Went there with my mom and her friend. The chowder is yum! And then you taste the actual food. Yowza! My food was on the lower side of mediocre.. There's an ocean view, but you see a parking lot before you see the ocean. Friendly service, even when my mom sent her food back because it was awful.
(2)
Deb L.
Great food at a great price! The staff is very friendly, the meal is very good, while dining by the water. Their menu is quite deverse, covering all seafood specialties, to Italian, as well as Prime Rib. Their Martini menu is also quite impressive. The Dining Room is large with a wrap-around Bar just as large. I highly recommend for a nice night out!
(4)
Natalie S.
The staff was friendly and fast but.. The food left a lot to be desired. Bread was stale, the onion blossom appetizer was undercooked - raw in the middle. Got the Hawaiian shrimp special and it was bad.. It smelled very off-putting but tried it anyway and got very sick after one bite. Probably won't go back for food.
(2)
Mike I.
Terrible terrible terrible the service was awful All around the food couldn't have been any worse from the apps to the main course even the strawberry shortcake was bad I will never go back I've eaten here before years ago not bad maybe different owners different cooks zero stars.
(1)
Cricket B.
Unfortunately they have raised their prices, in some cases as much as 60%, in less than a year!
(3)
Jan M.
bar service was totally unprofessional charged for extra drink appetizer wasn't what is expecated food good. but they really really need to brush up on bar service and service when explained problems they where ok but don;t start talking to other customer about what is going on with other patrons unprofessional
(2)
Michelle K.
My mom suggested we visit for a postponed Mother's Day dinner on May 12th and I agreed. My mom and I were seated, greeted promptly with someone to fill our waters, and shortly thereafter by our server and her trainee. Both were very attentive and friendly. One of our menus was dirty and missing a page, but when brought to our server's attention, was remedied. Our appetizer (bacon wrapped scallops) came out quickly, and was very tasty. After receiving the app, we ordered our salads and entrees, which were all delicious and timed very well. My mom's prime rib was great and cooked to her request, as was my filet. Great experience, great food. We will be back!
(5)
Alexia R.
I've eaten at this restaurant twice, first time I had fried haddock which was under cooked and the fried were really greasy. The second time i went with my dad and he got fried scallops and clam strips, fries and onion rings- which were good. But my plate was horrible, i got the salmon special. The salmon was under cooked (slimy and pink inside) and bland, the description gave the plate my flavor than the plate actually had. I asked the waiter to have my salmon cooked some more, when he returned I discovered the plate was just thrown in the microwave. The salmon remained in the same position I left it with no new grill marks, and the plate was hot. I had scallops wrapped in bacon and buffalo boneless chicken for appetizers which were good. The service could be better, I over heard some of the waitresses complaining about their job which made me a bit uncomfortable. This place is not very professional. I'd only return back for the appetizers and maybe the fried seafood. Otherwise this restaurant would not be my first choice.
(2)
Lisa M.
I don't understand the low star rating because everyone is super friendly here and they certainly have a loyal following of guests so they must be doing something right. Had a rum punch that was made perfectly and tried out the cinnamon bites which were so amazing! I'd definitely be back soon to try out the food!
(4)
Tumora X.
Excellent pub! The entire staff is charming, and extremely helpful. I simply adore going to this restaurant. Also, the scenery of the ocean is fantastic.
Another one of my Favorites Prime rib is great.Always a great view and on the old school side thank you for not changing too much. And thank you for being consistent!
(5)
Brad D.
Porthole. Or Port Hole. Whichever, it's kind of a hole. That said, I love me a dive bar and this hole has it's charms... It appears as you approach that it's on the water, but the all-glass side is, in fact, on the parking lot - so that's not very exciting. Day drinkers abound at this run-down, pseudo-nautical, early 80's eatery - but the chowdah kicks ass, the oysters were "meh," and overall, the food is decent - fried seafood: yes. Salads and burgers: probably don't. All in all a pleasant and sometimes laughable experience, nothing horrible and nothing very memorable either. But hey, you're thinking about eating in Lynn, so how high are your standards, really? Bonus for all you addicts: they have a scratch ticket lotto machine by the bar so you can gamble, drink and meet lots of old people wearing sailor caps - it's almost like Vegas!
(3)
Elizabeth D.
A friend dined here for a b'day dinner on Monday evening, around 6pm. Everything about dinner was good: food was great, atmosphere was lovely, and service was efficient. The only drawback (and it's a big one) was our female servers attitude and complete lack of respect. Not once, or even twice, but SEVEN times she decided to open her mouth and belittle and make fun of friend's infant son, age 16 months. Her words were those of stupidity and ignorance. "Make sure you guys get some bread before he eats it all." "This guys gunna eat nana out of house and home." To make continuous, disrespectful, degrading comments about the weight of a toddler is completely unacceptable and frankly, shows the ignorance and unashamed intolerance of said server. No tip was left, as we found her behavior reprehensible. When the manager of the restaurant (Bob G.) was called the in the following days, he had knowledge of the situation but was defensive and aggressive. He defended his staff, almost excusing her behavior. If this is the type of customer service you'd like to support with your hard earned dollars, feel free. However, I will take my money and family elsewhere from now on.
(2)
B P.
Wow! What a hidden gem this place is. They serve a lot of food! Bread and salad to start. We had the calamari as a starter, by far one of the best calamari I have had in New England. We had Claire's Seafood Supreme for dinner- was so Impressed with the amount of lobster, shrimp and scallops in this meal! The flavor was amazing. I will definitely be going back. The server was absolutely amazing and courteous.
(5)
J C.
This place went seriously downhill. The food wasn't that good, hardly one half healthy item, service was decent, prices are fair, place is loud, ehh. Without the view on the water it would be an every day pub food place more noted for the bar than the food.
(2)
Michael M.
I do like this place. Kind of a nostalgia thing. I can see what the negative reviews are talking about, there is a general attitude that permeates the place, although I didn't experience any outright rudeness. I could probably generate it with some good acting/kidding around. They have super cheap specials. And fairly expensive everything else on the menu...I got the three dollar burger. It was filling. 2-3 stars at the most. I like the bar area, it's spacious and a good place to eat. Plenty of tables in the dining room. I've had four star food here in the past. Service has always been suspect. Enjoy!
(3)
Ed B.
Location is okay, but the service was so slow we missed our sunset. It was an hour before the food showed up on a not very busy evening. Coulda woulda shouda. Sad to say but after 4 years of looking forward to dinner, we will be one and done here.
(2)
Brendan T.
1 & 1/2, the non functional half star is for the perversely enjoyable over-the-top New-England nautical decor, although somehow they manage to be located right on the water yet make no decreeable connection to this once inside, the fact the the place apparently has some considerable legacy and no doubt holds some, positive memories for working class families of this historically maligned area, and the clam chowder which just makes the mark of acceptable by area standards. Beyond that the place is one in which I will avoid whenever possible from here out. The haddock, another of those beloved New England staples basically unknown everywhere else that I don't really get, was gummy and fishy in the worst way in terms of both taste and smell. Cheeseburgers look like ones out of my public school cafeterias, albeit after a full day under the heat lamp. The vile "mixed grill" option I selected on an a recent work lunch here(!!?) (Don't ask), undisputedly holds the title for worst thing I've eaten in 2015 so far. We are only 4 months in, but I am hoping it won't be beaten, and shutter to think of what could beat it. It was a putridly funky tasting and smelly mix of the driest chicken breast, most gristle-y sausage, and gummiest most rancid pork chops I have ever eaten, respectively (or not). This and every other entree are served along with grayish mashed potatoes and drab canned veggies that look like you're worst nightmare imagination of 1950s Middle America store brought cuisine in hell. Yikes, this place....
(1)
Vicki S.
Dinner last night at this local favorite was surprisingly good. I haven't eaten there for quite a while due to the limited menu of almost all deep fried food. But not this night- we ordered the prime rib and the short ribs - both delicious! Ate at the bar and hats off to our bartender for an amazing pumpkin martini Music was a real nice touch. Keep it up guys!
(4)
Michelle R.
Karaoke here was quite fun, and had a few decent singers here and there. However, my salmon "special" with red pepper sauce was absolutely horrid. I was envisioning a light wine sauce with red pepper flakes, but was served salmon with a really heavy red sauce that tastes like tomato sauce. Why ruin a delicate fish with that nonsense? I asked for a replacement order, the lobster Mac n cheese. Better, but still not terrific. Glad I live in Philly, where there are excellent restaurants :)
(2)
Bill O.
We made reservations for 5pm for 15 people on Mother's Day. When we arrived, we were greeted pretty rudely by a women behind the register who clearly didn't want to be working on Mother's Day. She told us it would be a while because they were busy. Since some of our party were running late, it was no big deal, so we just waited patiently until everyone arrived around 5:30. I then inquired at the desk to see how much longer it would be, and another rude woman told us that another big party was just sitting at our table, and we'd just have to wait until they were ready to leave. I asked how long they had been there, and she said they were seated at 3:30. We waited until around 6, then asked for an update. At this point, they were clearly getting annoyed with us, and she said they were doing the best they could. We started calling other restaurants in the area, but of course there was nothing available. I then walked up to the owners son, who hadn't once come over to apologize to us, or explain what was going on. When I told him we had been waiting for over one hour, he snapped at me and said one of their ovens had broken, so they were very backed up, and he said he told the "hostess" to tell the customers about the situation. He was pretty rude himself. I told him no one had explained the situation to us, and if they had, we would have understood and probably left an hour ago. He just mumbled something and walked away. Clearly the stress of the day had gotten to him. So, we left as well, and ended up at Fantasy Island in Salem, the only place around that was able to accommodate us. We won't be back. Not because of the delay due to the oven problem. But due to the rude way we were treated, without receiving an explanation or apology until I finally confronted the owners son. I had to choose 1 star to enable the "Post" button. Otherwise, I would have selected 0 stars. Bill O'Keefe
(1)
Alley S.
Bad service from the start sat at the the bar with a party of 6 we all ordered two drinks individually bartender charged for us for a bottle of wine when we only ordered a glass then had a attitude when asked to correct the bill we all then sat down for dinner we ordered drinks and was once again dissapointed to find no alcohol in them when we complained to the bar service we were treated disrespectfully. At the end of our dinner we were double charged for our meal and when it was brought to the attention of the manager he was very unprofessional very uncaring unwilling to listen to our complaints told us to F off I do not recommend going to this restaurant I'm hoping that I can get the word out the whole city of Lynn that the manager that works at this restaurant does not care about the service or about the customers we will never return again .
(5)
Susan R.
Brought some relatives there last night as they wanted fried clams. The craving for fried clams was still there when we left as the clams served were so tiny and full of batter. They could not taste the clam and they were very disappointed with the size of the clams. The other dinners were ok and the service was good. We will go elsewhere for clams as there are many places to go!
