Best Restaurants Open for Newyears Eve this year in Gloucester – 2024

*Update: the owner did reach out to apologize and make us whole. He explained they were short that night which led to things not being up to par. I do appreciate them owning this and taking accountability.* Don’t waste your time or your money. We ordered 2 pizzas for a family of 4. 45 minutes into waiting our server told us they just went in the oven and would be out soon. At this point they offered a GC to come back another time. Another 35 minutes went by to be told one is ready and the other would be “soon”. At this point we said forget it and paid for our drinks and the one pizza to go. Big mistake, the pizza was terrible and missing the ingredients on multiple pieces. Management let these poor servers fail without providing any support or basic customer service.

I can't believe they gave a long time regular customer this kind of food. Sent them home with it this past Friday night. We won't leave without looking at our food again if we ever go back!

What once was, wasn't tonight. Ordered a Maryland Philly Cheese Steak and this is what I got. Ordered online was supposed to be done at 6:15-6:25. Got my food at 7:25. When I arrived home this is what I got. Really? Not what I expected from my "once" favorite spot in town.

We have been wanting to go to Damon's since we moved here, heard nothing but excellent comments about the food. They did not disappoint!!! Went for lunch today, we got 3 Gloucester Specials- cheeseburger, fries and a drink and 1 clam chowder with hush puppies. The chowder and the pups are very, very good our sister in law said, as always! She is a regular there. Mike and I got 2 of the cheeseburgers, both are great! My medium rare was perfect and juicy. Mike said his was delicious as well! His sister got the other cheeseburger, she also liked hers a lot! The fries were so good too, I had to ask for ranch to dip them in 3 times... But, other that the service was great! We had a sweet waitress too! If ya'll are in the area stop on by and enjoy!!!

I have been here several times and have enjoyed it, but not this time. The waitress came over quickly and took my order. Didn't see her for twenty minutes after she dropped off my drink. Another waitress came by to get me a refill. After the twenty minutes she told me the kitchen was backed up. I watched two tables get there food before me and they came in after me. Both these parties were larger than mine. Went down the street to another restaurant and was served within 5 minutes.

We were underwhelmed. The decor is a little rundown but we were anticipating a fun time with big screen TVs. We wanted to see sports and first the bartender did not know how to change the TVs to a sports network and then, when we offered to help, now the remotes aren't working. Not likely! We were there after the rush so the restaurant was not busy but it took 45 minutes to get our food which was ridiculous. We finally had to flag down the waitress and when she checked, it was ready. Imagine that! She never checked on how our food was, refreshed our drinks, or really showed any interest in our experience at all. The barbecue was delicious by itself for with the barbecue sauce. Hush puppies were excellent! Unfortunately the fries were cold and the broccoli was a little overdone. We won't be back.

The place seams to always be busy. We found this place to have the most decent food in town. Was in town for a job and tried almost every place and found this place we kept coming to. Can get busy and longer wait. Sushi was surprising very good. If you like food with flavor then this is the place to go to.

Service is slow. You must know what to order or you end up with different menu same flavor. Per experience, Pineapple fried rice is the safest and favorable taste. The problem in Gloucester, VA not enough choices for decent restaurants .

Service and food were amazing! Thank you for a wondeful meal!

I like Mexican food and Mexican restaurants. At the entrance they had posted two specials. I choose the chicken, steak, shrimp and scallop fajitas. I received very nice chips and salsa upon sitting down and received my sizzling meal in less than ten minutes. The sizzling plate was very impressive and generous; grilled onions, peppers, chicken, steak and shrimp covered with scallops. Also two side dishes with tortillas, rice, beans and salad. This is among the best meals I have ever had in a restaurant.

I drove by several times before I decided to try it. Actually, the pleasant surprise was the very fair prices of food and the generous serving sizes. If you want to be filled up without breaking your budget, try this place! A friendly staff, and quick service, extensive menu, all that should give you more reasons to stop in and give it a try.

Pleasant staff, clean restaurant. Music was quiet which is nice. Everything was good. The fish tacos were especially tasty. Recommend!

Stopped in for breakfast on a whim and cannot be happier that I did. The service was fast, happy, and polite. The menu made it hard for me to choose, everything looked delicious, but I settled on the Sampler. The grits were perfect and all the meats were good. The pancakes are very good, but thin, however I didn't mind because they were so good. I will definitely eat here when I'm in the area next.

