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Hard for me to totally judge this restaurant based on 2 outdoor lunches. Dinner would help decide it...but we loved our lunches outside - 2 days in a row- because it was the only place on the wharf serving outdoors on 2 exceptionally warm November afternoons.
Good, friendly service, charming atmopsphere.....great menu.
Fish specials included Halibut (my fave) and Grouper. They are #1 for Clam Chowder and I would have to agree. Loaded with tender clams, delicious seasoning, perfect creamy texture.....ultra comforting soup.
Husband loves Shepherds Pie, and theirs was excellent because of the topping of crisped piped mashed potatoes (butter and some cheese in there)...... And I enjoyed my lobster salad roll, though the croissant should have been toasted inside or at least warmed. The lobster had barely a tinge of mayo and was plentiful. Loved the half sour pickle with it and choice of potato salad or fries. $18.50 is the average price you will pay for a lobster roll in Newport. Fish specials were in the $22.00 range. We were too full for dessert.
This is not a tourist trap- there are plenty of locals. It would be so cozy to dine here in winter, with its dark interior, by the fire.
Dining out in Newport is very expensive, but enjoyable.
I really like the Black Pearl for a number of reasons, primarily because it offers you an opportunity to dine within one of three very different atmospheres all within the same location. You can count on having a great meal, and can choose between eating outside on the patio or inside their tavern, both of which are pretty relaxed and do not require reservations (however, there can be a wait). The patio is great for people-watching but can get chilly given it's proximity to the water, and will close if weather is poor. The tavern is a bit loud and crowded, and is made up of primarily a dining crowd; it's a great spot for lunch or for the kids, and offers the largest menu out of all three sections.
Lastly, they have the Commodore's Room, another indoor dining area requires reservations and proper attire (nothing over the top, just put together and attractive), and has a more adult ambiance. We usually eat inside in the Commodore's Room, which offers a more "fine dining" menu. Prices are slightly inflated due to the tourism factor but are still within the realm of what you'd pay for the same food & service elsewhere. Certainly beats paying out the other end for fried junk food with quirky names and silly presentation, like at many of the establishments along Thames Street.
One grievance I do have is that in order to enter either indoor dining area, one has to enter through the tavern (as far as I know). This becomes annoying as it can get uncomfortably crowded around the hostess station with nowhere to go, except shoulder to shoulder with other patrons or firmly against the wall. The walkway to the restroom is also awkwardly narrow, which isn't a problem for most but I would hate to be part of any line that formed.
The food is always quality, featuring a great selection fresh seafood and a well-thought wine list. The menu features dishes to suit all tastes, and our waiters have always been more than happy to adjust our orders as requested. (Actually, it's worth noting the waiters here are among some of the most friendly I've encountered, and that's saying quite a lot given what it must be like during tourist season.)
The joint is so so. It is a tourist trap, so it is expected everything would be mediocre. Not really worth dissecting the place in this review, since nothing was bad or remarkable. Food is B-, service B-, ambiance B-, value B-.
Skip the burgers though, they overcook them. Roast turkey sandwich on a croissant and cranberry sauce probably the best choice. Friends had also clam chowder... heard absolutely no other feedback from them but "meh".
They are definitely overcharging or soft drinks.
I've only been here once and all I had was the clam chowder. The place has a nice setting. It took all of two minutes to get my chowder which was once of the best I've had here in town.
My cousin took me to this restaurant during a recent visit to New England. The chowda and the stripped bass with tomato basil beurre blanc was to die for! My cousin who I almost disowned ordered a chesseburger with fries; but, she was satisfied. With all of the seafood choices in Newport you can't go wrong eating here!
It was OK! Food was fine but the waitress was not too attentive. We sat outside which was nice, right by the water. It's sport bar style, which is nice.
This place knows it's seafood. I sat outside on the first nice day in May. We got chowder -- absolutely freakin' delicious. I got a fish special, halibut in a beurre blanc sauce. Oh my Lord, so wonderful. This is the only place I'd go to get chowder when in Newport. The prices ain't cheap, but the food is straight up quality -- so when in Rome, er Newport...
