Been a while since we eaten here. Went for an anniversary lunch on a hot, crowded Sunday in Newport in mid May. The good news is the crowds didn't extend past a certain point, the restaurant was cool and relaxing and the food wonderful. We shared Clam Chowder and Crab Cakes for apps. Mains were seared scallops and crusted salmon. Server Zack was great. Very relaxing and delicious lunch! read more

I haven't been to Zelda's in 10 years. A friend and I were bopping around, and he said he was recently there, and it was good. The interior has changed a LOT. It is well done. Tables have separators to keep things private, which was a nice touch. A spacious bar is in the center. We had a couple of pints of Guinness to start and they were poured well. Our bartender was very pleasant and friendly. They had a large and diverse menu. My buddy had a pastrami sandwich, and he said it was super juicy and tasty. I had a Korean-influenced Salmon dish with Korean noodles. It was quite good. Salmon was prepared well, and the sauce was flavorful. We both enjoyed the visit. Prices were reasonable. Give it a try next time you go downtown. read more

Zelda's - Korean-influenced salmon with Korean noodles - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

That was the worst host I've ever encountered. She didn't even look up at me when I walked through the door. I told her it's just myself and she said okay. She didn't flinch or anything. I stood there and asked her if I'm supposed to seat myself or something. And she responded sassily you can seat yourself at the bar. Mind you, it's an empty restaurant... so I explain that I'd like a table away from the door. She seats me quite literally next to the door and slaps the menu on the table. I immediately walked out due to her rude and unwelcoming nature. read more

what a great little place! we stopped in for a drink and to warm up and received great service at the bar. i tried the raspberry elixer mocktail and the autumn mocktail and enjoyed both a lot. if you are looking for a quick bite, their house made fries are delicious! i'm not sure what sauce they give on the side but it was perfect. we will definitely be back! read more

Zelda's - French Fries - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Overall this place was a bit above average. Food: Calamari: average- did the trick but nothing to scream to the rooftops about Chowder: pretty good. Would get again. Salmon: I was not expecting the lo mein Asian style with the salmon. I appreciated the creativity and ate most of it but the noodles were too saucy for me to want to finish. Swordfish: would not get again. Drinks: Regular Marg and Watermelon Marg. Would get again! The watermelon was homemade puree and was super refreshing. Overall the service was good and there was no wait. I'd go again but won't be going every time I visit Newport. read more

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Was going to eat here after Newport Jazz festival but didn't stick around long enough to try any of the food. When my partner and I sat down at the bar, the waiter (middle aged ginger man) gave us an incredibly vitriolic look. I am generally very understanding when it comes to restaurant staff. I can understand not smiling or saying hello because you've had a long day. However, this look did not suggest fatigue. It communicated "You do not belong here/I do not want you here" more than anything. After throwing menus our way, he disappeared. I felt so uncomfortable that I lost my appetite, so my partner and I left. For this reason, I would not recommend this restaurant for any people of color looking to enjoy their time in Newport. I hate to leave bad reviews, but it's worth it if it prevents someone else from having the experience I had. read more

On a cold night we were out and about wandering around and trying to find some place to eat. This place had such a cozy/nautical vibe but was also very classy. We were seated immediately and our waitress brought us over some water. There are plenty of options for seating : High tops, bar seating and booths. We ended up going with the specials: Korean BBQ Salmon over peanut butter & coconut noodles ; Jerk Chicken Wings, and the crab cakes. Everything was uniquely flavored and the portions were large. We really enjoyed everything we ordered to include our drinks. We'd recommend coming here if you're ever visiting in the area. read more

After spending my weekend in Newport, me and my boyfriend decided to stop here before leaving... and omg we had the BEST classic pizza with added chorizo, fries which were so crispy and good! And stuffed clams and muscles were so flavorful and delicious. The drinks were good and the bartender was so sweet. Such a good place to watch some football and enjoy a meal. It ended up being my favorite place to eat out of all the restaurants I went too! I can't wait to come back here! read more

