. I did give 3 stars since the food did taste good.

Dining room

Bibimbap

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Entryway view. Kids colorings on the wall and funky colored tabletops on the right.

The Inkwell Coffee House

4.4(12 reviews)

0.7 mi

What a fantastic surprise! The Inkwell is located across from the public lot, through a door and at…read morethe end of a short hallway. The best part is that once you get your order, there's a deck! I ordered the hot Golden Milk, and was really pleased. The shop itself is fresh, clean and with plenty of seating (and outlets)! Looking forward to my next visit!

This spot is in the renovated IOKA and is absolutely adorable! I love how they have an outdoor…read moreseating area that overlooks the river. It's genuinely super cute. And they have free wifi which is great for working remotely. I also would love to say the service is fantastic. I don't know the name of the girl who served us but she was so friendly. And the drinks came out super fast! We got one of the energy drinks and a mocha. The energy drink was really good (very similar to a Rush at aroma joes!) and my dad enjoyed the mocha. But here is my only complaint.... The scones are not great. I think it is nice that they have a wide variety of pastries. But the scone (blueberry white chocolate) was both super dry and overly sweet. I couldn't even finish it. It was honestly reminiscent of crumbl cookies. So if you like sickeningly sweet scones (like the cookies at Crumbl!), then this would be great. I've had scones like this where it is balanced, but I fear this was too much and I probably won't get a scone here the next time I come. Otherwise, this spot is really cute and I highly recommend checking it out!

Owner at register

Look at this whip topping with strawberry shortcake crumb & a sweet candy treat

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Iced s'mores latte, deck

Trackside Cafe

4.5(97 reviews)

1.3 mi

Irish bennie. Half is plenty. Pay the extra for crunchy homemade hash. Love beans as a side!…read more Lady servers are all kind, attentive. Easy to understand why it is packed with patrons. And take home a muffin for tomorrow.

For Sunday breakfast I stopped by Trackside Cafe. At 10am, a decent line had formed waiting for…read moretables. My friend and I opted for counter seating, which had immediate availability. I ordered the loaded sausage omeletee ($14.99). This came with choice of home fries or beans (I opted for the home fries) and toast (I opted for rye). This arrived w/in 5 minutes of ordering. The portion size seemed reasonable, and everything tasted simple, savory, and homely. I would ask for nothing more at a quiet neighborhood diner (and one attached to a convenience store, at that). Service proved pleasant, with coffee proactively topped up. The waitress offered to fill up a to-go cup of coffee at no extra cost as I settled the bill . As an aside, one of the parties waiting for a table came straight from the Sig store & range. I imagine that events or competitions there would lead to a surge of patrons.

Bar in the restaurant

Loaded sausage omelette w/hash & rye bread

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Front entrance

Sunny Cafe

4.2(10 reviews)

Popped in for a latte and grabbed an iced latte and a giant chocolate chip cookie, great service…read moreand very cute inside

Our first attempt was a fail because the young girls refused to serve me through the order window…read more(which was open), even though I was paying with cash and the register was 5 feet away. I couldn't make sense of this. I came back with a group a few weeks later and tried the crepe. It was fine, nothing special. The coffee cake muffin was fresh and moist but nothing spectacular. We had teas and coffees, all very expensive and passable but not as good as other nearby options. They have dumpling bowls.. I was disappointed that they were so Americanized. No Asian options :-( The service was OK but the staff is immature. Lots of joking and giggling and not enough attention on the job at hand. The outdoor seating area is nice but needs to be cleaned. I watched 2 of the employees sit and gab while ignoring the messes on the ground.

Order counter and menu

Outside

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The Big Bean Kitchen And Bar

3.9(15 reviews)

Delicious! I had the Water St. sandwich and Foxborough french toast. Incredible flavor! The sweet…read morepotato fries and BBQ aioli is a must! Very kind waitstaff. Fun rock and roll vibe.

Their caramel iced coffee is to die for! The menu selection is so big - so many choices. Have been…read moreseveral times and will be back!

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Outside, by front door, after eating!

