Loved the ambiance of this restaurant and the location on the water! Beautiful views, live music, and fire pits all add to it! The food was very good and our waitress had super knowledgeable suggestions. The only reason I'm even docking a star to 4 and not 5 was because my margarita had a dead bee in it and took almost 15mins to get a new one, yuck (pictured below)!! read more

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Overall, it was a good experience. Mike, our waiter was excellent, the watermelon salad was tasty with a touch of Marconi almonds, the steak was cooked well, but the lobster bisque fell short as there was no lobster in it. For our anniversary, I was hoping for some sort of recognition -especially since they ask ahead of time -but no such luck. Originally I had reserved a table for inside, but the hostess said we got "lucky" as they had outside available and it was a beautiful night. At first, thought it was a great idea until they sat us next to the raucous outside bar at a plastic table and chairs that felt like I should've been in a bathing suit having fish and chips by a pool or wharf. Unfortunately, after sitting for 10 minutes and had time to stew about the weird ambience and the animated acoustic guitarist, I had to go and request another table inside. Luckily, the staff handled it well and quite quickly. Once seated at an appropriate table-clothed, albeit still next to a bar, the ambience improved and we were able to enjoy a nice dinner overlooking the water with excellent service. Bottom line- it wasn't the best anniversary dinner experience, but it's amazing how much the server had an impact on the night. If you're looking for an intimate, nice dinner by the water and the price range is $$$-$$$$ compared to others, definitely request inside. I'm sure the outdoor tables are fun during the day, but the restaurant should rethink how they market themselves, or change over the tables on the dock at night to match the indoor environment. (Or invest in better furniture so it feels like what you're paying for dinner is worth it.) There are plenty of casual places to eat outside in Newport, but this establishment is trying to pass off a classy, outdoor nighttime dining experience that feels like a casual, cheap sandwich place on the dock where you'd be comfortable wearing cut off shorts and t-shirts! read more

The Reef - Indoor table facing the water - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Disappointed. We ordered crab croquettes which were ok. Lobster bisque was not great, contained no pieces of lobster meat. Baked cod was so bad I had them take it back. Also, the beer was room temp and expired.... We enjoyed the atmosphere but other than that I do not recommend this place. read more

This spot has been on my radar to check out for some time. Just off the beaten path, right on the waterfront down a small alley from the hustle & bustle of Thames Street, it's easy to miss & I always forget that it's here. We were right in the neighborhood & hungry when a bell went off in my head - "Let's finally try The Reef". Upon approaching, the first thing I noticed was parking. Such a rarity in this neighborhood to find free parking! We made a mental note to remember this. It was a bit early for the tourist season & for dinner time, so we were seated quickly. The dining room continued to fill & liven up during our visit. A private party filled the bar area as well. What a gorgeous spot on the water! I imagine the sunset views from here are fabulous and the tent and patios on the dock must be wonderful on a nice, summer day. Our waiter ( Vincent maybe? ), promptly welcomed us & remained attentive & helpful through our visit. When asked for a recommendation, he immediately went into a thorough description of the items & helped our decision. The first thing that I noticed was that the prices on the menu were, in many cases, much different than what was shown on the website. I always peruse online menus before hand and I quickly noticed that the entrée I had been considering, the Black Cod, was a full $10 more than what showed online. It is inexcusable for a large restaurant company like Hertiage to have incorrect or outdated menu information on their property websites. We ordered that Black Cod & the Short Rib ( which is now served with mashed potato - not polenta as shown on the website ). The first thing I noticed when it quickly arrived was the portion size. A small piece of fish, maybe four or five ounces, sat atop a cup of rice and a few thin asparagus spears. It almost appeared to be an appetizer, not a main dish. The short rib was a heartier portion & certainly more fulfilling. My partner was happy with the beef, although the sauce was oddly VERY smoky, almost tasting like too much smoke flavoring had been added. If there was a deep, beefy flavor typical or a demi, it was completely overwhelmed by the smokiness. The flavor of the fish was even more disappointing. While it certanly didn't taste spoiled, it had very little flavor from the glaze & a strong fishy-ness. When I discoved that the bottom of the filet still had a silver skin layer, I removed it and the fish flavor improved but the dish remained very bland. I ate it but found it just "meh" & left still hungry, despite not having a huge appetite arriving. I think we will try it again. Perhaps for a brunch on the patio on a nice summer day. The pasta dishes I saw going by looked better and, you certainly can't beat the location. read more