The service was good and super fast, but we were disappointed in the food. Especially with whatever kind of ground beef they used in the burger. It had no flavor or juice at all as if they pressed it while cooking. The muscles were served in some kind of very over garlicked butter water. Tip to the chef: try a white wine butter sauce, onions, basil and a touch a Pernod. I have to say the swordfish was cooked to perfection but the spring risotto that came with it had a strong strange flavor. Crabcake was OK, (not enough sauce) and the fries were OK. We won't be visiting again. Lastly the chairs were wood with leather seat tops that were not comfortable. read more

The food is pretty good here, I will admit that and the wait staff was great. However, I had scallops for $36 that were cold and only had three scallops total, plus risotto. I feel my meal certainly wasn't worth the $36. read more

This was our first time back to Zelda's since the pandemic. The interior has had an overhaul and it made the space feel much more open and also gave a more casual vibe. For as much as the look has changed, we were super happy that the quality of food had not! We started with a pear and Brie salad which was fresh and yummy. The burgers are a must. They are ground in house from the trimmings of the hand cut steaks. Cooked to perfection with normal toppings. The fries were also perfect!! I really enjoy a fry that doesn't have a smooth exterior. The added texture adds to the flavor and these have that exterior. We skipped out on dessert, I was looking forward to a chocolatey bread pudding but the flavor that was blueberry so I was out! Lol! The beer selection good, they had a few different IPAs and about a dozen other draft choices. read more

Zelda's - Pear and Brie Salad - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

We had another nice time and great meal at Zelda's. The food is consistently delicious. I had horseradish crusted salmon and it was amazing. My husband had a French dip sandwich and he said it was great. The staff is always welcoming and friendly. The crowd is lively and the TVs at the bar area add to the fun. It's one of our favorites. Thank you Zeldas! read more

After many years I returned to zeldas for dinner. I ordered the special, fish and chips, and a white wine. I was appalled at what arrived. On my plate were 3 pieces of thin fish fingers next to a pile of stragglers, wilted french fries. The fish was obviously frozen and was reminiscent of what used to be called fish sticks. The taste was fine but not great. Then I sipped the wine....it was warm. I could have dealt with it all had the price reflected the wu a little and quantity....but alas, 2 orders of fish n chips, 2 glasses of warm white wine and 2 ord e rs of creme caramel, which was actually quite good, came to $118.00. Frozen fish sticks and soggy fried for $26.00 each. Laughable, horrible, and totally unacceptable. What a terrible bookmark on what had been once a restaurant of quality. Be ​​​​warned. read more

The food was fine but super small portions and way way over priced, even for newport. General vibe of the restaurant was also just unimpressive. Server was great though! read more

I had gone in on a Friday night in April. I decided to sit at the bar rather than take up a table as I was dining alone. I'm so happy I did! The bartenders were attentive and friendly. I had the Firesteed Pinot noir from Oregon which I loved! For dinner I ordered the pan-seared scallops. The scallops were accompanied with a creamy English pea risotto, pancetta jam and a corn aioli. It was delicious! I wish I had leftovers to bring home. After spending some time there I was able to get to know the other customers at the bar, some regulars others visiting from out of town. By the end of dinner I felt like we were friends rather than strangers sitting at the bar. I will absolutely be back! Im looking forward to trying the Pt. Judith fried calamari and the steak frites. I will also most definitely be in for their brunch on Sunday and so should you! read more