It's a must! Trust me!
Food is good if you like tasty fresh seafood. Price is ave to high for the type of restaurant and decor.
Service is friendly but poor.
We had to keep asking for refills of water and drinks on the table, they forgot our soup order all together and over billed us for drinks we didn't order.
There's much better than this in Newport on the docks.
Table for four seated immediately on the 4th of July - sweet
View of the Newport Fort Adams fireworks display - sweet
Tiny expensive beers - sucked
Girl with Dave Matthews Band tattoo on her shoulder - sucked
Cup of clam chowder - OK
Evening spent drinking outside near the water with friends - sweet
YES! A beautiful Sunday afternoon lunch in Newport. Yea, summer!! This review is only for outdoor dining, since there was no way we'd sit inside on a day like this!
We only waited about half an hour. We had mimosas while waiting, which were disappointing... they came in TINY little plastic cups! The table we got was on the sidewalk side, not the water side. That was a little bit of a bummer, but beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.
I had the Lobster Salad Sandwich which came on a croissant. Mmm. I tried my friend's Clam Chowder, which apparently is "award winning" here.. but I didn't think it held a candle to Legal's chowder.
Overall, though, I love being in this area, and it was a great day.
The outdoor seating at Black Pearl can't be beat. It's definitely the best spot for an outdoor lunch in downtown Newport. The service is dicey but the food is darn good...
Mussels: Incredible. HUGE portion.
Clams Casino: Meh, just okay. I expected better. The clams themselves were really tasty but the stuffing was a little too bacon flavored which made them too salty.
Reuben: Solid. I'd recommend it for non-seafood-eaters.
Lobster Salad Sandwich: Really good. Gigantic chunks of lobster in it and not too much mayo. They were out of croissonts so I had it on toasted pumpernickel which was a nice alternative. It also came with a really fresh and delicious new pickle.
Nantucket Bay Scallops: Tasted SO much better than it looked. The scallops were fairly big for bay ones and were cooked perfectly. They tasted like they were caught that morning.
Now, just be forewarned, you're gonna pay for this food and ambiance. The bill for us for one appetizer, a sandwhich and the scallops (no drinks) was over $50...I can't imagine what the check would have been if we had had a cocktail or two!
I can't tell you about anything at the Black Pearl other than their clam chowder. I was originally sent here by relatives who raved about the chowder. And I agree.
It's absolutely delicious: Thick but not too thick. Creamy. Buttery. Lots of clams, nicely cooked (not mushy soft / not hard) potato. And, dill.
I probably should try some of their other offerings but I come for a bowl of chowder at lunch, once each year during our time share week. Each year I realize it's the best chowder I've had in a year.
I DID go back to the Black Pearl. Had the baby back ribs this time, and out on the patio. Good, but nothing spectacular. Definitely better the first time, when I stuck with what the BP is known for:
"The Black Pearl, on Bannister's Wharf. Clam chowder, escargot, lobster, and baked cod, all good to go. See also, Captain Vic's TOP 100 Newport guide."
I hadn't been to Newport in almost 35 years. My last time was as a college junior during the 1974 America's Cup races. I was able to go aboard Ted Turner's "Courageous," the last wooden entry, a heady memory from when I was 19 years old.
***************************************
As an Annapolitan I was glad to renew my acquaintance with Newport. The two towns have so much in common in character. And, both compete for the title, "Sailing Capital of the East Coast," It didn't take long, however, to begrudingly come to the conclusion that Newport is what Annapolis aspires to. (My apologies Mayor Ellen O. Moyer.)
Naptown has a long way to go to match Newport for charm. Interestingly, I saw the site of the Naval Academy from 1861-65 when it was moved north because Maryland kept trying to secede from the Union. (It took Union troops from New York, who were initially turned back by riots in Baltimore, to come down and take over the state capital.
Ding, ding, ding. Oh, this is supposed to be a review of the Black Pearl. Okay, The "season," that all-important New England calendar period, doesn't officially begin for another week. With no reservations, we lucked out and got a table that was emptying at 8:15. (The place was full, and it looked like mostly locals.)