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My family had a wonderful experience here during our Newport trip. We did the cliff walk so we were starving and grateful to be immediately seated. We shared the Truffled Burrata, which tasted very fresh. I decided to have a Pina Colada with the Black Cod. The pina colada was refreshing and the cod was cooked perfectly with the right amount of miso. My husband had the Warm Lobster Roll and my mom had the Fish & Chips - they both enjoyed their meals. My picky 2 year old even liked her Meatball Rigatoni. The waterfront view and live music was another nice touch! read more

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We made reservations on the day of and The Reef was the only place available during the time we wanted with our party of 5. We had an amazing server, Sawyer. The food and drinks were great. I got the warm lobster and boyyy was that filling. I also loved the mussels and my table ordered it twice. I would highly recommend. read more

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Food service ambiance -- fabulous. I'll be back! Mussels were excellent. Tacos super delicious. Really nice views read more

The Reef - from our table - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

The view of the marina is beautiful! The food was mediocre. I had the cold lobster roll. It was tasteless with more bread than lobster. We were there on a Sunday and they had a steel drum duo. This made the ambience very nice. read more

The Reef - Cold lobster roll - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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We came for lunch. We were promptly seated in a very nice outdoor spot with oceanfront view. I had the lobster roll without bread and clam chowder my wife had a steamed lobster. The food was good the service excellent, and overall a pleasant experience, the only annoyance was the huge amount of yellow jackets pestering the clients. Even the propeller thingies provided did not manage to discourage the pests. Other than that a fabulous place to have lunch. read more

All in all, I recommend the reef. It's a perfect location, lots of room, great drink and food menu and it was perfect for our big work group. Majority of us got the lobster roll and to be honest, it was my first lobster meal I had all to myself. The only comment I have is the lobster was good, but it wasn't the best part of the lobster meat. I'm guessing what's why the price was lower. Otherwise, service was fantastic and we loved the drinks and the fries too! read more

The Reef - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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The views are great. It also has its own parking which is also awesome. The vibes are on point and the staff is super awesome. But the food however is just bland and lackluster. read more

The waitress (with blue hair) was atrocious. Attitude enough for five. Delayed coming to our table for 10 minutes. Finally came to the table, but with an attitude. I asked a simple question and she gave me an eye roll and curt response. The menu looks great though I see they only have 3.6 stars. Never got the chance to experience it. I wouldn't have a waitress like that do anything for me after that interaction. read more

Highlight was the views - sat inside but the back is open and looks out into the marina. I think it was a better place to sit than the outside which had a long line for. There's even a bar seating right at the marina that we'd want to sit at next time. Got the surf and turf burger which was but too well done, and also got the salmon poke bowl which was great. The staff were lovely in seating us even though we came an hour earlier than our reservation, but our waitress specifically was not as good - we went the whole dinner without water. read more

You can't beat the location! The Reef is dockside and has both inside and outside seating. The outside seating is covered, so you can enjoy the al fresco without baking in the sun or getting rained on. We started with a bottle of rose, the clam chowder and the Thames off the raw bar. There may have been something else in there as well. We next had the lobster pasta. The food was excellent and very fresh! We especially enjoyed the lobster pasta! I thought the pricing was really high. I get that it's fresh seafood and there is a cost to that but I was a little disappointed by the quantity included with the Thames. The service was decent; friendly but a tad on the slow side. All in all, the Reef is an excellent spot to spent a pleasant afternoon! read more

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Went here for my best friend's bachelorette - such good food and views! A must go to when visiting Newport :)

I came here with a group of five on a winter Saturday and had an overall great experience! We sat inside one of the themed igloos. For the most part it was warm but wish it was a little warmer (had the heat turned up all the way). Really cozy inside though and amazing view of the water. Our waitress was really friendly and accommodating. There's enough on the menu to choose from. The food was delicious. Only complaint is not having dipping options for fries (minor). read more

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We had such a wonderful dining experience by the oceanfront. It was the perfect mix of great food, drinks, and atmosphere. I had the Caesar salad, which was light, crisp, and refreshing, while my partner ordered the Benedict and absolutely loved it. The gentlemen in our group enjoyed a round of espresso martinis (which they raved about), and I went with a chilled glass of crisp white wine that paired beautifully with the seaside setting. The service was friendly, attentive, and very accommodating, which made the whole experience even better. read more

The Reef is located at a perfect spot by the water in Newport, RI. TR has indoor and outdoors dinning. We sat "al fresco" taking advantage of the nice weather. There was life music, a young singer with her guitar and a nice repertoire. Customer Service was tops at TR. Nice menu, plenty of options, we shared appetizers: Caesar salad and Calamari. For Main Entree; Warm Lobster Rolls with Sweet Potato Fries. TR has a nice list of cocktails, I had a Prickly Pear done to perfection. For dessert we enjoyed of Fried Ice Cream and Cappuccino Crème Brûlée. Visit The Reef whenever in the area. read more