(2)
Maureen K.
The Port Hole saved our Mother's Day. After The Tides put us at a table in a narrow passage way instead of the ocean view promised,We left and came to the Port Hole. We were seated by a window and could almost smell the salt air. Baked stuffed with scallops lobster was terrific. The haddock ordered by others was great. Our server was attentive and friendly. Our day was saved. Thank you Port Hole.
(5)
Jordan D.
Second visit and what a disappointment! How could this happen? So it wasn't a Saturday evening as my previous visit, this was a Tuesday evening. We asked for "TJ" the waiter we had previously and it was his night off. :( I am sure the waiter we had was a seasoned pro, but he did not engage conversation nor was he attentive to our party of two. He only came back to our table once to offer water refill. Not to check how our meals were nor was he visible when we did need his attention. The meal... how can I properly put this, awful! Salad was skimpy and wilted, meal was meh... I ordered the exact same Salmon entree I had at the previous visit and this was not even close to what I was served. The salmon was overcooked and dry. Too much of the apricot glaze that seemed to be smeared on after it was cooked instead of while being cooked like last visit. The baked potato was so dry and hard that I could NOT cut portions of it and forget about the potato skin. That was impossible to cut. Wanted to ask for another knife but waiter was no where to be found. The asparagus was also overcooked and quite mushy. Four (4) very thin stalks? Why so stingy with veggies? My dinner guest had a lack luster meal of Chicken and was also disappointed. Dry chicken, veggies overcooked and was overall not impress with his first visit to the Porthole. What happened? Obviously a different chef on that night, different waiter this time named Stephen, who was not attentive nor personable and a lousy meal times 2. Will give the Porthole one more chance as my 1st review was a 4 star. Very important point to note, the restaurant was NOT busy. The bar area was busy and quite noisy. I'll stick to a Saturday evening and not another Tuesday evening. So disappointed. Come on Porthole, you CAN be stellar, just try harder and tell this waiter to smile!
(2)
Chris J.
Stopped of after a day at Nahant beach. Lunch menu was huge and the portions matched. They have a really nice deck on the bay and plenty of seating inside.fast friendly service at a small price. I will definitely making this my go lunch spot when in the area.
(4)
Dawn L.
This place is fantastic!! Great food! Great service! The baked stuffed haddock is amazing!!! The clam chowder is to die for! You may not be able to walk after you leave because of the amount of food they give you .
(5)
John O.
read that a man who was in prison for 22 year and when he got out had a party to celebrate at the Porthole. I had to try it.... This is a place that has not changed in over 30+ years and that it good!!! Waitress was very friendly and helpful was missing some teeth. The elites from Cambridge, Brookline might not like it as it a blue collar crowd. The owners are giving great value to their customers with caesar salad included with a meal. My wife had sword fish which was was super fresh. Clam chowder is better than Legals. Their lobster roll at 16.95 is much better than Legals also. Will be back.....excellent specials.....You will feel in a time warp in a good way as the people have old-time values of providing fresh affordable food for families they care about.....Scalla bred is great&warm.....if you are a drinker they have a large bar....Hipsters and elites please do not come and ruin a great secret......
(5)
Joseph C.
A good seafood restaurant with reasonable prices. A nice lunch spot if you are in the area, I would not make a special trip to have dinner here. The clam chowder is thick and creamy and very good. The fried pickle appetizer is delicious and difficult to find anywhere else. The entrees are good with a decent selection.
(3)
Mike B.
After work today, my wife and I decided to head to the beach with our 4 y/o, and decided that that was as good of an excuse as any to eat dinner out. So we stopped off at the Porthole on the way. My wife had eaten there before, but I had not; so I didn't really know what to expect. When we got inside, by the looks of the decor, I instantly thought: "Old Fart Hangout." But there was a good mix of people: families, young couples, friends hanging out, and yes, some senior citizens as well. My wife and I both ordered fried clams, and the kid ordered a PB&J. The clams were good--nothing to write home about (Yelp, maybe, but not home), but not bad at all. The cole slaw was pretty damn good (love raisins in cole slaw). Portions were not overly generous--I wouldn't have minded another 4 or 5 clams--which made the price ($16) a bit much. Prices for pretty much everything else were very reasonable: the kid's PB&J as $2 and change, ditto for the carrot cake I ordered for dessert (which, again, not the best I've ever had, but pretty damn good). So while the food was more or less average, the service was outstanding. I wish I caught our waitress' name, because she was great. It took her a little while to come by and take our order because she was wrapping up a large (12 or more) party that was seated right behind us. When she finally did take our order, she apologized profusely for the delay and explained why. After that very understandable hiccup, she was extremely attentive for the remainder of our time there, and checked on us numerous times. She was genuinely friendly, and was great with the kid. Another thing: I asked to substitute a side salad for the french fries that came with the clam plate. Normally, there would be a charge for that, but she explained that because we had waited for her to take the order (and really, it wasn't *that* long), she wouldn't charge for it. Not a big deal, not a big savings, but conscientious on her part. Bottom line: the food is okay, though slightly overpriced. But great service, and neighborhood feel to the place make it worth it.
(3)
DEBBIE A.
I went with a friend's husband (Duane) because he wanted me to help him buy her some birthday gifts. His wife is my best friend. Anyway, we were seated quickly and did not have to wait around. We got there before the crowd rolled in. Anyway, my friends husband ordered a meat dish (cannot remember). As always, I ordered fish because we have some of the best fish in the world, right here in this area. Anyway, we started off with beverages. I ordered a large Coca Cola or Pepsi and Duane a beer. The waitress was very nice but sadly, my brand new pocketbook was on the chair next to me and she dumped her tray right into the bag, not the beer... just the cola. I was devastated as that bag was around $250.00 (at the time) and it was ruined. The gorgeous leather was soaked. As for my wallet, it was ruined as was almost everything else in my bag. It was a large leather hobo style bag from Stone Mountain. The manager came over and asked how our meal was and we told him the food was okay and he apologized for the accident regarding my bag. The man had the name of "Smed" or something like that. I told him it was a new bag and it was ruined as was the contents inside. He told me "oh, not a problem, we will reimburse you". I told him what it was worth plus my personal items inside and he was as nice as could be. LIAR! First of all our bill came and can you believe they tried to charge me for TWO colas. I was appalled. Then I figured if they were good business people, they would of picked up the tab as a courtesy....not a chance. I mean come on, we were definitely leaving a tip but we were disgusted at this point. I left my name and phone number and told them I would get a quote of what everything cost to replace, plus hand over the receipts of my items that were destroyed there as they were NOT old. So low and behold, I phone them and talk to the man "Smed" or whatever his name is. I told him I have the receipts on all the items and would he mind if I brought them over to him. Now remember, he was well aware of what everything would of cost. He started to yell at me on the phone and told me I was full of sh**. I told him that I had everything in writing and gave him the details. He was rude, unapologetic and unprofessional. Anyway, I ended up taking the loss and I have never been back to that "freak show" again. I would not recommend this place to anyone... ever. The food has slipped, the waitress was nice, the management stinks. Shame on you.
(1)
Kevin C.
Another place with GOOD Clam Chowder aside from Union Oyster House! YES, it's real good ones! Aside from that, same old stuff....it's some nice fried seafood... but with portion that most people cannot finish~! :-) Yup. Their services are really nice and friendly and helpful as well! If it's not tha fact that it is far from Boston, it's definitely a 5 stars for me....
(4)
J A.
I like the Porthole allot! They have the best clam chowder,blows legal seafoods away!! The bar is definitely the way to go at this establishment don't know why it's not busier. Good food, good drinks and good prices. It definitely has that local pub feel. I personally like going to places that have real people with real personalities opposed to forced rehearsed robo hospitality and this place fits the bill. If genuine hospitality with good food at a good price is your thing you'll like the Porthole . Oh and I ain't buying the cockroach BS either!
(4)
John M.
My wife and I wanted seafood (and fried pickles) a couple of Sundays ago so we bundled up my 1.5 year old, grabbed the sippy cup and headed out for lunch. There was no wait for lunch which you come to appreciate even more with a young child in tow. My wife and I drank draft PBR's for the complete hometown Lynn vibe. (I love good beer. I brew good beer, but sometimes you just gotta have some mass produced swill.) My daughter wasn't crazy about the PBR so I drank hers. (JK) My wife ordered a fried scallop plate and I ordered the fisherman's platter. The food was hot and arrived quickly and my daughter entertained all of the old farts by pointing out the stairs and ceiling fans and just being ridiculously cute. Keeping our drinks filled wasn't an issue because we barely finished them but our waiter was very attentive so I doubt it would have been an issue. My daughter likes to throw fried pickles which I think is funny. (My wife doesn't.) The prices are reasonable and its not s fancy joint so it's a good place to bring pickle chucking children. (By the way, this place is a friggin' gross sausage party on weekend nights.) Go there.
(4)
Lala L.
Fried clams with the biggest, fattest bellies. Their clam chowder is also really good, nice n thick and full of clams. They have fried pickles and really good fried calamari with pickled spicy peppers. Yes, I love fried seafood, it's the best way to cook it w/out slathering all types of sauce on it - ruining it's natural flavor. When they have karaoke nights, it's the funniest because their patrons to love to have fun up there on the stage. Not sure if they have those nights anymore.
(4)
Melissa C.
The food is really good and the service usually is as well. I love the Porthole and anyone who goes MUST try the fried Pickles . .amazing.
(4)
Esther L.
This place is filled with memorabilia from boats and ships. Its a seafood restaurant, but also has burgers and chicken. Their fried calamari was good. They have a specials menu that is cheaper than their regular menu. This place is pretty cheap (seafood entrees between $10-$13) and their desserts are cheap too ($3-$4). I went on a Saturday night and they had live music around 9:30. They also have a bar where you can sit and eat.
(4)
Chris S.
YES as noted above the fried pickles are wonderful! I have never had a bad meal here, have always had seafood but my friends say the other items are good as well.
(4)
Talia R.
Ah, the Porthole. How you make fried seafood come so cheaply to my happy mouth. How you put such delicious chowda into that overflowing mug that gets all over my hand and face no matter what. Ok, yes, this is kind of a run down, carpeted joint full of blue hairs that is on the water but doesn't actually place tables and seats by said water, but it's so good and good fun. The waitstaff really seems to care - they want you to have a great meal and are chipper and helpful and just feel like part of the fabric of the institution. The value is honestly really great - for a sit-down establishment, the per pound price of things like clam strips, et al, is better than takeout places nearby and the quality is tops. I do think they are trying to overfeed everyone by like 2X servings - platters and plates come with a million sides/salads/bread/whatnot. I actually prefer the baked stuffed haddock to all else. Buttery bread crumb deliciousness.
(4)
Steve V.