Beth Ann was our server. She took our drink orders. I asked for a "Cape Codder," which I hadn't ordered in 35 years. (I was so pleased that something hadn't changed, I guess not much really changes here, and young Beth knew what a Cape Codder was.) It wasn't stiff, but wasn't watered down either. I begged off on the appetizer, but my two tablemates both had salads. The house salad was topped with a ton of bleu cheese, and had a nice presentation.
I asked Beth if I could try the house cab (I was going to order a steak), and she brought a very generous complimentary glass. It had a little too much currant taste on the back end so I went with the house shiraz which proved to be a good match.
She brought basket of sourdoughish rolls and butter which were warm, soft, and quite good.
Why only three stars?
I ordered in-bone beef tenderloin with gorgonzola, "medium rare," for $32. With the price comes the expectation that it will be right. The meat, when it arrived, varied from medium-well on the fringes, to medium, to medium rare in the center. I was a little disappointed.
Would I go back? Probably not. There are so many restaurants there on Bowen's Wharf, that I'd try first before returning to the Black Pearl.
Clam chowder is amazing! Love the outdoor patio seating but I think the hostess needs to smile more often b/c she looked more like a b*tch.
I was back in Newport for my high school reunion this past weekend, and ended up at the Black Pearl three times over the course of two days. The menu is boring, the beer and wine list is unimpressive, and it's teeming with tourists of all shapes and sizes. So why go back twice? For the chowder. It's that good. If it were possible to bathe in it, I probably would.
I've struggled to find decent chowder in Southern California, but I just discovered that Black Pearl ships 1/2 gallons of out of state. So I'm going to place my first order tonight; if all goes well I'll be serving this outstanding clam chowder with my burgers and dogs this Memorial Day weekend.
great day! beautiful weather, wonderful location! service slow to start then was fabulous! "Elissa" no M, was great and very helpful. Chowder was yummy and filling (cup):
Bacon, tomato, cheese sandwich was also delish! The people watching here was priceless! Didn't get 5 stars because of the manyy birds flying around!
Dear Black Pearl,
I love your muscles!! Thank you for cooking them so deliciously. I've never had better and your chowder is pretty good as well. Also, thank you for the hot fluffy bread. Without that bread what would I have dipped in the muscle broth??
Your Taverna room is much more fun than the main dining room, so I'm glad I chose that one.
Keepin making food as you are.
Sincerely yours,
Christine :-)
We went down for the Chowder Cookoff and decided to save our 20 clams (snicker-sorry I had to do it!) and have lunch at the Black Pearl. So worth it. Chowder = Epic Win. Tender clams and potatoes, fresh dill, cream, and.. mmmmm... tastes like a little clam juice in the broth. Delish. We also had a couple of nice fresh salads with what tasted like homemade dressing.
The bar outside was hopping and looked like a great place to hang out, people watch and, of course, eat more of that chowder!
Ok, so it was a perfect September afternoon, so I guess we could of predicted the 45 minute wait, but at least there are lots of places to wander and window shop while you wait. The outdoor seating on the patio was crowded, the service was ok, the women at the next table who spent her whole meal complaining about everything in her life - loudly, was distracting, but the food was good. The clam chowder was really excellent, it might be my favorite now. Better than Legal Seafood's, which used to be my favorite, but lately, hasn't been living up to it's reputation. The Black Pearl's chowder was simple, potatoes and clams cut rather small, just the right creaminess and the dill was a great addition. Then I had the lobster salad on greens. It was lovely, big chunks of lobster with a light mayo dressing. Perfect for lunch. The bill was a little higher than it seemed it should be, but it is Newport.
We sat outside for casual dining, and ordered a clam chowder and a 1.5lb lobster...mmm! Service was just a-ok, but the clam chowder was awesome with lots of clam chunks, a "must try" item while you're at the wharf! If you don't have time to sit down, just stop by their Annex for a cup to go =)
This place is wonderful, especially if you like seafood.