Comparing the food with the price I think they did a really good job. Good portions, good food, good service, the place is very clean. We ordered the hamburger steak with a side of mashed potatoes, very well seasoned, big portion and it was just $11. My daughter ordered chorizo burrito with the country potato and it was great! I’d say it was the best thing we ordered. I had the Gloucester platter and it was good as well…I didn’t get the chance to take proper pics when the food arrived but id say this is a place worth your visit.

It's bistro time. You are there to eat, talk and go. The portions are incredibly generous with fresh ingredients. I had the veggie omelette with a "fruit cup." I expected a tiny portion of canned fruit. It was like a whole side of fruit fresh and from frozen--great. Welcoming and service is quick, quick, quick!

Great food! Fast service! Maggie was an amazing server, always kept my drink full and is such a nice lady. When I was seated, she came, introduced herself, and asked how I was. It was a welcome departure for “hi can I take your order” Then walk away. Maggie is a true treasure to have serve you there! Hope everyone gets to experience her exuberance and wonderful demeanor.

Okay, so I haven't been eating out this year. Since the start of the year I've eaten out twice in NC and once here at Ruby Tuesday's. This experience on Memorial Day really made me appreciate cooking at home and being able to monitor what I eat and how it's prepared. Here are the negative points for this visit: 1. The picture I uploaded with this post? That is a bug frozen into the ice cube. I am so glad I mixed my drink, because I would've been drinking that. Our waiter, unfortunately was no help. He honestly looked like he hated his life. When I pointed this out to him, he grabbed my cup and walked away. He returned with a new one, but no apology or accountability and didn't offer anything to compensate for it. 2. I'm not sure if it was our booth, or the restaurant as a whole; but it smelled mildly of urine and like a public restroom. The booth we sat in was next to the bar area, and the seats really sank low when we sat in them. 3. It took about 25 minutes for our appetizer to arrive. the chicken was hot, but the dip was a bit cold and the mozzarella sticks as well. We ordered the sampler. My husband ordered the salad bar, and he went through 2 plates before our appetizer arrived. 4. I ordered the New Orleans tilapia dish and my husband ordered the Tex Mex (shrimp and ribeye) and that took about another 25 minutes to arrive. We were extremely disappointed with both dishes. I wasn't able to get photos, because at this point we just wanted to leave the restaurant. We asked for to-go boxes and paid to get out. The food imo was not worth the price. The roasted veggies were burnt on both our dishes, there was barely any rice and the steak for his dish was so thin and dry. My tilapia was flavorless, and the creamy sauce on top was congealed. That explained why both entrees were warm, rather than hot, because they were just sitting back there. The only thing that was good from either of our entrees was the sour cream. And that's sad, considering our dinner came out to $75 and our food was closer to disgusting than edible. 5. There was a blonde cook that kept going to the bathroom, and I only noticed because he went to the bathroom about 4 times during our lunch and I was wondering why our food was taking so long. My husband went to the bathroom, and he saw the cook leave the stall while he was washing his hands, and exit the bathroom. He didn't wash his hands, but he was in the kitchen when my husband got back to the table. That's just disgusting. My husband did want to note that he was pretty sure the cook was just sitting in the stall, because he didn't hear the toilet flush. But, that is still disgusting and it shouldn't happen in a restaurant at all. My husband and I wanted to treat ourselves to dine out, since we've been sticking to cooking at home. This was not the enjoyable experience we were hoping for. I know my experience is harsh, but I am always honest when I review. For me and mine, we will not be returning. And I want to make sure others are aware of the possibilities of bad experiences, because in this economy? Our money should support places that actually care about us too. Everything is getting more expensive, and this dining experience really solidified for me that things are getting more expensive, but the value is drastically decreasing. It's unacceptable, but I hope if you do go here, you'll have a much better experience than we did.

I have been stopping on for lunch the last few days and the food and staff have been excellent! TK is warm and friendly, Ethan has been very helpful and attentive, Angela makes sure to check in with me and made sure I had a To Go drink The salad bar is well stocked and stopping in each day has been a treat!