Had an overflowing cup of clam chowder. It was listed on the menu as world famous and it did not disappoint! While the rest of the group had fish and chips which was excellent, I had the lobster roll. It should be listed as world famous as well. Although it was snowing like crazy, I could tell it would be nice to visit in warm weather overlooking the water front and marina. Will be back.
(4)
Rachel D.
Get the fried pickles! So good. I got the mussels, fishy but pretty good and 7.95. Also got the grape cosmo per the bartender's recommendation. She was a sweetheart. You also get some great sesame bread with your order. My co-worker had the carved turkey sandwich, and it looked pretty good. That was also 7.95 on special. I would definitely get the fried pickles though, they come with two great sauces.
(3)
James D.
I have lived in Nahant for 30 years. There is not a restaurant on the North Shore at which I have not eaten. However, the Best Meal on the North Shore, bar none, is the Haddock Fra Deavlo at the Porthole, especially if you go Tuesday or Wednesday nights. On Tuesday or Wednesday nights they have in the bar area a great guitar player (especially if you like oldies). Darlene and Erin tend the bar. If you sit at the bar they cannot do enough for you. I get a couple of really cold drafts, one before the meal and one with the meal. The meal has fresh warm Italian bread, a good size Caesar or Garden salad. I get the Garden Salad with Blue Cheese dressing on the side. The Haddock Fra Deavlo is a large piece of Haddock with tomatoes, breadcrumbs and salsa on top. I get the Potatoes au Gratin and the vegetable. The plate comes out from the kitchen with so much that the food hangs over the sides of the plate. Usually I eat half and take half home. But not last night I "ate the whole thing" and loved every bite. My wife is involved in town activities and once month she has a meeting. That means I get to go out for a dinner once a month by myself whether I deserve it or not. Each month I think about all the great places I could go and the great meals I could have. I always go back to the Porthole. The Haddock Fra Deavlo simply cannot be beaten and is my "Go to Meal" The complete meal with two 16 oz drafts cost $24 and that includes a 20% tip.
(5)
S A.
Good location on the water, the food is ok, nothing great. It could use a makeover but in the restaurant industry plenty of times you have to wait for that. It actually had water views compare that to the North End Waterfront most of the time whoops no water view, you have to go outside and walk for 5 - 10 minutes for your water view.
(3)
Jim O.
Sorry, Porthole, I really wanted to like you. A place close to home with pretty good Yelp reviews featuring seafood, what's not to like? Starting with what is to like.... the service is friendly, the place has some funky down-home charm to it and the prices are fair. What's not to like, unfortunately, is the food. We did like our coconut shrimp appetizer well enough. But things went down hill very fast. I ordered the scallop special. The sea scallops were rubbery, overcooked and had no flavor whatsoever. They were drenched in cooking oil and served with way over cooked veggies and oily roast potatoes. My wife's swordfish was really gross, overcooked and tasted very very old. It was supposed to come with a dill sauce. We asked the waiter about it. He looked perplexed and said it was on the fish. We didn't argue further with him, but it clearly wasn't.
(1)
Ernest S.
I eat there quite often the clam chowder is the best, though I like to Haddick Rockafella, liver and onions. Fried pickles,
(5)
Colleen K.
Fair warning, my husband and I came here armed with a Groupon, so I might have judged this place more harshly if we had ponied up "full price" for our meal. Still, this is one of the least expensive sit down restaurants I have been to in a LONG time. I normally don't eat fried food, but I'm pregnant and fried shrimp sounded reeeally appealing to me one Saturday night, so off to the Porthole we went! We both got the starter house salads (typical throwback iceberg salad, which I was digging... a girl can only eat spinach salads with pecans and goat cheese so many nights in a row). My husband ordered the fried pickle appetizer (don't judge, we were having a splurge night) and they were GOOD (came with marinara dip and some kind of ranch (?) dip). For entrees, I ordered the fried shrimp and scallop combo and my husband got the fish and chips. Both plates came piled HIGH with fries AND onion rings (yes, both). By the time these dishes arrived we were both so stuffed that we could only pick at our meals, but, to be honest, the entrees were our least favorite part of the meal. I don't know if it's because fried food isn't really our "thing", but the seafood didn't have much flavor at all. It kind of just tasted like some unidentifiable fried piece of seafood. Our waitress was nice and the service was really fast (almost too fast). Bread basket was a fun mix of things (including mini cinnamon rolls) that we were happy to take home with us. I liked the atmosphere, although outdated...kind of seafood shanty-like. It reminded me of places on the south Jersey shore (my childhood summertime hangout), so maybe I just liked the nostalgia of it... oh, and beautiful views if you can face the back windows!
(3)
Angela C.
It looks cute from the outside, a little restaurant on the water and at that time, I was craving fried clams. How can you mess up fried clams? Pros 1. Clam chowder is quite good 2. Has a full bar 3. "On the water" but actually there isn't outdoor seating so doesn't make a difference... Cons 1. Atmosphere - it feels cheap and looks tacky, definitely not a date place. 2. Everything tasted "under-fried" and under-seasoned. Fries were huge chunks of potatoes that were tasteless and not fried. Fried clams were under-fried, and so were onion rings. I admit the portions were good size, but it doesn't matter if it all taste bad. 3. A lot of items on the menu weren't available anymore, including sirloin steak, which is sort of typical at a restaurant. The waitress instead suggested instead the "Sizzling Chopped Steak" which she said was a popular choice and is just like steak. It's not at all. It's like a hamburger on a plate and that's it. Incredibly disappointed, and not worth your money at all.
(1)
Julie C.
Nothing great but an easy place to get dinner. It's close to my house and I love their clam chowder and Cesar salad!
(4)
Kristi W.
Long story short... The food was gross... The service was terrible! The bartender Robin literally ignored us, and kept goofing off with other employees. The Porthole has potential... If they work on their customer service and get some good cooks in there... My boyfriend and I will not be going back.
(2)
Debbie C.
One of my husband's favorite restaurants. You will always leave here with a full belly. They don't skimp on the sides. With one entree, you'll usually get a salad, a starch, and a veggie. The seafood is always fresh and tasty. Be sure to try the clam chowder or seafood bisque.
(4)
Shelly A.
I really wanted to love this, it was a nostalgic experience seeing as i have not been here in many years and my family and i used to frequent it all the time when i was a kid. My boyfriend and i ordered Claire's seafood dinner, I had fried clams, and we got a side of chicken fingers for old times sake (for me). The clams were probably the best thing of all, but they were very greasy after a handful it was hard to keep going back for more. He enjoyed the Claire's seafood dinner but there was alot of cheese and breadcrumbs and not really enough seafood. The coleslaw was not very good, and neither were the chicken fingers i used to love as a kid. The french fries weren't bad and neither was the tartar sauce they have. The waitress we had was awesome and very attentive, the ambiance is a little outdated but kind of a nice setting for a date. My only wish is that the food was better, not heavy and greasy as it was. Priced very reasonably I have to say, but my stomach was rumbling when it was all said and done so I don't know if the pros outweigh the cons on this one.
(2)
Nicole M.
The Porthole has been around forever, and I remember it being amazing when I was a kid - but times have changed - for the worse! I went to the Porthole after buying a Groupon. I went with 3 other people. I ordered the Scallops Jason because someone recommended it - it was 'ok.' It took forever to get, and it was really salty and just underwhelming... I ordered the steak - it was gross. The presentation was awful, it was dry and I don't remember what sides I ordered, but I got the wrong ones. My husband and my brother in law both ordered a steak tip and shrimp tempura combo - neither of them gave it a good review. The shrimp was NOT tempura... it was breaded like chicken fingers are at a chinese restaurant - WEIRD. I will not go back to the Porthole and would not recommend it.
(1)
Brian R.
I went here a few weeks ago and the food was absolutely atrocious! What happened to the porthole? The Calamari dinner.....crap! They had no tentacles, only rings. The ones they served me tasted terrible. Horrible onion rings. My friend ordered the buffalo wings. They tasted like something out of a costco freezer with freezer burn to match! That was my last time. Since 2004 they have been going downhill slowly. Now it's a complete freefall into terribleness. I will gladly say I will never come back here.
(1)
Kate K.
When you walk into the Porthole, you immediately smell frying seafood. The first time I went, a few years ago, I ordered seafood linguine, which was great, but I kept staring at my uncle's Captain's Platter and craving fried goodness. This time, I went right for the fried clams and scallops for lunch and the serving was huge. I didn't need to touch my fries. My boyfriend probably snuck 1/4 of my meal off my plate when I wasn't looking and I was still happy. The onion rings were crunchy and nothing fried felt greasy, though I certainly felt full. Our server, Janet, was pretty on the ball. Our food did take a while to come out. When it did, all of it was hot, so it was the kitchen backed up and not Janet. I've been happy both times I've been here, three years apart. We'll probably go next time I'm in Lynn as well. Happy crunching!
(4)
Rich J.
Well tonight we decided on stopping at the Porthole for dinner as we were in the area and honestly neither of us had eaten there in years so let's give it a try... My other half decided on the "Baked Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp" ($12.98) it came with a salad & vegetable, first off somebody should inform the kitchen that stuffed means stuffed, what she was presented at the table was 4 butterflied extra large shrimp buried in a butter drenched Ritz cracker topping, not stuffed by any means...rather buried. As far as the portions I can understand 4 shrimp if they were colossal but for $12.98 there should have been at least 6 given the size. I ordered "Claire's Seafood Supreme" ($13.98) with a baked potato and salad, well the potato had to be sent back because it was at room temperature (not steamy as one would expect) when the replacement arrived it was hot but undercooked (the center was still hard) now the "Seafood Supreme", well it was hot, there was a piece of lobster claw, 2 shrimp, several scallops and what the menu said was a "rich cream cheese sauce" was nothing more than heavy cream (both in consistency and taste) oh and once again it was buried in a butter drenched Ritz cracker topping. Bottom line is The Porthole has been around forever, but times have changed for the worse...
(2)
R B.
I am an implant from akron ohio, 2 years here in the boston metropolitan area. I have had dinner here 3 times now, every time being a great experience. waiters: the first time and this time, today, were exceptional. food: better than our last visit, bread was warm, there were cinnamon rolls on our bread plate, extra napkins, ice water was cold. The baked stuffed sole my partner and his sister had was perfect. as were the ceasar salads with fresh ground parm, amazing and cold. My stuffed lobster with scallops was over the top good. you can tell a timed baked lobster by looking below the claw and seeing a white creamy covering on the arm. I swear, this is the place to get an exceptional meal at fair price. kudos to our waiter, who was just as excited to hear we enjoyed our meal as well as my thanking him for being friendly and assertive. We will return!
(5)
william c.
I love the Porthole. There food is great and they have an extensive menu. They have a live Band on Sat. nites. They are all pretty good and entertaining. The staff is great. ( rest. mgr. BRIAN and waiter STEVE). GREAT FOOD! GREAT PLACE!