Grabbing a lunchtime table on the Black Pearl patio is clutch-- you're right on the water, with highly-coveted up close and personal views of all the gorgeous sailboats along cobblestone avenues punctuated with charming boutiques. Worth the wait.
I ordered the tarragon chicken salad sammie which did not disappoint (and I'm picky about my chicken salad!). Our server was friendly, fast with the cocktails and had a great sense of humor. Can't wait to return on my next trip to Newport!
Stumbled upon the Black Pearl by accident. Everyone local raves about the clam chowda! (I'm trying I know :) The clam chowder was delicious and perfect. Everything else we ordered was NOT. Clams Casino- bot the best I have had, my Scallops weren't impressive.
In the end, you should go for the chowda and maybe nothing else...
Had the clam chowder and it was GOOD. Maybe the best or one of the top two best chowder ever.
This place was delicious. We just picked it for dinner one night, and boy were we impressed. The service was great, the wine list was great, and the view was great (we ate at sunset, and it was BEAUTIFUL)
I can't complain about this in any way shape or form , it was just delicious and a great dining experience.
Delicious! We sat out on the patio/deck on a fabulously sunny day right after a wonderful sailboat ride...
I had the soft shell crabs which were cooked perfectly and were so delicious!! My plate was licked clean!
Everyone else had the lobster roll which was quite large and they also said they were good.
Highly recommended!
My wife and I stopped in for lunch on a chilly/rainy day while "soaking" in the sights Newport has to offer. We arrived shortly after 1:00PM and I was surprised to see the lunch rush still going strong. We were told we'd have a 20 minute wait, but were pleasantly surprised when we were seated no more than 3 or 4 minutes later. The service was good so far (and would continue throughout the rest of the meal), and the overall experience was looking pretty positive. My opinion started changing when my beer arrived and I started browsing the lunch menu. It was the smallest glass of beer I'd seen in a long time. Disappointingly small. Heart-stoppingly small. You'd think they were rationing the stuff or Sam Adams was going out of business and this was the last batch they had available.
Being a land-locked midwesterner typically deprived of good fish, I was hoping for some decent fresh-catch selections being on the coast, but the lunch menu was very short on fish selections and definitely didn't offer anything unique. Chowda (check). Shrimp (check). Tuna, Salmon, Sole (check, check, check). Besides the chowder, I didn't feel like the menu offered anything that reflected the location of the restaurant (on the water) and didn't offer anything that separated itself from major-chain seafood restaurants. Beyond the fish, the menu was typical bar food (reuben, burgers, etc.). In general, the fare was overpriced and fairly uninspiring. I eventually settled on a plate of shrimp and scallops, and it was good, just not anything spectacular and not worth the price tag.
The absolutely right atmosphere you want and are craving when pulling into Newport after a 4 hour drive from the south. Right on the water, nautically themed without sinking into maritme kitsch/cheesiness, Black Pearl offers a great lunch in the bar - of course you're gonna have the famous clam chowder, but Syrian (?) burger is great as well - with lots of chopped vegetables and on pita.
Better places for dinner but even if you're only ona liquid diet, DO pop in for a drink.
Standard tourist trap that you will run into while in Newport. Although the food was fine, the service was below average. After being shuffled from the main entrance into the back room, we were then lead to our table which was directly next to the boiling pot of clam chowder.
For lunch, I had the tarragon chicken salad sandwich and David had the roast beef sandwich. For around $10, you get a sandwich and potato salad. Both meals were just average and nothing really stood out for me. The one thing that made me mad was that I had ordered a cup of chowder and yet sitting next to the huge vat did not in any way help reminder her to scoop me a cup! I almost wanted to just stand up and help myself. The chowder itself was just average, nothing special.
If you're looking for a place to eat, I would try to find some locals to ask before giving this place a try.
I have been conquering New England to best clam chowder. So far I have found a few places. Legal seafood, some place I can't remember the name in Seekonk MA. And this place.
There's a subtle differences every chowder. One noticeable difference of this place is that it's got dill weed in it and taste freakin' good! Whenever I stop by Newport, I DO NOT LEAVE NEWPORT WITHOUT STOPPING BY HERE. No matter how full stomach I would be, I must have their chowder.