Zelda's - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

I have walked by this place many times thinking it was only a bar. A friend invited us to dinner as they had not been there recently. We were able to get street parking nearby! I don't like to "trash" a local spot but this in balance was "OK". Some good things and some bad things - the latter regarding some food and some prices. We had cocktails or a glass of wine to start. The tequila cocktail was swell and a large selection of wines by the glass. Service was top rate. Now to the food: Appetizers - clear winner on the calamari; disaster on the $23 cheese plate - only 2 mediocre hard cheeses (one that was potentially "off") and as usual not enough bread or crackers causing one to request more. Pitiful Entrees - salmon was perfect; the steak frites - what were they thinking? A plate of decent fries - should be in a cone! - and not the best cuts of meat COVERED in a half stick of herbed butter. So when we left - most of the cheese was on the board and likewise the steaks. The place has potential but the chef needs to improve his/her game. Food 2/5 Service 5/5 Value maybe 4/5 as entrees were below the competition pricing; 1/5 on the cheese board Cleanliness 5/5 Noise 3/5 (lively bar scene but you could converse) Decor 3/5 read more

Apps good, main meal good. Sat at bar. Bartender a drip. Ask for a table. More like 4.25 starts. read more

Middle of the road at best. Small menu, no oysters in an oyster town. Waiter walks up to the table in shirt that looks like it was pulled from the bottom of a laundry bag. For Christ sake iron the damn thing. Then he asks us "you guys want food?" No wrinkle boy, I'm here inspecting the fresh air. Asshole. We got the escargots, fried calamari, and steak tartare. The calamari needed an oil change, the steak tartare looked like canned dog food and I almost wish it was as it was flavorless. The escargots and very little flavor. read more

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Went for our last night I. Newport. Not the best. All other places we ate at were excellent. Too much of a bar type. The service wasn't too good. The food was flavorless. The menu was not much. I thought when I looked, they had mussels, and oysters. Not now. I ordered the escargot which were just swimming In oil. Not much flavor. The fried calamari was extremely tender, but again very oily and flavorless. The steak carpaccio was more like a canned corn beef hash. The other thing was the cosmo was 12.95 plus 1.00 for Tito's! Just charge me $13.95!! My husband had a grey goose w club soda for 11.95. I am used to paying $15.00 for a drink. Just thought that was tacky read more

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Great ambiance however the new menu leaves a lot to be desired. I used to eat here weekly but until the menu changes up again I'm out. Most of the staff is wonderful with some exceptions. Additionally if anyone in your group is vegetarian they will be hard pressed to find any sound dinning options. read more

A true Newport treasure. Great food and wonderful people. They say follow the locals. This is it. The food is amazing. It's all made in house and is impressive. The steak Au poivre and escargot are out of this world . The drinks and company could not be beat! Caitlin is is outstanding. She is so such a great bartender and a lovely, sweet person. She was very helpful with the menu and cocktails selection. read more

Zelda's - Delicious crispy calamari - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Came here for the first time on a Friday night. It was a mix of regulars and tourists. The Friday night we were there it was an older crowd. The negatives outweigh the positives. Bartenders doing shots, food served cold. A regular who was clearly drunk walking in dropped a drink but was continued to be served. Female bartender with an attitude and clearly not friendly. The positives, liked the decor and the Asian boneless wings if they were served warm. About as far as you can get up Thames and out of the downtown area. Based on my first experience it's not worth the long walk. read more

A $32, 3-course meal is offered Tuesday - Thursdays that changes weekly so we set sail for Thames Street, arriving a few minutes before 6:30PM, lets call it 6:28PM. The restaurant is housed in an attractive brick and brownstone building constructed in 1895 that was originally a liquor store/brewery and private function hall. Who the hell was Zelda you might ask? I checked a Snapple bottle cap and discovered the restaurant was named after F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife and her influence in creating the roaring 20's lifestyle. We, that being the wife and I, each chose the salad option over the soup or chowder options. The heirloom tomato salad with arugula, figs, grapefruit, feta and tzatziki proved to be deliciously wonderful, can't speak to the quality of either the soup or chowder. There were 3 entrees offered with us, that being she and me, opting for pan seared swordfish, salmon and shrimp with baby arugula, farro and tomato espelette (pepper) vinaigrette. The seafood was perfectly prepared - read not overcooked. Lastly, we ignored the gelato option in favor of Creole bread pudding with bourbon sauce - a taste delight! Okay, I lied, the last comment was actually not my last, what I failed to mention up this point is about the service, in one word - excellent. read more