(5)
Stephanie H.
I went here last weekend because I had purchased the Groupon that was going to expire next month and figured Hubby and I would give it a shot. A co-worker has raved about it to me numerous times so I had a decent expectation of it. We sat at the bar because we wanted to watch the wild card games that Sunday. The bartender we had was for lack of a better word scattered. Come to find out later she is new. I don't know how she has done this job for awhile (I heard her talking to one of the other patrons. Was only listening in because she was forgetting my husband's water.......for about 30 minutes until she was reminded by us as I ordered my 2nd drink which she didn't charge us for because of the water mishap.) With that said we ordered a boat load of food because we had the said groupon. She put in the soup my husband ordered and the app I ordered but didn't put in our dinners. So when the other bartender came in and sort of looked at us she was like Are you waiting for food? And we said yeah that we got our apps but still have not gotten our entree's- this was about an hour after we got there mind you- that they were never put in. And she half remembered them. And I got a pasta dish and she asked what sides i wanted (didn't think I got any but whatever- come to find out I didn't get any sides which was fine.) anyways the relief bartender Robin was great. And the manager who was sitting at the bar for a while was real nice as well. And as we were leaving she asked that we come back. We said we would. We went back last night to watch the 2nd half of the pats game and the manager was there and remembered us. She must have heard about the mishap cause she acknowledged it with some of the other patrons there. Overall food was decent. Not great but not horrible. And the staff was very good overall minus the newer bartender.......
(3)
Peter P.
Boneless fried chicken was one bland breast for about $12. Gave me some kind of weird spicy mustard instead of gravy. I had ordered an appetizer that came AFTER my meal. The bartender on Thursday nights is the WORST bartender I have ever had...very inattentive (drinks empty most of the night) and not very friendly. She actually ignored several of the members of my party who were requesting a refill (who definitley were not overserved, as noted above). I blame her for the late appetizer too, since I believe she forgot to put the order in. My potato skin dessert was actually quite terrible....they didn't bake in any cheese or bacon, you had to dip them into some weird cheese whiz/bacon bits concoction. Best part of this place was the free crackers.
(2)
Theresa M.
Went there to see my friend's band perform and I enjoyed it. The Porthole has a low key atmosphere with friendly staff. I think for the nights where they have live entertainment they could rearrange the area so it is more conducive to dancing (the dance floor was very small), but I would definitely go back and check it out again.
(3)
Richard P.
Had a great meal here yet again. The food quality is excellent and the service was on par. Nice to see the place regain it's footing. Looking forward to our return. One thing just hit me...no caramel rolls....hmmmm.
(4)
Dan L.
First visit is a couple of months.....a new menu and new prices my favorite went from $10.98 to $14.98 a pretty big increase....other items similar pricing...will give it a second thought before we head over there again...just sayin'
(3)
Lina U.
Have been going there for years since growing up in the area. Got a Groupon when one became available. Made sure it didn't say anything about dine-in only. Sure enough, they don't want to honor it. Not only that, I was told that they had a "special night" tonight and I wouldn't be able to use it even if I came in to dine in. Seriously??? This is a place that only regulars go to... and that's how you treat them? I would rather lose the $20 I wasted on this Groupon and not give them anymore of my (or anyone I know) business ever again. The manager informed that the owner told her TODAY that the Groupons aren't for dine in (convinient). I bought this a few weeks ago. Shouldn't that have been the time to discuss the small print so your customers don't feel screwed!! I've been in the restaurant industry for 18 years. This is NOT how you keep the business!!
(1)
Cris E.
Please Read!!!! My family and I have been going to the port hole for over 20 years and always was a good experience until a tragic dinner I had a few years back. I decided to finally speak my mind to inform other customers about the health hazard I encountered. I was having dinner with my boyfriend and I look down at my plate to notice a fried cockroach right in the middle of my plate of food! (I still can't order fish and chips till this day)! My boyfriend worked at many restaurants and told me it must of crawled into the frying batch in the kitchen. I don't need to explain how I felt, as you all can imagine. We asked the manager to come by, the waiter showed him the roach in disbelief and the only thing he could do for us is comp my meal and gave me a giftcard for a whole 25 bucks!! They made my boyfriend still pay for his meal, like he was hungry after seeing a huge roach in my plate!! Yummy! Tell me why would I ever use a giftcard to a place that serves your meal with a roach on top!! ummm.. no thanks!! Talk about a health hazard and the worst customer service I've ever received at a restaurant especially in the situation I was in. You disgust me!
(1)
SIMONE S.
All I have to say is get the baked stuffed haddock every time I get this they never disappoint, one of the best fish dinner's i ever had
(4)
Mike S.
Went here for a corporate holiday lunch. Prices were very reasonable, the menu was large enough to keep everyone happy and my scallops dish was delicious. Not a fan of much in Lynn but this place was pretty good.
(4)
lt g.
This place was good 15 years ago but I and a friend had 2 different experiences and both bad. I could not even eat the fried shrimp it was stuck to plate. My daughter had clam chowder which was from a can. My wife had scallops which were white fish. The place had at least an inch of dust on window sills. Waitress came to table with grease spots on shirt. My friend had a prime rib the size of a muffin and it was made of rubber. I and many other will never eat here again
(1)
Aimee G.
Now i'm rating this just on the night life portion of this place. I haven't eaten at this place in ages. Head here on a weekend and be prepared to feel as if you've been morphed into an episode of "The Love Boat." Definitely an "older crowd type of establishment. Nothin' like being checked out by an 80 year old grandpa. When I was MUCH younger, Saturday nights used to get pretty busy here late night after last call because this was the only local bar still open. Everyone headed here for one last beer. This place has, for some reason, always seemed a bit sketchy to me. Maybe I'm just getting older and smarter! :)
(2)
B G.
Hooray! This place is the embodiment of why we moved out of Boston! The Porthole is just a normal ol' restaurant with no illusions of grandeur. How refreshing! They're primarily a seafood restaurant, but they also have chicken dinners and prime rib. When we sat down, we smiled. The inside is just so sincere. It's the sort of place I'd take my grandparents out for dinner. I got the lemon pepper baked cod and my husband got the Santa Fe chicken. Be forwarned that their idea of salsa is "tomatoes chopped up real small." It's not a fancy joint, and they're not creating dinner so much as cooking it, but the food was tasty nonetheless.
(4)
Carrie M.
Well I'm not as keen on this place as other yelpers, but there is the one thing that almost saved the day and brought me here to review it... We went here for a family gathering last week. The food was preplanned so we didn't order off the full menu, and what I had was nothing exciting. My dish was pasta primavera, which I can love when it's done right, and here it just wasn't. The veggies lacked the crispness I longed for and the pasta bowl was just filled with oil, a total turn off. My boyfriend had the fish which he didn't seem overly excited with. The big hit was those who ordered the children's meal of chicken fingers and fries. What saved our meal was the fact that I happened to browse the menu prior to going, and on it I saw the greatest food of all times: Fried Pickles! I mentioned them to my Dad saying I was going to order some for our table, next thing you know a dish of them is being put on every table there, thanks Dad! Some family members were scared, some said they didn't like pickles only to be eating them just minutes later, and then there was my table, we devoured not one, but two plates of them. I will say they were a little salty, but still delicious. If I were to go here again there would be no need to order an entree, fried pickles and bread are all I need to make me happy!
(3)
Joliene M.
Whenever on the north shore we always try to visit. Reasonable prices for good food. The only place I know that still gives a starter salad and 2 sides with your main course. Everything always tastes great. Very much a older generation that favors this place but they know the value of money. We love the chowder there and any of the fish, chicken, steak dishes we ordered. The staff has changed though from a few years ago and this leaves a lot to be desired. After been there maybe 100+ times over the last 15+ years we had an incident about 2yr ago that left us very upset. The waiter was extremely rude, we had our father with us (80yrs old) and the waiter had no patience at all with him as he was slow and my father got very nervous. I felt so bad for my dad I did something I never do. I complained to the manager, left no tip to the waiter and gave it to the bar tender which I told the manager about. We didn't go back for over a year and was disappointed to see the same waiter there. He still recognized us and made it a point to saw hello and tried to be friendly but I find it unforgivable as any person in service to act this way. Other than this instance it has always been wonderful. Would highly recommend it for the food but not for the servers.
(4)
Dave B.
This is another one of those been here for so long places the average yelper would have no idea how long it's actually been there. They claim 30 years. Based on the dinning room decorations and the outfit's the wait staff wear 30 years is about right & it's been 30 years since it's been updated. You get the feeling while dining here that the Portholes heyday has come and gone. I think what keeps them afloat is that Lynn has very few if any larger restaurants. Now let's talk about the food. It's really not bad, I've had some good meals here, I don't think I've ever had a great meal & I know I've never had a bad meal. The side salads they serve with the meals are very fresh & usually have a few more things in them than you would expect. The seafood section is very large, you have the regulars like haddock, shrimp, claims, scallops & salmon, plus some other items hard to find like sword fish, trout & even smelts. When looking at the large selection my only concern is what might be frozen Vs fresh. The prior yelp comment about the roach on a plate is very questionable; I find it very hard to believe it would have made it onto a plate & into the dinning room. But let me tell you, it's very unlikely you would ever find a building that houses a restaurant that does not have roaches. Prices are reasonable, the parking lot is huge, and there might be a short wait on weekends. Service is average.
(3)
Busy L.
I remember this place to always being busy with at least 30 minute wait. Came back here on Friday and after a 5 year hiatus and restaurant was about half full. I know it's not a fancy place and was always sort of a standby for good, solid continental food of seafood and traditional american fare like stuffed chicken, prime rib, oysters rockefeller, seafood supreme, etc... We were not disappointed. My wife and mom had the 1.5lb baked stuffed lobster with scallop stuffing for under $23. Each lobster had over 6 sea scallops stuffed in a 1.5lb lobster. I bet my mom's lobster was closer to 2.5lb as it was huge with a claw that the waiter had to help to break as the shell was that thick. They raved about the flavor and freshness. I had prime rib that must've been close to 24oz for under $17. My son had the chicken finger off the kids menu and it was the usual frozen foodservice stuff. Just OK. The clam chowder has changed. It use to be much better and different as alot of herbs was visible. I'm glad that even with the downturn in business, this restaurant didn't sacrifice qualify by using inferior products. Give this restaurant a try if you haven't been or if i's been a while. It is one of those restaurants you want to go to instead of the usual chain restaurant stuff.
(4)
BOB R.
No wait on a Satuday night in February. Waiter was very good to us. Clam chowder and seafood bisque very tasty. Stuffed haddock with scallops fresh and light. I haven't eaten there for years, Good prices, nice clean place, good place, good seafood. What more do you need? We'll be back soon.