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One of our favorite restaurants in Newport. Eight of us went for brunch with pooch in tow so we had a table in their tented outdoor space near the water. Very nice setting, a little toasty in the sun as it was coming in on our backs on half the table. Food & drink were great. Despite my memory that The Reef used to have an oyster menu with a multitude of choices, there were only 4 oysters to choose from and they were out of 1 of them. Probably just as well as we blew almost $168 on 42 oysters. Really enjoyed the watermelon salad, truffled burratta, and calamari. Loved their lobster pasta - very tasty sauce and texture of pasta just right. Still one our favorites list! read more

The Reef - Oysters! - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Came here with a bachelorette party. The staff was super accommodating and kind. The food came out quickly. The Korean noodles were pretty good for an American restaurant (I'm not a seafood fan - but this was the groups choice). The area and seating were beautiful. Reasonably priced. read more

The Reef - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Went for a bachelorette and the food, ambiance, wait staff and overall experience was amazing! Would highly recommend and the prices are fair for the area! read more

Wine temperatures just right. Service was attentive. The spicy tuna rice was the best I ever had.

Took a day trip to visit Newport, RI and landed at this perfect spot to enjoy a nice dinner. They seated us right away at a table next to the water with a great view, and the live music made the experience even better. I ordered the Rose Sangria, which was beautiful and the Reef Wagyu Bolognese pasta, which was absolutely delicious. I couldn't stop raving about it and I ate every bite. I was so impressed how well everything worked out and how this meal exceeded my expectations. I'd definitely recommend visiting The Reef! read more

The Reef - Pasta, drinks, and a view! Lobster Pasta, Reef Wagyu Bolognese Pasta, and the Rose Sangria - Seafood Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Very nice location and ambience. In the summer, lots of outdoor seating alongside the harbor. Inside is airy and bright, with lots of tables and a decent sized bar. The burrata salad was a hit, as were the soups (chowder and bisque). The salmon was tasty and so was the swordfish (although it was a pretty thin piece for the price). We were very happy with the service, and they accommodated us to move to a different table because of the fact that the sun was way too bright where we were sitting. Prices are typical Newport prices, nothing out of the ordinary. read more

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I had a wonderful experience at the reef. The waitress was absolutely lovely and the food was fantastic. I'll definitely come back

Disappointed. The location is what really drew me to this restaurant. It's on the wharf surrounded by yachts. It was a beautiful evening and we sat outside for dinner. It took quite awhile after we were seated for a server to come to our table. I'm not sure if they were short staffed that evening but in general the service was very slow. The server never checked with us to see how our meal was once it was served. Neither the restaurant nor the bar were busy. None of the staff ever smiled. The food was adequate but nothing really special. I ordered the watermelon salad with shrimp that was served in a small deep bowl which made it difficult to eat. As to the entertainment, the musicians were painful to listen to. They were performing their own music which had a few basic chords and one line verses which they repeated over and over. Hopefully they can improve the food, service and entertainment because the location is amazing. read more

Went to The Reef for their sunday brunch celebrating my cousins bachelorette and it did not disappoint! It's located right on the Newport Harbor and has indoor and outdoor seating. They had a live band playing who were absolutely fantastic. The food itself was really enjoyable and they know how to make a strong drink! I highly recommend this place if you're looking for somewhere to eat in Newport/Bowen's Wharf area! read more

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I made Igloo lunch reservations here to surprise my family and it was amazing! You can't select the igloo ahead of time but once there I chose Tropical Paradise and it was absolutely beautiful!! We loved the colors, decorations, the fireplace was perfect for the cold weather, we had a speaker to play our own music it was a great experience! The food was good but I think what makes this place memorable is the gorgeous views and the igloos. They have different themes for them. The server was very attentive and accommodating. We didn't like the strawberry shortcake or the black coffee everything else was delicious. I will go back on my next Newport visit! read more

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Went for a birthday with an igloo rental. About ten different igloos, all with their own theme. Each has heater and electric fireplace. $108 (including taxes) for two hours and twenty mins. Time starts when your reservation starts so don't be late! Gratuity is included. Ryan, our server was great. Caramel espresso martinis were so unique and yummy 9/10 Calamari was the best I've had, garlic dipping sauce SO good 10/10 Lobster pasta 10/10 Bolognese gnocchi 10/10 Great experience. 5 stars read more