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I came in on two separate occasions while on a Newport vacation. The first visit only involved drinks (cosmos) because the kitchen closed around 9-9:30 pm. Not a problem at all- if anything- it worked in my wallet's favor because the lingering smell of the garlic butter from the escargots kept me drooling. I returned the next night and ordered escargots, calamari and vegetable lo mein. All were delicious- although they would have tasted better if they were eaten in the restaurant and not taken to go. Still- amazing drinks- decadent food. I would check out zeldas if visiting Newport!!! read more

Staying nearby and it was raining so we stopped in at 7 pm. The host was very friendly but had nothing til 8:30. We gave her our number and went across the street for a drink and appetizers. The hostess called us after about 1 hr thankfully. It was several minutes before our waitress came but our drinks and food came quickly. We had the filet and bolognese. Both were excellent! My filet was medium well and was perfect. Pic below taken after i started to cut the potatoe wedges. The au poivre sauce was so tasty. Would definitely come again. read more

Zelda's - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Comfort food made with love!!! Great service and cozy environment. It was difficult to choose something off the menu, everything sounded yummy. We'll be back. read more

Zelda's - Rueben - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Had a 4:30 reservation on Saturday 8/19 but we were sat at 4:45 due to our guests late arrival. We were informed that we needed to be finished by 6:15 for next reservation. At 6:08 when entrees were served, our guest headed to host stand to find party next in line for our table. He found the group at the bar and bought them a round of drinks in order to stall them and give us more time to eat (10 minutes). Barely finished and they were clearing our table. We were cashed out at 6:23 before heading out to find another restaurant for coffee/ drinks and dessert. What is most frustrating is that I called the restaurant on Sunday to let a manager know how disappointed we were with our experience. I was told he would call me back. On Thursday (4 days later) I decided to call the restaurant back. This time I did get the manager "Jason" on the phone. He "invited" us back to have dinner again (and to not be rushed) at our expense. After spending $350 and being completely embarrassed in front of our guests (who drove 2.5 hrs to meet us there), I told him I that when we come back to Newport we will be eating at Pasta Beach again. Do yourself a favor and dine elsewhere! read more

Something's wrong at Zelda's! Has the worst calamari in my life. It was actually cold and hard. Not sure if they waited to serve the calamari with all the others in my party or not. Either the waitress did not tell the cook to delay the calamari or the waitress let the calamari sit for 15 minutes until it was cold and hard. Very disappointed. So much for local calamari. read more

Fantastic food and service. All of the cocktails were perfectly made, and all of the food exceeded expectations. Great local crowd (it is loud in the bar area, but that is what you want!) read more

SO glad we reserved a table at this popular restaurant of the beaten, tourist path in Newport. It was a busy Saturday night and this cozy, friendly, looked-like-mostly-local folks was a true find after all the clogged, noisy restaurants and bars in downtown Newport. There was on-street parking around Zelda's and we were welcomed by the agreeable hostess and seated in a great booth near the busy bar. Even with the three TVs playing the noise level was OK. And the drinks and food were great! The Pear and Brie salad with a dark balsamic dressing was delicious. The seared Ahi tuna was perfectly done even though the Brussel sprouts were undercooked. And the Mushroom Risotto was excellent. The Steak au Poivre was great with a very rich brandy, shallot demi sauce while the asparagus was undercooked. Highly recommend this terrific restaurant. read more