(4)
June D.
Went there last night after several years of not eating there. Got seated right away and a real spitfire of a waitress took care of us. I started with the lobster bisque - served overflowing in a coffee mug. The waitress called it served "avalanche" style. Very tasty, and full of lobster meat. Hubby had a cup of clam chowder which he said was very good. I had broiled haddock served with delmonico potatoes and mixed veggies, and also came with a salad. The haddock was very fresh and cooked perfectly, and portions were more than adequate. My husband had a side of fried clams and small order of onion rings. The side of clams came with rings, which the waitress failed to mention - dumb! He enjoyed the fried food, however, he said the tartar sauce was the worse he ever had! Which spoiled his meal, as he loves tartar sauce and always asks for extra. I describe the porthole pub as the seafood version of Hilltop Steakhouse.
(3)
Andrea M.
Honestly this place is hit or miss. We used to go all the time until it became consistently horrible, waited two years, and came back. It's gotten better again, but I'm always ready for a let down. The ONE thing that's always great is the clam chowder, but a lot of times a meal here is like starting out great and working your way to disappointment. On the plus side, the waitstaff is always friendly and attentive, on the downside, I've opened a packet of butter to find chewed gum, I've had chicken so dry it wouldn't cut with a steak knife, a whole group of us ordered prime rib that had obviously turned - it smelled so bad I can't believe they had the balls to serve it. My sister tried a tiny piece because she didn't believe that a restaurant would serve rotten meat and she was sick for 2 days. When we complained they were so hush-hush about it and I guess they had to throw all their meat away because it was bad. We were so grossed out that we waited 2 years to come back. Plus, we had started hearing horror stories about the kitchen staff from a friend of someone who worked there. It appears that they've returned to the good establishment they were when we first started going. The fish has been excellent, but I'm still staying away from the beef there forever. I just can't get that smell out of my head when I think about it. The clam chowder though... superb.
(3)
Randie F.
My husband does not refer to this place as the sh**hole for nothing. Our only theory on why people eat here is because they make the drinks so strong you don't realize just how bad your food is.
(1)
Marcus D.
I agree, very hit or miss, but they make a killer Bloody Mary. The fried pickles is definitely a must - the Porthole wouldn't be the same without them. The bar scene is hysterical: I guess it's hot for the Lynn kids on Thanksgiving Eve. You will find dozing commodores from the yacht club and Viagra-chewing dudes that look like middle-aged, former porn stars checking out the "young tail" at the bar. The only reason to go here is for a "change," as in, "we haven't been to the Porthole. Let's check it out." It's worth the gamble.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Olivia B.
Went there with my mom and her friend. The chowder is yum! And then you taste the actual food. Yowza! My food was on the lower side of mediocre.. There's an ocean view, but you see a parking lot before you see the ocean. Friendly service, even when my mom sent her food back because it was awful.
(2)Deb L.
Great food at a great price! The staff is very friendly, the meal is very good, while dining by the water. Their menu is quite deverse, covering all seafood specialties, to Italian, as well as Prime Rib. Their Martini menu is also quite impressive. The Dining Room is large with a wrap-around Bar just as large. I highly recommend for a nice night out!
(4)Natalie S.
The staff was friendly and fast but.. The food left a lot to be desired. Bread was stale, the onion blossom appetizer was undercooked - raw in the middle. Got the Hawaiian shrimp special and it was bad.. It smelled very off-putting but tried it anyway and got very sick after one bite. Probably won't go back for food.
(2)Mike I.
Terrible terrible terrible the service was awful All around the food couldn't have been any worse from the apps to the main course even the strawberry shortcake was bad I will never go back I've eaten here before years ago not bad maybe different owners different cooks zero stars.
(1)Cricket B.
Unfortunately they have raised their prices, in some cases as much as 60%, in less than a year!
(3)Jan M.
bar service was totally unprofessional charged for extra drink appetizer wasn't what is expecated food good. but they really really need to brush up on bar service and service when explained problems they where ok but don;t start talking to other customer about what is going on with other patrons unprofessional
(2)Michelle K.
My mom suggested we visit for a postponed Mother's Day dinner on May 12th and I agreed. My mom and I were seated, greeted promptly with someone to fill our waters, and shortly thereafter by our server and her trainee. Both were very attentive and friendly. One of our menus was dirty and missing a page, but when brought to our server's attention, was remedied. Our appetizer (bacon wrapped scallops) came out quickly, and was very tasty. After receiving the app, we ordered our salads and entrees, which were all delicious and timed very well. My mom's prime rib was great and cooked to her request, as was my filet. Great experience, great food. We will be back!
(5)Alexia R.
I've eaten at this restaurant twice, first time I had fried haddock which was under cooked and the fried were really greasy. The second time i went with my dad and he got fried scallops and clam strips, fries and onion rings- which were good. But my plate was horrible, i got the salmon special. The salmon was under cooked (slimy and pink inside) and bland, the description gave the plate my flavor than the plate actually had. I asked the waiter to have my salmon cooked some more, when he returned I discovered the plate was just thrown in the microwave. The salmon remained in the same position I left it with no new grill marks, and the plate was hot. I had scallops wrapped in bacon and buffalo boneless chicken for appetizers which were good. The service could be better, I over heard some of the waitresses complaining about their job which made me a bit uncomfortable. This place is not very professional. I'd only return back for the appetizers and maybe the fried seafood. Otherwise this restaurant would not be my first choice.
(2)Lisa M.
I don't understand the low star rating because everyone is super friendly here and they certainly have a loyal following of guests so they must be doing something right. Had a rum punch that was made perfectly and tried out the cinnamon bites which were so amazing! I'd definitely be back soon to try out the food!
(4)Tumora X.
Excellent pub! The entire staff is charming, and extremely helpful. I simply adore going to this restaurant. Also, the scenery of the ocean is fantastic.
(5)Rebecca B.
Slow, slow, slow. Been here an hour and still have not been served my main entrée ( only 2 of us). Ordered my fish with no bread crumbs and had to send it back. Food looks great. Prices are reasonable. Service is wanting. Plan for a long dinner.
(2)Nick L.
Another one of my Favorites Prime rib is great.Always a great view and on the old school side thank you for not changing too much. And thank you for being consistent!
(5)Brad D.
Porthole. Or Port Hole. Whichever, it's kind of a hole. That said, I love me a dive bar and this hole has it's charms... It appears as you approach that it's on the water, but the all-glass side is, in fact, on the parking lot - so that's not very exciting. Day drinkers abound at this run-down, pseudo-nautical, early 80's eatery - but the chowdah kicks ass, the oysters were "meh," and overall, the food is decent - fried seafood: yes. Salads and burgers: probably don't. All in all a pleasant and sometimes laughable experience, nothing horrible and nothing very memorable either. But hey, you're thinking about eating in Lynn, so how high are your standards, really? Bonus for all you addicts: they have a scratch ticket lotto machine by the bar so you can gamble, drink and meet lots of old people wearing sailor caps - it's almost like Vegas!
(3)Elizabeth D.
A friend dined here for a b'day dinner on Monday evening, around 6pm. Everything about dinner was good: food was great, atmosphere was lovely, and service was efficient. The only drawback (and it's a big one) was our female servers attitude and complete lack of respect. Not once, or even twice, but SEVEN times she decided to open her mouth and belittle and make fun of friend's infant son, age 16 months. Her words were those of stupidity and ignorance. "Make sure you guys get some bread before he eats it all." "This guys gunna eat nana out of house and home." To make continuous, disrespectful, degrading comments about the weight of a toddler is completely unacceptable and frankly, shows the ignorance and unashamed intolerance of said server. No tip was left, as we found her behavior reprehensible. When the manager of the restaurant (Bob G.) was called the in the following days, he had knowledge of the situation but was defensive and aggressive. He defended his staff, almost excusing her behavior. If this is the type of customer service you'd like to support with your hard earned dollars, feel free. However, I will take my money and family elsewhere from now on.
(2)B P.
Wow! What a hidden gem this place is. They serve a lot of food! Bread and salad to start. We had the calamari as a starter, by far one of the best calamari I have had in New England. We had Claire's Seafood Supreme for dinner- was so Impressed with the amount of lobster, shrimp and scallops in this meal! The flavor was amazing. I will definitely be going back. The server was absolutely amazing and courteous.
(5)J C.
This place went seriously downhill. The food wasn't that good, hardly one half healthy item, service was decent, prices are fair, place is loud, ehh. Without the view on the water it would be an every day pub food place more noted for the bar than the food.
(2)Michael M.
I do like this place. Kind of a nostalgia thing. I can see what the negative reviews are talking about, there is a general attitude that permeates the place, although I didn't experience any outright rudeness. I could probably generate it with some good acting/kidding around. They have super cheap specials. And fairly expensive everything else on the menu...I got the three dollar burger. It was filling. 2-3 stars at the most. I like the bar area, it's spacious and a good place to eat. Plenty of tables in the dining room. I've had four star food here in the past. Service has always been suspect. Enjoy!
(3)Ed B.
Location is okay, but the service was so slow we missed our sunset. It was an hour before the food showed up on a not very busy evening. Coulda woulda shouda. Sad to say but after 4 years of looking forward to dinner, we will be one and done here.
(2)Brendan T.
1 & 1/2, the non functional half star is for the perversely enjoyable over-the-top New-England nautical decor, although somehow they manage to be located right on the water yet make no decreeable connection to this once inside, the fact the the place apparently has some considerable legacy and no doubt holds some, positive memories for working class families of this historically maligned area, and the clam chowder which just makes the mark of acceptable by area standards. Beyond that the place is one in which I will avoid whenever possible from here out. The haddock, another of those beloved New England staples basically unknown everywhere else that I don't really get, was gummy and fishy in the worst way in terms of both taste and smell. Cheeseburgers look like ones out of my public school cafeterias, albeit after a full day under the heat lamp. The vile "mixed grill" option I selected on an a recent work lunch here(!!?) (Don't ask), undisputedly holds the title for worst thing I've eaten in 2015 so far. We are only 4 months in, but I am hoping it won't be beaten, and shutter to think of what could beat it. It was a putridly funky tasting and smelly mix of the driest chicken breast, most gristle-y sausage, and gummiest most rancid pork chops I have ever eaten, respectively (or not). This and every other entree are served along with grayish mashed potatoes and drab canned veggies that look like you're worst nightmare imagination of 1950s Middle America store brought cuisine in hell. Yikes, this place....
(1)Vicki S.
Dinner last night at this local favorite was surprisingly good. I haven't eaten there for quite a while due to the limited menu of almost all deep fried food. But not this night- we ordered the prime rib and the short ribs - both delicious! Ate at the bar and hats off to our bartender for an amazing pumpkin martini Music was a real nice touch. Keep it up guys!
(4)Michelle R.