My husband and I have been to the Los Portales in Tappahannock, and we love that one; so we decided to go with some friends to the Gloucester location. IM SO GLAD WE DID! Alcohol: THEY HAVE A MARGARITA FLIGHT!!!! There were 2 size options, 3 or 5 count… we got the 5 count, which came with one frozen margarita, a spicy, a sweet and a pink colada. They were made well, and were worth the $20 price tag in my opinion! For food: I ordered the Chori Pollo (chicken breast with chorizo on top with cheese sauce) and it comes with refried beans and rice on the side. It was the perfect temperature and portion size! Tasted fresh. My husband got the Fajitas Texanas (chicken, steak, shrimp, peppers, & onions); it comes in 2 sizes, single & double. It also comes with 3 tortillas and pico de gallo salad. Sour cream is available upon request. He really enjoyed his food. My chori pollo was 14.99 My husband got the single Fajitas size and his was 17.99 Our service was good, and we didn’t have to wait long for our food to come out! Cash or card is accepted!

The food is very good with large portions and reasonable drink prices. We were in town for 2 weeks and ate here 4 times! I should have taken a photo before we ate half of everything

Excellent experience, we visit weekly and their house made habenero hot sauce is the bomb. We feel like family, just can't speak it

A bit disappointed in the food. The chowder was ok, the Alfredo sauce was to thick for the dish Overall it’s an ok place. Was here 2 times hoping the 2nd time would be better. It was not much.

Probably one of the best restaurants I’ve been to in a while! The atmosphere was calm and surprisingly not overcrowded, and the staff were incredibly friendly. There was a bit of a long wait because the waiters were constantly running around to take other orders, but it is worth the wait. The food was absolutely amazing and worth the price.

Crystal you were one of the best and most friendly servers we have ever had. I got the special, bone in pork chop with apple chutney and green beans. This came with bread and a salad. Suzanne got Shrimp scampi and this too came with bread and a salad. The salads were VERY fresh. Large Fresh side salad! Generous portion of shrimp in a delicious garlicky, buttery scampi. The garlic rolls were divine! My Pork chop was in my top 3 favorites. It was like eating the filet mignon version of a pork chop. It's the only way I can describe it. The sweet potato fries (I swapped these instead of the mashed potatoes) they were super yummy and crispy. The apple chutney OMG soooo good and flavorful, sometimes it's just mush this was perfect! We also got the chicken cheese dip as an appetizer.... Ooie gooie cheesy heaven! I asked my friend Dale where I could take Suzanne for seafood and this was the place he said I must go. I'm glad I listened! So if you're reading this and wondering if you should go here for a good dinner, I second Dale's suggestion and say You must go here!

Very good food, very friendly people....but....you need better quality control on your take out orders. Consistently wrong or missing items. There is just no excuse for this, no matter how busy you are. Someone (not the customer!) should double check the orders before they leave the window.

We love coming to this Chick-fil-A location! The indoor play place is a big hit with my kids—they always have a blast. The food is consistently great, and the service is excellent. We've never had a single issue here. I especially appreciate that they provide Purell wipes, which makes it easy to wipe my kids down after they’re done playing. Whether we’re dining in or using the drive-thru, everything is always fast and efficient. We absolutely love this place and highly recommend it to anyone!

Chick-fil-A delivers a consistent experience. Had extra time before visiting with friends, so we stopped for breakfast. Spicy Chicken Biscuit was breakfast choice. The biscuit was perfect, light and steamy, but not falling apart. Chicken was cooked just right.

Great little place to eat! Friendly service and great local food! Burgers, chicken tenders, pulled pork, fries, and Mac and cheese were all delicious! Good food for a fair price.

It's a small location off the side of the road in Gloucester that I've passed by many times and didn't even realize it was there, but I'm glad I spotted it. When we first pulled into the parking lot my son asked are we eating at someone else's house, because it doesn't look like your typical restaurant from the outside. Upon walking inside, it was surprisingly larger than it looks. The servers are polite and the food was better than expected. I would highly recommend the smoked wings. I've been to a lot of places that say they have smoked wings but they definitely give you that smoked wing taste. The prices are average so you won't break the bank for a good sized serving. Will be returning.