Hands down the worst service & restaurant experience I have ever had. Seated for dinner at 7:30, order drinks shortly with the server Jess. Short time later, the same Jess asks again if we want to order drinks, we let her know we already order drinks, was told we must have put the order in with the other Jess (there's two apparently...) Order dinner with the same server Jess. Half an hour after ordering, still no drinks. Flag the same server, she then asks if we want to order dinner, after we already ordered. Was told again there's another Jess. Informed the same server that we already know there's another Jess, we put drink & dinner in with YOU, and just wanted to know if drinks were coming. We were then asked "well what do you want to do? Leave?" Same server who took our dinner order then told us "this is a bar, it's not really dinner time" (at 7:30pm on a Sat??) and that "there are 15 year olds carrying barstools" (how that's relevant I'll never know). It was at this point we decided to leave without having ever received drinks or food. Server was incredibly rude, unprofessional, and incompetent. It did seem as she was under the influence of something. Certainly a bizarre interaction. Can confidently say, we will NEVER go back or recommend to anyone! Absolutely worst service ever! Jess, if you're reading this, sorry we ordered dinner at a BAR at 7:30. Next time, don't accept the reservation and save us all the trouble read more

What a great bar in a nice location! We stopped in a few times during our stay in Newport to relax and enjoy a drink. They have a nicely stocked bar with great bartenders who are friendly and efficient. The wines by the glass are solid choices and very reasonably priced. Beer on tap selection was modest but also good. Our only complaint is that the bar can get really crowded which makes it difficult to relax. Lots of locals hang here which is great to gather new or different unbiased information. We didn't sample any of the food, but had eaten here a few years ago for lunch. I remember enjoying a good sandwich, but not the details. read more

Zelda's - Beautiful, but all bar - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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I want to love Zelda's so much more, but an underwhelming visit a couple nights back left me feeling less than impressed. Zelda's recently came under new ownership, and with it, a slew of changes to the newly renovated restaurant. The place itself is gorgeous, with a spacious bar that takes up most of the main room, high-top table seating that gives guests a front-row view of live music, and some intimate seating toward the back for quieter affairs. It's definitely set up better than pre-renovation Zelda's, and contributes nicely to the flow of guests and overall aesthetic of the restaurant. We didn't get a chance to eat food (more on that later), but the menu did look tasty. It seems like they have a "New American" kind of thing going here, and there's everything from lobster rolls to steak frites - so there's something for everyone, ideally making this a great spot for a night out with friends. Indeed, the ample selection of beers on tap and extensive wine list make for a fun night as well. However, the prices are kind of crazy, especially for the salads! I wanted to try the Grilled Caesar Salad, which at $11 was reasonable, but then it was another $12 to add grilled chicken on top. I've never seen a restaurant charge that much for grilled chicken on a salad, even in New York City, where you know they're waiting to mark everything up. The menu looked great, but I just couldn't spend $23 on a Caesar salad. I was really hoping that the prices would reflect Zelda's vibe as a fun neighborhood joint with a local feel to it, but it was just so expensive! Eek. Our server was really friendly, and the bartenders were nice for the most part. We visited on the first cold night of the year, and they didn't offer any hot toddies or warm cocktails, but perhaps that will change as we get into the winter months. We'll come back, I'm sure, but I was really taken aback by how expensive that chicken on the salad was. Oh well. read more

Small but quaint & set up for privacy. Shared apps with friends. Everything was delicious! Service was great!! Can't wait to go back!!

Our first adventure out for dining in! The new menu is delicious Our group had one of each new item and sharing while difficult- proved each dish was worth a spot! Picked fennel is now my new thing! The lamb was cooked perfectly and the vinegrette was a perfect complement. The sweet potatoes had a grill finish that was delicious. My husband had the new Tuna Ahi dish as well as the meatball sliders to start. The meatball sliders were seasoned perfectly and will definitely be added to our favorite list! The tuna again cooked perfectly the flavor medley accentuated but didn't over power the very fresh fish. The staff, made us feel safe with disposable menus and masks in place. Additionally attentive from the host to the waitstaff, we were hesitant about the "new normal" but Zeldas and it's staff knocked it out of the park read more