Karaoke here was quite fun, and had a few decent singers here and there. However, my salmon "special" with red pepper sauce was absolutely horrid. I was envisioning a light wine sauce with red pepper flakes, but was served salmon with a really heavy red sauce that tastes like tomato sauce. Why ruin a delicate fish with that nonsense? I asked for a replacement order, the lobster Mac n cheese. Better, but still not terrific. Glad I live in Philly, where there are excellent restaurants :)
(2)Bill O.
We made reservations for 5pm for 15 people on Mother's Day. When we arrived, we were greeted pretty rudely by a women behind the register who clearly didn't want to be working on Mother's Day. She told us it would be a while because they were busy. Since some of our party were running late, it was no big deal, so we just waited patiently until everyone arrived around 5:30. I then inquired at the desk to see how much longer it would be, and another rude woman told us that another big party was just sitting at our table, and we'd just have to wait until they were ready to leave. I asked how long they had been there, and she said they were seated at 3:30. We waited until around 6, then asked for an update. At this point, they were clearly getting annoyed with us, and she said they were doing the best they could. We started calling other restaurants in the area, but of course there was nothing available. I then walked up to the owners son, who hadn't once come over to apologize to us, or explain what was going on. When I told him we had been waiting for over one hour, he snapped at me and said one of their ovens had broken, so they were very backed up, and he said he told the "hostess" to tell the customers about the situation. He was pretty rude himself. I told him no one had explained the situation to us, and if they had, we would have understood and probably left an hour ago. He just mumbled something and walked away. Clearly the stress of the day had gotten to him. So, we left as well, and ended up at Fantasy Island in Salem, the only place around that was able to accommodate us. We won't be back. Not because of the delay due to the oven problem. But due to the rude way we were treated, without receiving an explanation or apology until I finally confronted the owners son. I had to choose 1 star to enable the "Post" button. Otherwise, I would have selected 0 stars. Bill O'Keefe
(1)Alley S.
Bad service from the start sat at the the bar with a party of 6 we all ordered two drinks individually bartender charged for us for a bottle of wine when we only ordered a glass then had a attitude when asked to correct the bill we all then sat down for dinner we ordered drinks and was once again dissapointed to find no alcohol in them when we complained to the bar service we were treated disrespectfully. At the end of our dinner we were double charged for our meal and when it was brought to the attention of the manager he was very unprofessional very uncaring unwilling to listen to our complaints told us to F off I do not recommend going to this restaurant I'm hoping that I can get the word out the whole city of Lynn that the manager that works at this restaurant does not care about the service or about the customers we will never return again .
(5)Susan R.
Brought some relatives there last night as they wanted fried clams. The craving for fried clams was still there when we left as the clams served were so tiny and full of batter. They could not taste the clam and they were very disappointed with the size of the clams. The other dinners were ok and the service was good. We will go elsewhere for clams as there are many places to go!
(2)Maureen K.
The Port Hole saved our Mother's Day. After The Tides put us at a table in a narrow passage way instead of the ocean view promised,We left and came to the Port Hole. We were seated by a window and could almost smell the salt air. Baked stuffed with scallops lobster was terrific. The haddock ordered by others was great. Our server was attentive and friendly. Our day was saved. Thank you Port Hole.
(5)Jordan D.
Second visit and what a disappointment! How could this happen? So it wasn't a Saturday evening as my previous visit, this was a Tuesday evening. We asked for "TJ" the waiter we had previously and it was his night off. :( I am sure the waiter we had was a seasoned pro, but he did not engage conversation nor was he attentive to our party of two. He only came back to our table once to offer water refill. Not to check how our meals were nor was he visible when we did need his attention. The meal... how can I properly put this, awful! Salad was skimpy and wilted, meal was meh... I ordered the exact same Salmon entree I had at the previous visit and this was not even close to what I was served. The salmon was overcooked and dry. Too much of the apricot glaze that seemed to be smeared on after it was cooked instead of while being cooked like last visit. The baked potato was so dry and hard that I could NOT cut portions of it and forget about the potato skin. That was impossible to cut. Wanted to ask for another knife but waiter was no where to be found. The asparagus was also overcooked and quite mushy. Four (4) very thin stalks? Why so stingy with veggies? My dinner guest had a lack luster meal of Chicken and was also disappointed. Dry chicken, veggies overcooked and was overall not impress with his first visit to the Porthole. What happened? Obviously a different chef on that night, different waiter this time named Stephen, who was not attentive nor personable and a lousy meal times 2. Will give the Porthole one more chance as my 1st review was a 4 star. Very important point to note, the restaurant was NOT busy. The bar area was busy and quite noisy. I'll stick to a Saturday evening and not another Tuesday evening. So disappointed. Come on Porthole, you CAN be stellar, just try harder and tell this waiter to smile!
(2)Chris J.
Stopped of after a day at Nahant beach. Lunch menu was huge and the portions matched. They have a really nice deck on the bay and plenty of seating inside.fast friendly service at a small price. I will definitely making this my go lunch spot when in the area.
(4)Dawn L.
This place is fantastic!! Great food! Great service! The baked stuffed haddock is amazing!!! The clam chowder is to die for! You may not be able to walk after you leave because of the amount of food they give you .
(5)John O.
read that a man who was in prison for 22 year and when he got out had a party to celebrate at the Porthole. I had to try it.... This is a place that has not changed in over 30+ years and that it good!!! Waitress was very friendly and helpful was missing some teeth. The elites from Cambridge, Brookline might not like it as it a blue collar crowd. The owners are giving great value to their customers with caesar salad included with a meal. My wife had sword fish which was was super fresh. Clam chowder is better than Legals. Their lobster roll at 16.95 is much better than Legals also. Will be back.....excellent specials.....You will feel in a time warp in a good way as the people have old-time values of providing fresh affordable food for families they care about.....Scalla bred is great&warm.....if you are a drinker they have a large bar....Hipsters and elites please do not come and ruin a great secret......
(5)Joseph C.
A good seafood restaurant with reasonable prices. A nice lunch spot if you are in the area, I would not make a special trip to have dinner here. The clam chowder is thick and creamy and very good. The fried pickle appetizer is delicious and difficult to find anywhere else. The entrees are good with a decent selection.
(3)Mike B.
After work today, my wife and I decided to head to the beach with our 4 y/o, and decided that that was as good of an excuse as any to eat dinner out. So we stopped off at the Porthole on the way. My wife had eaten there before, but I had not; so I didn't really know what to expect. When we got inside, by the looks of the decor, I instantly thought: "Old Fart Hangout." But there was a good mix of people: families, young couples, friends hanging out, and yes, some senior citizens as well. My wife and I both ordered fried clams, and the kid ordered a PB&J. The clams were good--nothing to write home about (Yelp, maybe, but not home), but not bad at all. The cole slaw was pretty damn good (love raisins in cole slaw). Portions were not overly generous--I wouldn't have minded another 4 or 5 clams--which made the price ($16) a bit much. Prices for pretty much everything else were very reasonable: the kid's PB&J as $2 and change, ditto for the carrot cake I ordered for dessert (which, again, not the best I've ever had, but pretty damn good). So while the food was more or less average, the service was outstanding. I wish I caught our waitress' name, because she was great. It took her a little while to come by and take our order because she was wrapping up a large (12 or more) party that was seated right behind us. When she finally did take our order, she apologized profusely for the delay and explained why. After that very understandable hiccup, she was extremely attentive for the remainder of our time there, and checked on us numerous times. She was genuinely friendly, and was great with the kid. Another thing: I asked to substitute a side salad for the french fries that came with the clam plate. Normally, there would be a charge for that, but she explained that because we had waited for her to take the order (and really, it wasn't *that* long), she wouldn't charge for it. Not a big deal, not a big savings, but conscientious on her part. Bottom line: the food is okay, though slightly overpriced. But great service, and neighborhood feel to the place make it worth it.
(3)DEBBIE A.
I went with a friend's husband (Duane) because he wanted me to help him buy her some birthday gifts. His wife is my best friend. Anyway, we were seated quickly and did not have to wait around. We got there before the crowd rolled in. Anyway, my friends husband ordered a meat dish (cannot remember). As always, I ordered fish because we have some of the best fish in the world, right here in this area. Anyway, we started off with beverages. I ordered a large Coca Cola or Pepsi and Duane a beer. The waitress was very nice but sadly, my brand new pocketbook was on the chair next to me and she dumped her tray right into the bag, not the beer... just the cola. I was devastated as that bag was around $250.00 (at the time) and it was ruined. The gorgeous leather was soaked. As for my wallet, it was ruined as was almost everything else in my bag. It was a large leather hobo style bag from Stone Mountain. The manager came over and asked how our meal was and we told him the food was okay and he apologized for the accident regarding my bag. The man had the name of "Smed" or something like that. I told him it was a new bag and it was ruined as was the contents inside. He told me "oh, not a problem, we will reimburse you". I told him what it was worth plus my personal items inside and he was as nice as could be. LIAR! First of all our bill came and can you believe they tried to charge me for TWO colas. I was appalled. Then I figured if they were good business people, they would of picked up the tab as a courtesy....not a chance. I mean come on, we were definitely leaving a tip but we were disgusted at this point. I left my name and phone number and told them I would get a quote of what everything cost to replace, plus hand over the receipts of my items that were destroyed there as they were NOT old. So low and behold, I phone them and talk to the man "Smed" or whatever his name is. I told him I have the receipts on all the items and would he mind if I brought them over to him. Now remember, he was well aware of what everything would of cost. He started to yell at me on the phone and told me I was full of sh**. I told him that I had everything in writing and gave him the details. He was rude, unapologetic and unprofessional. Anyway, I ended up taking the loss and I have never been back to that "freak show" again. I would not recommend this place to anyone... ever. The food has slipped, the waitress was nice, the management stinks. Shame on you.
(1)Kevin C.
Another place with GOOD Clam Chowder aside from Union Oyster House! YES, it's real good ones! Aside from that, same old stuff....it's some nice fried seafood... but with portion that most people cannot finish~! :-) Yup. Their services are really nice and friendly and helpful as well! If it's not tha fact that it is far from Boston, it's definitely a 5 stars for me....
(4)J A.
I like the Porthole allot! They have the best clam chowder,blows legal seafoods away!! The bar is definitely the way to go at this establishment don't know why it's not busier. Good food, good drinks and good prices. It definitely has that local pub feel. I personally like going to places that have real people with real personalities opposed to forced rehearsed robo hospitality and this place fits the bill. If genuine hospitality with good food at a good price is your thing you'll like the Porthole . Oh and I ain't buying the cockroach BS either!
(4)John M.