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Came here and reserved one of the winter igloos and it was great!! Clean, well kept, and done well. Service was pretty good Bloody marys (4/5) Sangria (3/5) Fish tacos (4/5) Shrimp and grits (5/5) Smoked old fashioned (3.5/5) Its great you could have your own music in the igloo too. read more

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Recently visited on a Saturday midday to enjoy their brunch in an igloo! Experience and ambiance was a 5. Food was a 4. Service was a 5. Must Try - Bacon Cheddar Fritters. Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Gelato. Breakfast bruger (it's served on a crossaint with a super runny egg! Next time, we'd skip - Veggie wrap was very dry (it said it came with dressing but not sure it had enough!). French dip lacked a bit of flavor. read more

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Solid. Excellent service. And their "seasonal cocktails" were swell. Large menu. Round of appetizers including oysters; entrees were 3 short ribs and fish and chips (latter especially large portion and well done). All happy campers. Note one of their 2 rooms had live music (a guitarist) so you might consider the other room if you want to converse. read more

We came to celebrate a my daughter's birthday in October. Great place, if you love seafood. The oysters are so fresh each one tasting so different. I had clam chowder, it wasn't hot enough for me, so I send it back to be made hotter. They were very accommodating. It must be beautiful during the sunset. The place is beautiful and service is impeccable, great place to celebrate with a great meal. read more

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The bartender awesome wish she was behind the kitchen food no no Fries were cold just fish and chip the sandwich was thrown into a gallon of oil. Such a beautiful place But go for the view and drinks. read more

Over priced and disappointing. My burger was over cooked and burnt with a singular piece of lobster so much for surf and turf. The crab rolls were underwhelming as well. read more

On our first night in Newport we chose The Reef on the wharf for dinner. It's a surprisingly large restaurant with a bar with live music and plenty of outdoor seating. Unfortunately, the rain was coming down so we had to sit in the dining room. Our servers were Mattie and Sam, who were very friendly and provided very good service. My husband and I started out with cocktails, a salty dog for me and an old-fashioned for him. The first time I had a salty dog was in Kennebunkport, so that had to be my first cocktail on my first night back in New England. My drink was not good - at all. I couldn't even taste the grapefruit juice since it had a medicinal taste somehow. I added ice, then water, no help. I then left half the drink. The old fashioned was great. We started with the oysters Rockefeller and they were the best we've ever had. We commented we should just stick with those for the rest of the meal because they were so damn good. Next I had the Newport clam chowder and hubby had the lobster bisque. The lobster bisque was the winner, full of flavor with large lobster pieces and creamy. My clam chowder was watery and not thick and creamy. Too much broth. For my entree, I had the hamachi poke. The hostess noted right away from my reservation that I can't have nuts or seeds so that was great that she was on top of it and told the servers. I reiterated that with our servers when ordering. However, the poke came out with seeds, and I needed to send it back. The kitchen corrected it and the hamachi was so fresh and the bowl was tasty. Very good. My husband had the swordfish with couscous and haricot verts. He really enjoyed the fish and said it was grilled perfectly, not overdone or dry. The Reef wasn't my first choice of restaurants, but all the highly-rated restaurants on my list were totally booked until late in the evening on a Saturday and I just can't eat that late so we ended up at this place. Not highly rated but decent food. Hits and misses. Get the oysters Rockefeller, though. It's the best thing we had. read more

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Came here on Wednesday for dinner and it was nice and empty. It doesn't seem too busy around in the area during the week in January. The lobster roll is really good, especially with the butter! The fries weren't that seasoned but it was nice and crispy. It is a little more on the pricey end compared to other places. read more

Best dirty martini in RI!! No joke... this place was amazing! Prices weren't too bad either. We got the seafood platter they offer and some calamari it was delicious Excited to dock up our boat (we were told we can do that as they have their own dock) and spend more time here this summer!! read more

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We went to dinner last night and the food was yummy, but when we were seated in the room with the bar it was extremely loud. Way too loud to enjoy a meal with the table next to us screaming the whole time. I feel we were seated in there because we had my granddaughter with us and they assumed a child will also be loud. Every table in there had at least one child with them also. Next time I know to ask not to be seated in there. read more

really good! we went to a Thursday during spring break and it wasn't really busy food came out pretty quick. Will say that the inside was a bit nicer then the outside which is where we were. The food was great we got calamari and clam chowder both were 10/10 then for mains we got a meatball rigatoni which was the only thing we didn't love the pasta was pretty decent but the meatballs were not good and a bit cold 6/10. The fish and chips and lobster roll were both good 8/10 overall this place was good, would probably not come again tho if we did it would be for the apps but we had a great time and good food. read more