Came here for a getaway and decent fair. The crab cake is real because they got light shell in it. I enjoyed the fries. That Cape Cod was legit. Wife enjoys their homemade applesauce. Be patient with the kitchen staff enjoy your time there. This place is my gem. Jamestown good too

Remarkable service and food. The best seafood meal I’ve ever had. Came for $1 oysters from 4-5 pm and stayed for dinner. Tuna is bluefin from the harbor. Swordfish best ever. Great for GF diners. Sarah was one of the best servers we’ve ever had.

It's 5 star dining and service! The food was excellent, as was the service! They were super busy, and they did not miss a beat! Alex, our bartender, was amazing. She was attentive and made great food and drink suggestions. We only had appetizers, and both were spectacular!

They changed their octopus preparation - I didn’t get to try the old one - but the new style - olives, potatoes, onions, chive oil - is SO incredible - I live an hour away and I would come to Gloucester every day just to eat that it’s really special. Called Octopus “La Plancha” - get that. Also not pictured - got their Caesar with grilled shrimp - while it gets a little pricey ($31 for 4 shrimp) - it’s worth it. The shrimp are really nicely cooked - they’re BIG - an it’s honestly as good a Caesar as you’re gonna get at most places in New England. No complaints. Sit at the bar - the staff are SO nice. Next time I wanna try all their crudos and tartars - heard everyone talking about how good the food is here - and people coming back. Oak to Ember right near by is also quite good - but I’d honestly recommend this place for the quality and the vibe!

We got baked haddock and fried clams, both meals were delicious along with generous portions. The drinks were also really good. My kids shared a chicken tender meal which they enjoyed. They are picky eaters and cleaned the plate. The service was excellent. Food came out quick, the waitress was attentive and friendly. Eastern point lighthouse is right down the road if you get a chance make sure to check it out. We had an awesome experience. Highly recommend this restaurant.

Absolutely incredible place. The location, food, and atmosphere make it a place you'd want to return to again and again. The restaurant is very clean with no unpleasant odors. The staff is polite and efficient. The food is simply incredibly delicious. My wife and I were on vacation in Boston and visited this restaurant twice. If we're passing nearby, we will definitely visit again.

What an amazing meal. Ricky, our server, was fantastic. Great recommendations for food and excellent service. We started with clam chowder, which was perfect. Just the right consistency, perfect amount of bacon, and potatoes diced nice and small. Next up was steamers which were delicious! I had the lobster roll, cold, and it was full of lobster and so good. My friend had the swordfish and it was out of this world good. Sadly we were too full for dessert but will save room next time!

It was great to have dinner here tonight to celebrate my dad’s and aunt’s birthdays. My dad owns the building and opened Valentino’s restaurant in the 80’s when I was a child. I have fond memories of that restaurant and it’s nice to have another successful in its place. The oysters are fresh and a good price when you go early and the pizza is delicious. Definitely check them out!

I sauntered in for dinner this past Sunday having attended the annual St Peters Fiesta. First of, not only were there a lot of people in the city due to the Festival, but this incredible restaurant had just received a nod in a New York Times review as being one of the top 25 Pizza places in the US, the only one in the northeast. Needless to say, I least expected to find even a solo seat, but then I had also not expected to be ushered by a very congenial and amiable host, who I later found out is the co-owner, Matt Cawley. Right from his warm welcome and how he greets and cares to thank each of his patrons, I knew that this place had a special vibe. Having gotten a seat that was amazingly still available at the bar, I couldn’t help but notice the unique custom surface that has a rich veneer filled with Oyster shells patterned in concrete. This is complemented by the very warm ambiance and the friendly service that you will notice all around. Neil and Pat were just the most pleasant folks one could have for a relaxed time at the bar. They made the experience special and inviting. The nice thing is that this place offers smaller portions, so one can try a wider selection from an interesting menu. I started with Oysters that were amazing; see photo with the description. I would say the one from PEI might have had a slight edge over the others, but they were all very flavorful. The next round was a delightful three slice Bruschetta plate which would please any palate; my favorite being the Olive Tapenade. The final course was the acclaimed Pizza, which are all personal sized, and can be shared. I had the Louis Prima, with sausage, red onion, hot peppers, mozzarella and basil. The thin crust is freshly made in the wood fired oven on site, and is as delectable and appetizing as the Times review suggested. From the lean sauce and hardly any grease, to the fresh ingredients you could not ask for a more satisfying taste in a mouth watering pizza bite. Even though I was full, I could not resist finishing the evening with a savory Tiramisu portion. If you are in town, it would be well worth stopping by this restaurant and enjoying the unique set of dishes, and of course the Pizza that catapulted this restaurant to a coveted list in the Times. The ambiance is very cozy and the staff make the place very welcoming. On the way out I could feel the difference when talking to Matt and the pride he takes in running this place, and making sure that everyone leaves satisfied.