The Big Bean Cafe

3.6(52 reviews)

In town to visit my sister, we went for a walk along the water and stopped for lunch at The Big…read moreBean. The atmosohere/decorations are what i would call "artsy/eclectic." Very nicely done. I would have taken some photos but we were in mid-conversation and i didn't want to pause to fish out my ohone. The service was fast and friendly and our food was delivered fairly quickly. We both got different versions of their smash burger and they were delicious! Very flavorful! There was some sort of seasoning added pre-, mid-, or post-grilling that added flavor without being overpowering. The meals were served with nicely-seasoned home fries, that were also outstanding. Props to Ash, who was a knowledgeable and helpful server.

The ambiance was very hipster and unique! Multi color Christmas lights strung all over the place…read more The food was good, everything made fresh. The potato chips and fries were good! The chicken sandwich was good and had an abundance of flavors that exploded in my mouth. The service was basics. No refills on our water was offered. The waitress was friendly but not very attentive. It is a local small business that you should try if ever in the area. Check out my photos too!

Restaurant shot

Plain Jane plus bacon, minus the cheese and veggies

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Thirsty Moose Taphouse - Exeter

3.6(177 reviews)

0.3 mi

•$$

Great atmosphere, sitting outside was nice. Service was fast, not a pest and very friendly. Me and…read moremy wife got very good burgers, they give plenty of fries to go with it. Would definitely go again when in the area

Great Beer menu, loved the selection! Bartender Michaela…read morewas awesome! Great service! Had the Hot Chicken Sliders! Not bad! Good flavor Would have liked a different piece of chicken in the slider bun! It was like a small chicken tender that really didn't fit on the bun! But hey it's a slider! Had a side of fries, huge portion and real good fries

Ceiling

Hot Chicken Slider

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Watermelon Margarita

The Old Salt Restaurant at Lamie's Inn

3.9(656 reviews)

5.8 mi

•$$

I went on a family visit to Hampton Beach and our dinner out for the trip was The Old Salt. I went…read morewith a party of 7. We had a reservation and we were greeted and seated promptly. Our drink orders were taken right away but after the drink orders service was a little slow. The waitress explained they were short staffed. I take no stars off for this. Short staff is a common issue including my place of business. Our waitress was very friendly and really good with the children in our party. I really liked the variety on the menu. There were affordable options with some higher priced dinners. There was an option for everyone in our party. I had the stuffed haddock covered with a seafood stew. I'm a little bit of a snob when it comes to seafood stuffing so I was a little hesitant to try it but OH BOY am I glad I did. The stuffing and stew were amazing! No leftovers for me. The rest of our party had various options off the menu and all of us were please with our meals. I highly recommend The Old Salt. A nice ambience. Friendly service. Great food. We'll be back on our next Hampton Beach vacation.

EVERYTHING! Food is great and always consistent! Quick wonderful staff and service!…read moreNever had a bad experience, with dine in or out!! One of the best quality vs quantity restaurants around!!

Wrap and onion rings with a Blood Mary. Mary was ok they need a better mix. Onion rings are delicious

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Me & Ollie's

3.1(117 reviews)

Nice little shop within Exeter…read more The moment you walk-in, there's a nice warm and cozy feeling of being at home. The counter is filled with treats. All too tempting to have. I got a 20oz. Chai Latte. Make sure you let them know if you want hot because they default to cold. I love the warm and rich Chai flavor in this breezy November weather. My daughter and I shared the lentil soup and turkey havarti sandwich. It tasted really good. The sandwiches are warm straight from the grill. The soup is rich and full of flavor. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. I like this atmosphere.

I don't understand all the crappy reviews. I had not been here in years and was in dire need of a…read morequick sandwich while in Exeter. Almost skipped it after seeing the general rating. First of all, the place was mobbed and people seemed to be happily eating. The line was quick. I ordered the "veritable veggie" sandwich ($9.95 w/chips) and the peach passionfruit iced tea. Both came fast and were excellent. Bread was fresh and veggies were crisp. Noise wasn't too bad except for a semi-rude couple on their phones who thought we needed to hear their conversations. But all in all a fine experience. Need to go 5 starts to improve upon the poor ratings!