My wife and I wanted seafood (and fried pickles) a couple of Sundays ago so we bundled up my 1.5 year old, grabbed the sippy cup and headed out for lunch. There was no wait for lunch which you come to appreciate even more with a young child in tow. My wife and I drank draft PBR's for the complete hometown Lynn vibe. (I love good beer. I brew good beer, but sometimes you just gotta have some mass produced swill.) My daughter wasn't crazy about the PBR so I drank hers. (JK) My wife ordered a fried scallop plate and I ordered the fisherman's platter. The food was hot and arrived quickly and my daughter entertained all of the old farts by pointing out the stairs and ceiling fans and just being ridiculously cute. Keeping our drinks filled wasn't an issue because we barely finished them but our waiter was very attentive so I doubt it would have been an issue. My daughter likes to throw fried pickles which I think is funny. (My wife doesn't.) The prices are reasonable and its not s fancy joint so it's a good place to bring pickle chucking children. (By the way, this place is a friggin' gross sausage party on weekend nights.) Go there.
(4)Lala L.
Fried clams with the biggest, fattest bellies. Their clam chowder is also really good, nice n thick and full of clams. They have fried pickles and really good fried calamari with pickled spicy peppers. Yes, I love fried seafood, it's the best way to cook it w/out slathering all types of sauce on it - ruining it's natural flavor. When they have karaoke nights, it's the funniest because their patrons to love to have fun up there on the stage. Not sure if they have those nights anymore.
(4)Melissa C.
The food is really good and the service usually is as well. I love the Porthole and anyone who goes MUST try the fried Pickles . .amazing.
(4)Esther L.
This place is filled with memorabilia from boats and ships. Its a seafood restaurant, but also has burgers and chicken. Their fried calamari was good. They have a specials menu that is cheaper than their regular menu. This place is pretty cheap (seafood entrees between $10-$13) and their desserts are cheap too ($3-$4). I went on a Saturday night and they had live music around 9:30. They also have a bar where you can sit and eat.
(4)Chris S.
YES as noted above the fried pickles are wonderful! I have never had a bad meal here, have always had seafood but my friends say the other items are good as well.
(4)Talia R.
Ah, the Porthole. How you make fried seafood come so cheaply to my happy mouth. How you put such delicious chowda into that overflowing mug that gets all over my hand and face no matter what. Ok, yes, this is kind of a run down, carpeted joint full of blue hairs that is on the water but doesn't actually place tables and seats by said water, but it's so good and good fun. The waitstaff really seems to care - they want you to have a great meal and are chipper and helpful and just feel like part of the fabric of the institution. The value is honestly really great - for a sit-down establishment, the per pound price of things like clam strips, et al, is better than takeout places nearby and the quality is tops. I do think they are trying to overfeed everyone by like 2X servings - platters and plates come with a million sides/salads/bread/whatnot. I actually prefer the baked stuffed haddock to all else. Buttery bread crumb deliciousness.
(4)Steve V.
Had an overflowing cup of clam chowder. It was listed on the menu as world famous and it did not disappoint! While the rest of the group had fish and chips which was excellent, I had the lobster roll. It should be listed as world famous as well. Although it was snowing like crazy, I could tell it would be nice to visit in warm weather overlooking the water front and marina. Will be back.
(4)Rachel D.
Get the fried pickles! So good. I got the mussels, fishy but pretty good and 7.95. Also got the grape cosmo per the bartender's recommendation. She was a sweetheart. You also get some great sesame bread with your order. My co-worker had the carved turkey sandwich, and it looked pretty good. That was also 7.95 on special. I would definitely get the fried pickles though, they come with two great sauces.
(3)James D.
I have lived in Nahant for 30 years. There is not a restaurant on the North Shore at which I have not eaten. However, the Best Meal on the North Shore, bar none, is the Haddock Fra Deavlo at the Porthole, especially if you go Tuesday or Wednesday nights. On Tuesday or Wednesday nights they have in the bar area a great guitar player (especially if you like oldies). Darlene and Erin tend the bar. If you sit at the bar they cannot do enough for you. I get a couple of really cold drafts, one before the meal and one with the meal. The meal has fresh warm Italian bread, a good size Caesar or Garden salad. I get the Garden Salad with Blue Cheese dressing on the side. The Haddock Fra Deavlo is a large piece of Haddock with tomatoes, breadcrumbs and salsa on top. I get the Potatoes au Gratin and the vegetable. The plate comes out from the kitchen with so much that the food hangs over the sides of the plate. Usually I eat half and take half home. But not last night I "ate the whole thing" and loved every bite. My wife is involved in town activities and once month she has a meeting. That means I get to go out for a dinner once a month by myself whether I deserve it or not. Each month I think about all the great places I could go and the great meals I could have. I always go back to the Porthole. The Haddock Fra Deavlo simply cannot be beaten and is my "Go to Meal" The complete meal with two 16 oz drafts cost $24 and that includes a 20% tip.
(5)S A.
Good location on the water, the food is ok, nothing great. It could use a makeover but in the restaurant industry plenty of times you have to wait for that. It actually had water views compare that to the North End Waterfront most of the time whoops no water view, you have to go outside and walk for 5 - 10 minutes for your water view.
(3)Jim O.
Sorry, Porthole, I really wanted to like you. A place close to home with pretty good Yelp reviews featuring seafood, what's not to like? Starting with what is to like.... the service is friendly, the place has some funky down-home charm to it and the prices are fair. What's not to like, unfortunately, is the food. We did like our coconut shrimp appetizer well enough. But things went down hill very fast. I ordered the scallop special. The sea scallops were rubbery, overcooked and had no flavor whatsoever. They were drenched in cooking oil and served with way over cooked veggies and oily roast potatoes. My wife's swordfish was really gross, overcooked and tasted very very old. It was supposed to come with a dill sauce. We asked the waiter about it. He looked perplexed and said it was on the fish. We didn't argue further with him, but it clearly wasn't.
(1)Ernest S.
I eat there quite often the clam chowder is the best, though I like to Haddick Rockafella, liver and onions. Fried pickles,
(5)Colleen K.
Fair warning, my husband and I came here armed with a Groupon, so I might have judged this place more harshly if we had ponied up "full price" for our meal. Still, this is one of the least expensive sit down restaurants I have been to in a LONG time. I normally don't eat fried food, but I'm pregnant and fried shrimp sounded reeeally appealing to me one Saturday night, so off to the Porthole we went! We both got the starter house salads (typical throwback iceberg salad, which I was digging... a girl can only eat spinach salads with pecans and goat cheese so many nights in a row). My husband ordered the fried pickle appetizer (don't judge, we were having a splurge night) and they were GOOD (came with marinara dip and some kind of ranch (?) dip). For entrees, I ordered the fried shrimp and scallop combo and my husband got the fish and chips. Both plates came piled HIGH with fries AND onion rings (yes, both). By the time these dishes arrived we were both so stuffed that we could only pick at our meals, but, to be honest, the entrees were our least favorite part of the meal. I don't know if it's because fried food isn't really our "thing", but the seafood didn't have much flavor at all. It kind of just tasted like some unidentifiable fried piece of seafood. Our waitress was nice and the service was really fast (almost too fast). Bread basket was a fun mix of things (including mini cinnamon rolls) that we were happy to take home with us. I liked the atmosphere, although outdated...kind of seafood shanty-like. It reminded me of places on the south Jersey shore (my childhood summertime hangout), so maybe I just liked the nostalgia of it... oh, and beautiful views if you can face the back windows!
(3)Angela C.
It looks cute from the outside, a little restaurant on the water and at that time, I was craving fried clams. How can you mess up fried clams? Pros 1. Clam chowder is quite good 2. Has a full bar 3. "On the water" but actually there isn't outdoor seating so doesn't make a difference... Cons 1. Atmosphere - it feels cheap and looks tacky, definitely not a date place. 2. Everything tasted "under-fried" and under-seasoned. Fries were huge chunks of potatoes that were tasteless and not fried. Fried clams were under-fried, and so were onion rings. I admit the portions were good size, but it doesn't matter if it all taste bad. 3. A lot of items on the menu weren't available anymore, including sirloin steak, which is sort of typical at a restaurant. The waitress instead suggested instead the "Sizzling Chopped Steak" which she said was a popular choice and is just like steak. It's not at all. It's like a hamburger on a plate and that's it. Incredibly disappointed, and not worth your money at all.
(1)Julie C.
Nothing great but an easy place to get dinner. It's close to my house and I love their clam chowder and Cesar salad!
(4)Kristi W.
Long story short... The food was gross... The service was terrible! The bartender Robin literally ignored us, and kept goofing off with other employees. The Porthole has potential... If they work on their customer service and get some good cooks in there... My boyfriend and I will not be going back.
(2)Debbie C.
One of my husband's favorite restaurants. You will always leave here with a full belly. They don't skimp on the sides. With one entree, you'll usually get a salad, a starch, and a veggie. The seafood is always fresh and tasty. Be sure to try the clam chowder or seafood bisque.
(4)Shelly A.
I really wanted to love this, it was a nostalgic experience seeing as i have not been here in many years and my family and i used to frequent it all the time when i was a kid. My boyfriend and i ordered Claire's seafood dinner, I had fried clams, and we got a side of chicken fingers for old times sake (for me). The clams were probably the best thing of all, but they were very greasy after a handful it was hard to keep going back for more. He enjoyed the Claire's seafood dinner but there was alot of cheese and breadcrumbs and not really enough seafood. The coleslaw was not very good, and neither were the chicken fingers i used to love as a kid. The french fries weren't bad and neither was the tartar sauce they have. The waitress we had was awesome and very attentive, the ambiance is a little outdated but kind of a nice setting for a date. My only wish is that the food was better, not heavy and greasy as it was. Priced very reasonably I have to say, but my stomach was rumbling when it was all said and done so I don't know if the pros outweigh the cons on this one.
(2)Nicole M.
The Porthole has been around forever, and I remember it being amazing when I was a kid - but times have changed - for the worse! I went to the Porthole after buying a Groupon. I went with 3 other people. I ordered the Scallops Jason because someone recommended it - it was 'ok.' It took forever to get, and it was really salty and just underwhelming... I ordered the steak - it was gross. The presentation was awful, it was dry and I don't remember what sides I ordered, but I got the wrong ones. My husband and my brother in law both ordered a steak tip and shrimp tempura combo - neither of them gave it a good review. The shrimp was NOT tempura... it was breaded like chicken fingers are at a chinese restaurant - WEIRD. I will not go back to the Porthole and would not recommend it.
(1)Brian R.
I went here a few weeks ago and the food was absolutely atrocious! What happened to the porthole? The Calamari dinner.....crap! They had no tentacles, only rings. The ones they served me tasted terrible. Horrible onion rings. My friend ordered the buffalo wings. They tasted like something out of a costco freezer with freezer burn to match! That was my last time. Since 2004 they have been going downhill slowly. Now it's a complete freefall into terribleness. I will gladly say I will never come back here.