Other than chowder, I would stick with seafood. I am sure steak is good but seafood is far better, I think.
I don't know if they still serve, but don't get Kobe beef hamburger if they do. Any Kobe beef that comes in ground beef is fraud.
This spot is in one of the prime locations in Newport, sitting on Bowens wharf and in the summer is probably one of the busiest places you will see in this vibrant city by the sea! The place has an outdoor seating area and despite the snobby staff (something usual in Newport), the drinks flow pretty well and they have a good selection of beer and frozen drinks. The problem is the food which is way over priced and tastes just average with burgers that are dry and sandwiches that are not creative. It is surrounded by pretty good restaurants so I was surpirsed when I ate here and it tasted like a bad diner. Grab a drink and take in the sun and the activity, but skip the menu, its not worth it!
This place rests on its laurels. Perhaps I'm just so spoiled by the foodie scene in Cambridge, but generally speaking, the food in Newport is mediocre. We ordered a soft shell crab dish with garlic bread and chilled tomato soup. I also got a sangria, which should have been named "alcoholic Kool-aid". The soft shell crab was decent, but the fries were cold and soggy and the green beans must have been frozen. My tomato "soup" had the texture of pasta sauce and reeked of canned tomatoes. I won't even bother telling you about the garlic cardboard (aka bread). If you care more about associating with the elite of Newport than the food then this is the place to be seen. Otherwise you are better off spending less money for decent food at a place like Lucia on Thames.
I enjoyed this place, simply because I am not a seafood fan and they still had other dishes on the menu. Most places I go to when in Newport, have all of the lobster, clams, and seafood chowder you can get but nothing for us picky-eaters.
Since I don't look seven years old, I'm never handed a children's menu anywhere, so I usually stick to the only thing I like (New England clam chowder) just to save myself the embarrassment.
Luckily, this place had a variety of items, and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
We were seated in the Tavern on a busy lunch weekend within 10 minutes.. which seems quick... but wasn't really because they had about 3 empty tables which they took a while to set up. Pretty lame but I guess that's what happens when you pick waitresses based on how they look and forget to hire a couple of efficient bus boys.
That aside, the food was pretty good. Excellent clam chowder, yummy grilled cheese sandwiches and tiny but fresh salads.
I didn't really know what to think about this restaurant. It actually is comprised of three parts:
- Sit-down indoor restaurant
- Patio bar with restaurant food
- Quick grab and go stand
I decided to invest my time into sitting inside, on a Sunday afternoon.
Granted, I visited Newport during the last day of seeing the Tall Ships, so it was crowded. However, I didn't except that being inside of the restaurant would be a nightmare. Claustrophobia victims beware, this is not the place for you ! The tables were haphazardly arranged, and chairs thrown so close to each other that the servers had barely any space to move. This caused service to be extremely slow, in addition to the fact that the service was already slow.
Upon entry, instead of seating us, a server rudely told me to move and made a scoot over motion with her hand. Wow, way to give me a negative opinion. I counted about 8 servers, but somehow they still weren't very efficient. It took 20 minutes for someone to ask us what we'd like to drink, and another 20 to bring those drinks. It was a long wait for food; according to my stopwatch it was about 2 and a half hours from the time I walked through the door and the time I walked out.
Taking into account the other reviews for this place, I ordered the clam chowder. I'm sorry to everyone else who reviewed, but it is apparent that you haven't had enough of a variety of clam chowder to be credible. The clam chowder was not that good, period. I was hungry, too. When I'm hungry I tend to be less picky about things, but it didn't do it for me. The clam chowder was runny, and the abundance of potato and very small amount of low quality clam didn't do it for me. What made it worse was that it cost five dollars for a small cup. This place was a dive, and it was really milking the fact that it was located in Newport. ... they charged for BREAD (which tasted like Pillsbury rolls) AND BUTTER and this was no 5 diamond establishment.