As I sat down to make this reservation after reading the NYT article mentioning this Gloucester establishment, I was beginning to have high expectations considering I'd have to make the hour drive just to try their pizza, but it was a risk I was willing to take. Pulling in to park near the restaurant, the first thing visible to us was one of the employees chopping wood in the back for their wood fired oven and a line around the corner before they opened. From there I had the inkling that this place was really legit. When they seated us our waiter was incredibly polite and helpful as he gave us his recommendations for pizzas to try. After viewing the menu it was time to order for our table of 3. To start, we ordered a dozen oysters (2 of each oyster offered) which came out cold, fresh, and incredibly delicious. The cocktail sauce accompanying the oysters was an excellent way to elevate the oysters as well. Now for pizza: we ordered the margherita, the ricardo, the funghi, and the louis primo. The pizzas themselves are pretty small so three to four is a good amount especially if your looking to try multiple pizzas. The margherita was very good but compared to the other pizzas the most basic. The freshness of the basil and the sauce elevated the margherita but at the end of the day it was the most simple. The louis primo was a step up with the cheese and sausage and a hint to heat with the peppers and onions and another must have. The ricardo similarly was delicious and the soppressata brought the whole pizza together. While all the pizzas thus far were incredible, the funghi pizza was the bell of the ball. The white pizza with mushrooms, cheese, onion, and a hint of lemon was the showstopper of all showstoppers. I appreciated that they didn't just cut up big mushrooms but instead used smaller mushrooms. The hint of lemon added acidity and zest that truly tied this pizza together. If there is one pizza that has to be ordered it is no doubt the funghi pizza. All in all I think the NYT absolutely nailed this review and frankly it's a shame Massachusetts doesn't have the Michelin Guide because believe me this place deserves more than its flowers, it deserves a star. When you have an italian like my father tell the waiter that this is the best pizza he's had in this country then you know its the real deal. I thought the oyster and pizza combo would be odd but it works so well that now I can't think of pizza without it. The locally sourced produce that they mention on the menu from the local farms adds an additional level of freshness that it hard to beat. I believe that this place might not only have the best pizza in the state but that it's WELL WORTH the drive from wherever you are.

**Rating: 5/5** We recently dined at Seaport Grille, and it was an absolutely fantastic experience! The restaurant's waterfront location adds a special ambiance, especially for an evening meal. The interior and views from the terrace are simply stunning. But the highlight was, of course, the food. We tried the freshest oysters and a lobster roll, and they were incredible! Every dish was perfectly prepared, and the portions were generous. I also want to mention the attentive and friendly service — the staff was very welcoming and helped us choose the best dishes. The prices are justified by the quality, and we will definitely be coming back. If you're looking for a place to enjoy excellent seafood with a beautiful view, Seaport Grille is the place to go!

Absolutely fantastic and authentic food. We had a nice evening with oysters, fish n chips, cioppino and beer. Service was wonderful. Thanks for everything.

Loved it! Great food! A little tip if, like us, you are visiting from overseas and don't know what to expect; consider sharing your order. For example the Key Lime Pie is great, but it's an entire pie, not a slice, it could serve four. :-)

Delicious popovers, very good clam chowder, both my wife's salmon and my sauteed haddock were well prepared. Good service as well . We have been back several times since our first visit and all of the food has been excellent every time!

We had a great time and the food was delicious. Mussels were abundant as an appetizer and we got the awesome bread. Had the Asian curry with lobster and sisters haddock. Overall, a decent price for the meal $71 before tax and tips.