About a third of the interior.

Lentil soup

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Lexie's Exeter

4.1(156 reviews)

1.3 mi

Stopped in today with a friend from out of town for lunch. Service was great. Food was excellent…read more I love their "Cluck" burger as an alternative to beef. Fries were great as well. Cooked perfectly. $10 for a great burger and fries can't be beat and way better than fast food. Highly recommend! Dylan and our other server (can't remember her name) were so friendly and great to deal with. Will be back!

Wonderful! Was meaning to talk about this. Lexies service and food can always have excellence…read moreexpected. Quiet enough atmosphere from the small building. Only bad thing is the wait at points.

Dining Room seating

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Window seating available too

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10 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Sharon K.

10 years ago

Been there done that won't do it again ! I'm tired of going there only and watching kids eat the butter, the jelly, drink the little creams, play with the sugar packets . I spoke with the owner and she didn't give a crap! She said their only kids and I would lose customers if I asked their parents to stop them from this nasty behavior. But what about the other customers who can't stand to watch this shit right next to them. Because if this kid can't get another jelly to eat he's going to throw a fit and out the door I go. It's all about keeping that customer happy ! If you happen to stop by this place be sure to check your condiments before you use them because little Sally has probably already played with them with the owner consent !! And if you decide to stay tip the waitress big time because she's the one who has to deal with cleaning up after Sally's play time at Steve's. Shame on the owners for not taken a stand on this matter. read more

Lungo S.

1 year ago

I'm taking my boat out today on a beautiful Labor Day off of work, I decided uhhh how about I take a trip down to good ol fashion Steve'sssss diner for breaky. what's my boat you ask? Well it's a 14ft game fisher with a 1988 35hp mercury outboard engine. This thing goes fast, it goes WAPPP WAPPP WAPPPP. Yeah it's cool, what's also cool is Steve's country Benedict with a large choccy milk. So darn tootin good that my ballz reminded me of what I hope my engine doesn't do. Blown up. My balls were absolutely blown off. They got blown off all the way into the Exeter river. My balls are now big 60" cow striped bass food!!!! I hope Mitchy Donga catches that fish, cause I need my ballz back. But uhhhh yeah Steve's diner, more like this place is so good my ballz are blown off diner, hah, yeah, exactly. 10/10 would recommend to anyone that's not afraid of their ballz being blown off. Great work friends -Lungo read more

Karen G.

14 years ago

I won't go to this restaurant anymore, although my husband breakfasts there once a week with a friend, regular as clockwork. Exeter really really really needs a restaurant like this one, but I can't stand the wait service. It was bad enough last time we went there for dinner, I swore I'd never go back. Slow, borderline rude, totally off-putting, which I don't find amusing at all, believe me. And on top of that, the food is exceedingly ordinary. read more

Steve J.

9 years ago

Stopped for lunch while in town on business. Typical not too fancy Diner but clean. Staff helpful and prompt. Had Greek style salad with gyro meat. Large portion, meat was tender and nicely seasoned. Included stuffed grape leaves which were a bonus and very good. All at a very reasonable price. read more

Lisa C.

3 years ago

Went to breakfast with a friend yesterday, and had Tammi as our server. The food was delicious and the service was awesome. She was fast, efficient and fun! We will be back!! read more

Carole N.

16 years ago

We stopped in for breakfast this past fall. The food was excellant. We will be down this month on the 18th again for breakfast.

derek s.

13 years ago

Great breakfast, especially the homemade corned beef hash. Very inexpensive, and a very nice staff.

Ray W.

8 years ago

Fast, friendly service and hearty, tasty portions. Been here a few times and it never disappoints.

Franky B.

11 years ago

Steves diner is awesome, I love it, Go there every Saturday !!!

Randy H.

14 years ago

Great breakfast, service, and price.