Zelda's - Lamb with picked fennel delish!!!! - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Don't order the carpaccio, it is not carpaccio. I don't know what the chef was thinking when he drowned strips of beef in balsamic glaze and mayonaise. I couldn't eat it bartender said that that's the way he makes it, he should look up the word in the dictionary read more

I have been here a few times now.. I thought the smug rude bartender was having an off night the first time I was here.. well back again and this gentleman is worse than the first. Funny to find out it his father and they actually own the place!!! The apple doesn't fall far I see! Awful awful awful! If you want to be treated like you are a problem for asking for a glass of wine.. this is your place.... read more

Visited Zelda's again! Compliments to the chef, your calamari is the best on the planet. The sauce it comes with is unreal. read more

Zelda's - Steak Frites - New American Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Food AND service was meh. Had reservations and was seated at the high top right behind the hostess near the front door. Not a good start. Waiter came and we ordered drinks and perused the menu then ordered appetizers and entrees. That was the last time we saw our waiter until the bill arrived. Kitchen staff delivered the apps. The chowder had a slight scorched flavor. Kitchen staff shows up 10 minutes later to deliver entres while still eating the apps. We ended up putting the appetizer plates on the window ledge where they stayed the entire meal. The wedge salad with steak was a mess. The "wedge" was actually 3 hunks of iceburg lettuce on the plate covered with a mess of blue cheese dressing overflowing onto the table. There were 3 pieces of "meat" on the salad that was very difficult to cut, it was tough and stringy. We all wanted a second drink and more water but our waiter was MIA the entire meal. No one checked to see if we needed anything since placing our orders.The hostess removed our plates after we ate and then voila, the waiter shows up to ask if we wanted anything else. By this time its time to cut our losses and get the heck out of there. Paid our bill and left. Crossing another one off the list sadly. Food AND service was meh. Had reservations and was seated at the high top  right behind the hostess near the front door. Not a good start. Waiter came and we ordered drinks and perused the menu then ordered appetizers and entrees. That was the last time we saw our waiter until the bill arrived. Kitchen staff delivered the apps. The chowder had a slight scorched flavor. Kitchen staff shows up 10 minutes later to deliver entres while still eating the apps.  We ended up putting the appetizer plates on the window ledge where they stayed the entire meal. The wedge salad with steak was a mess. The "wedge" was actually 3 hunks of iceburg lettuce on the plate covered with a mess of blue cheese dressing overflowing onto the table. There were 3 pieces of "meat" on the salad that was very difficult to cut, it was tough and stringy.  We all wanted a second drink and more water but our waiter was MIA the entire meal. No one checked to see if we needed anything since placing our orders.The hostess removed our plates after we ate and then voila, the waiter shows up to ask if we wanted anything else. By this time its time to cut our losses and get the heck out of there. Paid our bill and left. Crossing another one off the list sadly. read more

One of the weirder experiences I've had at dinner. I am not sure if the our waitress, Jess, was drunk or what or but she took our drink order twice and 45 mins later we still didn't get our drinks. After waiting 45mins and still not get drinks, Jess then came back and took our dinner order and said she would check on our drinks... only to come back a few minutes later and ask again if we wanted to order dinner. When we explained that we had ordered dinner the last time she came by and asked if she checked on our drinks, she started to get mad at us and say that it's more of a bar than a dinner place and most people just drink. I asked what that even means and if she even put in our drink order, her response was "well what do you want me to do... do you guys want to leave or what?" Safe to say we left and won't go back. By far the worst service and rudest experience I've had by a waiter/waitress. I get businesses are short staffed but this was not that. It was either she was drunk or just incompetent. Maybe it's her personality or a speech impediment but Jess was slurring her words and got very mad, very quickly when we asked where our drinks were and explained she already took our food order. Very weird... ambience was nice though so there's that. read more