Firstly, the service is amazing and they welcome you with a warm bun and butter. All the dishes we tried were delicious, definitely try the special menu. A lot of variety with fresh ingredients. We had a pleasant dinner

We've been to Gloucester for a week 5 times since 2018. This is the best restaurant that we have been to on Cape Ann. Warm friendly service. Terrific food. Family run. Reasonably priced. The fresh pasta with clams was the best I have ever had. And I order it anywhere I can hope it is good." Go!

We were a table of ten, had incredible service and the food was epic!! Highly recommend! The menu caters to whatever you want from sushi to spaghetti bolognese! Desert was insane too! Our waitress Carolyne was warm and friendly! Will definitely be back!

Sticky floors, waitress forgot my shrimp cocktail. We had to remind her and then she brought it. Food took forever to get to our table. When it arrived it was something I'd get in a Chinese food restaurant, pan fried chicken, vegetable fried rice covered in what tasted like duck sauce. It tasted good but definitely not the quality meal I'd expect based on their menu. Very slow service for only 3 tables being waited on. Won't return.

Went for lunch while in town for a wedding and sat on the deck outside. Picturesque view, terrific service and fantastic food and drinks. Loved the indoor vibe too. Would definitely return. Wedge salad, fish fry and clam chowder were all amazing!

highest quality ingredients. everything is loaded with flavor. their lunch menu on the weekends is incredible: smash burger, chicken sandwich, avocado toast, brisket sandwich. everything is to die for. i love the steak frite with the petite salad and fries for dinner, and always the whipped ricotta app. this place always crushes it.

Great restaurant! And nice vegetarian options. The celery root (pictured) is DELICIOUS! I had never tried celery root before but I’m glad I did at Oak to Ember! The crispy potatoes are delicious as well. Can’t go wrong—just make sure to make a reservation!

Great views and food! The sushi was delicious! Had the tempura sushi and it was plentiful and fresh. The fish sandwiches were great too! Nice lunch spot!

Minglewood has a fantastic atmosphere that made for a great night out. The space is lively and inviting, though the pub tables felt a bit cramped for a party of four. Our server, Heather, was wonderful—friendly, attentive, and quick to make sure we had everything we needed. The food was definitely the highlight. The baked haddock was full of flavor and perfectly cooked, and everything we tried tasted fresh and well-prepared. The only downside was that the sides came out cold, but it didn’t take away from the overall meal too much. The sushi menu looks like a great deal, and I’ll definitely be back to try that next time. While the drinks didn’t stand out as much as the food, the overall experience was enjoyable, and I’d still recommend Minglewood for its food, service, and atmosphere!

Great Gluten-free options including fried calamari that my son devoured! Fun vibe and helpful service.

Stopped for a quick appetizer and cocktail after the beach. Yes the beach in October, what a beautiful day. Had the Chowder and Mussels before the ride home. In season place is always packed as you sit by boats overlooking the marina. Nice atmosphere and not busy this time of year which is a plus. Not cheap but we always like the atmosphere here. Worth a visit!!

Came to Gloucester for the day with my husband to grab lunch and we stumbled upon Mile Marker. Restaurant located in Cape Ann’s Marina Resort right on the water. I ordered the fried haddock sandwich which came with potato salad. The sandwich was so good, and the tartar sauce complimented it well. The portions were large, and the service was fast. The view from our table overlooked the dock and boats. What a great view for an afternoon lunch!

Friendly service and a great location. Great place to grab lunch after a day at the beach. Plenty of parking (2 hr free w/ validation). Food portions are big. Fried calamari was fried well but under seasoned. Great burger and chicken sandwich. Fries were nice and crispy.

Best fresh food around! Recommended to us by a local. Fresh local fried clams and blackened halibut are melt in your mouth! Plus, super friendly and awesome staff are a huge plus! Do yourself a favor and stop here. Ahi tuna on rice ,fish and chips, truffle fries, and burgers hit hard. Also, the margarita is stout, not weak as all New York drinks are. Ive eaten from east to west coast and overseas, best seafood experience dining yet! Also, mousse and key lime pie are elite.

This restaurant was suggested by a waiter from a different restaurant. And we were so glad he suggested it. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the food was fresh and delicious. The service was fast, friendly and pleasant. A very pleasant overall experience.

We both got a hot lobster roll and it was worth every penny. The portion was huge and generous. Very tasty. Beautiful view.