Steve's Diner - diners - Updated November 2026

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4.0

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Betty's Kitchen

4.1

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There is a reason why I drive 25 min out of Seabrook and break my diet rules to eat here's because…read moreit's so scrumptious. Tried the buffalo chix wrap today and it did not disappoint. So filling and tasty, hearty and just very flavorful. The blue cheese was amazing. Very fresh crispy wrap. The fries will steam quick in the wrap take out box but that's how I like them. I usually eat breakfasts here and my Irish eggs Benedict's are amazing.

The hubby and I decided to stop here for breakfast. The outside is an eye sore for sure. The inside…read moreis a cozy old fashion dinner type of café. The service was excellent. The prices were great. The food selection was great. The food was ok. It didn't wow me at all, but I want to give them another shot. So we will give them another chance.

Benson's Cafe

4.5

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EVERYTHING about this place is top notch! The service, the atmosphere, and most especially the…read morefood! We travel 50 minutes to go here, it's that good! Eaten here 4 times and never had one thing that wasn't delicious. Creative specials. Best breakfast we've had out, anywhere.

Went to Bensons in Kingston for breakfast this morning. Service is top knotch, food is great. I…read morementioned something that use to be on the menu and the waitress said with a smile, I'll see what I can do. So what I ordered what was on the menu anyway and didn't want to be That Guy! The waitress brought me a surprise. It was what I originally wanted? Thank you!

Jackie’s Tavern & Restaurant

4.2

(13 reviews)

We went in early on a Saturday morning there was a very kind woman working there. I believe her…read morename was Lesley. The food was very good but conversation was wonderful.

Back at Jackie's for lunch last week and I decided to try the roast beef sandwich. OMG! Talk about…read morea mountain of beef! I opted for the three way combo with cheese, mayo and barbecue sauce. I'll admit I will skip the sauce next time but the cheese was great and when I realized I forgot to add pickles and tomato they brought me a side of both. My wife actually enjoyed breakfast instead (French toast with apple compote). Again this place has quickly become a favorite for us! Great food, great service and a down home feel.

The Big Bean Kitchen And Bar

3.9

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Delicious! I had the Water St. sandwich and Foxborough french toast. Incredible flavor! The sweet…read morepotato fries and BBQ aioli is a must! Very kind waitstaff. Fun rock and roll vibe.

Their caramel iced coffee is to die for! The menu selection is so big - so many choices. Have been…read moreseveral times and will be back!

Lexie's Exeter

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Ginger & Clove Cafe

4.1

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•$$

My wife and I are big fans of Cajun food. The problem with living around here is there are no…read moreauthentic Cajun restaurants around. That is until now. The folks at Ginger and Clove now have a Cajun menu for Thursday through Sunday. Let me tell you it's the real stuff. For an appetizer I ordered a bowl of seafood gumbo. Great gumbo is about the roux. It has to be right so it's flavorful and adds thickness. These folks nailed it. I could tell once it was set on the table. This gumbo was full of seafood and the holy trinity and packed with flavor and heat. This bowl was as good as any I've had. My wife had the pasta zydeco and I the tchoupitoulis. Both dishes hit the mark. Wonderful blend of flavors. Servings are very big so bring your appetite. We finished the meal with beignets. Those things are addictive. What's better than fried dough with Carmel sauce. Service was right on. In fact the chef came out twice to see how we enjoyed our food. It's obvious they have pride in their food and take pleasure seeing how customers are enjoying their food. We can't wait to go back.

Been coming here for a while...last time the food was so so. Today we were a party of 6. My food…read morecame with an extra bonus of long hair. My step son's order was incorrect and the potatoes were burnt. get the bill...and do you think at least 1 of the plates would have been taken off the bill?? No. I think the word is spreading...for a Saturday morning...the place was not busy at all. Won't be back!

Hoaty's

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LOVED Hoaty's! The owner and staff were SO kind and it really felt so homey in there. We all loved…read moreour breakfasts and felt so taken care of. They had a Hawaiian breakfast special with kimchi and spam and my friends absolutely loved it. Stop in and give this place a hug from me!

Owner starts playing with music, Great service and…read moredelicious! I would highly suggest a visit to Hiaty's

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