Don't get me wrong, I waited to find some redeeming qualities about this place, but it didn't happen. I tried to stay optimistic, but things just went from bad to worse. A $21 plate of scallops from the freezer aisle of the local supermarket did nothing to fill my hunger and instead tormented my taste buds with the oiliness. I got 1/2 of a lemon, but it wasn't enough to cover the taste of crap. The rice it came with stuck to molars, further cementing the stereotype that white people can't make rice correctly. I'm not even going to address the vegetables, if they can even be considered such. I didn't eat all of them because I found that it would be more beneficial to my health if I didn't eat my vegetables.
If you're looking for somewhere to eat in Newport, I wouldn't recommend this place. In fact, I'm sure that anywhere but this place would be better. This place is not good for groups, or kids, or couples.. in fact I think that there should be an option asking whether or not this place is good for anyone. Then I would enthusiastically click NO.
I've been to Newport many times having grown up in CT. But I have never eaten at the Black Pearl and decided that's where we were going when we went this last time over Memorial Day weekend.
So I'll start this restaurant with 5 stars and they have a chance to maintain or lose depending on the course of the meal.
If you are a group of 2, you can not sit outside under an umbrella. ... um....buy more umbrellas. 4 stars
It was memorial day weekend, incredibly busy, so when we went to get a seat in the Tavern, instead of the patio, I was expecting an incredibly long wait. Table for 2, two minutes. 5 stars
I'm dying because it was 80 plus degrees, we did the cliff walk and regardless of doing so Newport is a walking town so when it's hot you'd think as a waitress immediately, IMMEDIATELY, you would get some water on the table. Nope, we had to ask and we were siting for about 8 minutes before we could get anyone's attention. Then she brings us water and I'm not kidding, a 2 sip glass I pounded in1 because like I said I was dying. 3 stars (a large jump, yes, but I am very annoyed at any restaurant if I don't get water right away).
The waitress was really pushy and perhaps she was busy with a holiday weekend and everything, but I felt like saying "sweetheart, this is the beginning of the high season, you better get it together." (I didn't, but I was close). So we order, uneventful, still 3 stars.
Very good clam chowder. They're lucky I don't have a great memory so I can say "best clam chowder ever" because no chowder is coming to mind for a comparison. The taste was great, but I like my chowder a little thicker, but still we'll say 4 stars.
The meal comes after a pretty good wait and still no refill on water. I'm very unhappy. 3 stars
I got the lobster salad sandwich, on a crossiant. Brilliant. Butter and lobster are meant to be and creating this union through crossaint usage, just brilliant! 4 stars. The first 4 bites of sandwich (which was something like $16) having bits of shell not good, not good, not good! 2 stars!
Giant huff from the waitress when I ask for another droplet of water to fill my baby glass, 1 star.
Disgusting, revolting, highly unappealing potato salad that's served as a side with sandwiches, steady at 1 star.
No discount or complimentary anything after I told our waitress about my shelled lobster on a crossiant. 1 star. (only b/c zeros aren't allowed).
My friend ordered rolls late in the meal. They were fantastic. 2 stars.
Ending score, 2 stars. I would get clam chowder and rolls if I was in the area. But I will bring my own water and my own table umbrella so my one other friend and I can sit outside instead of inside the dark tavern on a nice day.
The best clam chowder in Newport.
This is a review for the take out stand that serves The Black Pearl chowder and hot dogs.
Yummy! That's some good stuff!
The review about the Clam Chowder was right on the money. Soooooo good. The food was fine, but nothing really compares to the clam chowder. I didn't even know that it was that famous, so I just got a cup. In retrospect, I should have gotten a couple bowls of it, and a couple more to go.
Damn, I'm going back and reading my own reviews...I'm a fatty.
This is the only Chowder I have ever enjoyed! I prefer to sit outside in the summer and look at the boats! People watching is fun as well. Sometimes in the summer the waitresses are awful but I go anyway!
I have sat inside a few times during the winter but have to say I really prefer to sit outside! Drinks are a bit pricey but that's Newport!
Newport, RI
Category: Parks
Newport, RI
Category: Seafood
Newport, RI
Category: Restaurants
Newport, RI
Category: Local Flavor
Newport, RI
Category: Seafood
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