(1)Kate K.
When you walk into the Porthole, you immediately smell frying seafood. The first time I went, a few years ago, I ordered seafood linguine, which was great, but I kept staring at my uncle's Captain's Platter and craving fried goodness. This time, I went right for the fried clams and scallops for lunch and the serving was huge. I didn't need to touch my fries. My boyfriend probably snuck 1/4 of my meal off my plate when I wasn't looking and I was still happy. The onion rings were crunchy and nothing fried felt greasy, though I certainly felt full. Our server, Janet, was pretty on the ball. Our food did take a while to come out. When it did, all of it was hot, so it was the kitchen backed up and not Janet. I've been happy both times I've been here, three years apart. We'll probably go next time I'm in Lynn as well. Happy crunching!
(4)Rich J.
Well tonight we decided on stopping at the Porthole for dinner as we were in the area and honestly neither of us had eaten there in years so let's give it a try... My other half decided on the "Baked Stuffed Jumbo Shrimp" ($12.98) it came with a salad & vegetable, first off somebody should inform the kitchen that stuffed means stuffed, what she was presented at the table was 4 butterflied extra large shrimp buried in a butter drenched Ritz cracker topping, not stuffed by any means...rather buried. As far as the portions I can understand 4 shrimp if they were colossal but for $12.98 there should have been at least 6 given the size. I ordered "Claire's Seafood Supreme" ($13.98) with a baked potato and salad, well the potato had to be sent back because it was at room temperature (not steamy as one would expect) when the replacement arrived it was hot but undercooked (the center was still hard) now the "Seafood Supreme", well it was hot, there was a piece of lobster claw, 2 shrimp, several scallops and what the menu said was a "rich cream cheese sauce" was nothing more than heavy cream (both in consistency and taste) oh and once again it was buried in a butter drenched Ritz cracker topping. Bottom line is The Porthole has been around forever, but times have changed for the worse...
(2)R B.
I am an implant from akron ohio, 2 years here in the boston metropolitan area. I have had dinner here 3 times now, every time being a great experience. waiters: the first time and this time, today, were exceptional. food: better than our last visit, bread was warm, there were cinnamon rolls on our bread plate, extra napkins, ice water was cold. The baked stuffed sole my partner and his sister had was perfect. as were the ceasar salads with fresh ground parm, amazing and cold. My stuffed lobster with scallops was over the top good. you can tell a timed baked lobster by looking below the claw and seeing a white creamy covering on the arm. I swear, this is the place to get an exceptional meal at fair price. kudos to our waiter, who was just as excited to hear we enjoyed our meal as well as my thanking him for being friendly and assertive. We will return!
(5)william c.
I love the Porthole. There food is great and they have an extensive menu. They have a live Band on Sat. nites. They are all pretty good and entertaining. The staff is great. ( rest. mgr. BRIAN and waiter STEVE). GREAT FOOD! GREAT PLACE!
(5)Stephanie H.
I went here last weekend because I had purchased the Groupon that was going to expire next month and figured Hubby and I would give it a shot. A co-worker has raved about it to me numerous times so I had a decent expectation of it. We sat at the bar because we wanted to watch the wild card games that Sunday. The bartender we had was for lack of a better word scattered. Come to find out later she is new. I don't know how she has done this job for awhile (I heard her talking to one of the other patrons. Was only listening in because she was forgetting my husband's water.......for about 30 minutes until she was reminded by us as I ordered my 2nd drink which she didn't charge us for because of the water mishap.) With that said we ordered a boat load of food because we had the said groupon. She put in the soup my husband ordered and the app I ordered but didn't put in our dinners. So when the other bartender came in and sort of looked at us she was like Are you waiting for food? And we said yeah that we got our apps but still have not gotten our entree's- this was about an hour after we got there mind you- that they were never put in. And she half remembered them. And I got a pasta dish and she asked what sides i wanted (didn't think I got any but whatever- come to find out I didn't get any sides which was fine.) anyways the relief bartender Robin was great. And the manager who was sitting at the bar for a while was real nice as well. And as we were leaving she asked that we come back. We said we would. We went back last night to watch the 2nd half of the pats game and the manager was there and remembered us. She must have heard about the mishap cause she acknowledged it with some of the other patrons there. Overall food was decent. Not great but not horrible. And the staff was very good overall minus the newer bartender.......
(3)Peter P.
Boneless fried chicken was one bland breast for about $12. Gave me some kind of weird spicy mustard instead of gravy. I had ordered an appetizer that came AFTER my meal. The bartender on Thursday nights is the WORST bartender I have ever had...very inattentive (drinks empty most of the night) and not very friendly. She actually ignored several of the members of my party who were requesting a refill (who definitley were not overserved, as noted above). I blame her for the late appetizer too, since I believe she forgot to put the order in. My potato skin dessert was actually quite terrible....they didn't bake in any cheese or bacon, you had to dip them into some weird cheese whiz/bacon bits concoction. Best part of this place was the free crackers.
(2)Theresa M.
Went there to see my friend's band perform and I enjoyed it. The Porthole has a low key atmosphere with friendly staff. I think for the nights where they have live entertainment they could rearrange the area so it is more conducive to dancing (the dance floor was very small), but I would definitely go back and check it out again.
(3)Richard P.
Had a great meal here yet again. The food quality is excellent and the service was on par. Nice to see the place regain it's footing. Looking forward to our return. One thing just hit me...no caramel rolls....hmmmm.
(4)Dan L.
First visit is a couple of months.....a new menu and new prices my favorite went from $10.98 to $14.98 a pretty big increase....other items similar pricing...will give it a second thought before we head over there again...just sayin'
(3)Lina U.
Have been going there for years since growing up in the area. Got a Groupon when one became available. Made sure it didn't say anything about dine-in only. Sure enough, they don't want to honor it. Not only that, I was told that they had a "special night" tonight and I wouldn't be able to use it even if I came in to dine in. Seriously??? This is a place that only regulars go to... and that's how you treat them? I would rather lose the $20 I wasted on this Groupon and not give them anymore of my (or anyone I know) business ever again. The manager informed that the owner told her TODAY that the Groupons aren't for dine in (convinient). I bought this a few weeks ago. Shouldn't that have been the time to discuss the small print so your customers don't feel screwed!! I've been in the restaurant industry for 18 years. This is NOT how you keep the business!!
(1)Cris E.
Please Read!!!! My family and I have been going to the port hole for over 20 years and always was a good experience until a tragic dinner I had a few years back. I decided to finally speak my mind to inform other customers about the health hazard I encountered. I was having dinner with my boyfriend and I look down at my plate to notice a fried cockroach right in the middle of my plate of food! (I still can't order fish and chips till this day)! My boyfriend worked at many restaurants and told me it must of crawled into the frying batch in the kitchen. I don't need to explain how I felt, as you all can imagine. We asked the manager to come by, the waiter showed him the roach in disbelief and the only thing he could do for us is comp my meal and gave me a giftcard for a whole 25 bucks!! They made my boyfriend still pay for his meal, like he was hungry after seeing a huge roach in my plate!! Yummy! Tell me why would I ever use a giftcard to a place that serves your meal with a roach on top!! ummm.. no thanks!! Talk about a health hazard and the worst customer service I've ever received at a restaurant especially in the situation I was in. You disgust me!
(1)SIMONE S.
All I have to say is get the baked stuffed haddock every time I get this they never disappoint, one of the best fish dinner's i ever had
(4)Mike S.
Went here for a corporate holiday lunch. Prices were very reasonable, the menu was large enough to keep everyone happy and my scallops dish was delicious. Not a fan of much in Lynn but this place was pretty good.
(4)lt g.
This place was good 15 years ago but I and a friend had 2 different experiences and both bad. I could not even eat the fried shrimp it was stuck to plate. My daughter had clam chowder which was from a can. My wife had scallops which were white fish. The place had at least an inch of dust on window sills. Waitress came to table with grease spots on shirt. My friend had a prime rib the size of a muffin and it was made of rubber. I and many other will never eat here again
(1)Aimee G.
Now i'm rating this just on the night life portion of this place. I haven't eaten at this place in ages. Head here on a weekend and be prepared to feel as if you've been morphed into an episode of "The Love Boat." Definitely an "older crowd type of establishment. Nothin' like being checked out by an 80 year old grandpa. When I was MUCH younger, Saturday nights used to get pretty busy here late night after last call because this was the only local bar still open. Everyone headed here for one last beer. This place has, for some reason, always seemed a bit sketchy to me. Maybe I'm just getting older and smarter! :)
(2)B G.
Hooray! This place is the embodiment of why we moved out of Boston! The Porthole is just a normal ol' restaurant with no illusions of grandeur. How refreshing! They're primarily a seafood restaurant, but they also have chicken dinners and prime rib. When we sat down, we smiled. The inside is just so sincere. It's the sort of place I'd take my grandparents out for dinner. I got the lemon pepper baked cod and my husband got the Santa Fe chicken. Be forwarned that their idea of salsa is "tomatoes chopped up real small." It's not a fancy joint, and they're not creating dinner so much as cooking it, but the food was tasty nonetheless.
(4)Carrie M.
Well I'm not as keen on this place as other yelpers, but there is the one thing that almost saved the day and brought me here to review it... We went here for a family gathering last week. The food was preplanned so we didn't order off the full menu, and what I had was nothing exciting. My dish was pasta primavera, which I can love when it's done right, and here it just wasn't. The veggies lacked the crispness I longed for and the pasta bowl was just filled with oil, a total turn off. My boyfriend had the fish which he didn't seem overly excited with. The big hit was those who ordered the children's meal of chicken fingers and fries. What saved our meal was the fact that I happened to browse the menu prior to going, and on it I saw the greatest food of all times: Fried Pickles! I mentioned them to my Dad saying I was going to order some for our table, next thing you know a dish of them is being put on every table there, thanks Dad! Some family members were scared, some said they didn't like pickles only to be eating them just minutes later, and then there was my table, we devoured not one, but two plates of them. I will say they were a little salty, but still delicious. If I were to go here again there would be no need to order an entree, fried pickles and bread are all I need to make me happy!
(3)Joliene M.
Whenever on the north shore we always try to visit. Reasonable prices for good food. The only place I know that still gives a starter salad and 2 sides with your main course. Everything always tastes great. Very much a older generation that favors this place but they know the value of money. We love the chowder there and any of the fish, chicken, steak dishes we ordered. The staff has changed though from a few years ago and this leaves a lot to be desired. After been there maybe 100+ times over the last 15+ years we had an incident about 2yr ago that left us very upset. The waiter was extremely rude, we had our father with us (80yrs old) and the waiter had no patience at all with him as he was slow and my father got very nervous. I felt so bad for my dad I did something I never do. I complained to the manager, left no tip to the waiter and gave it to the bar tender which I told the manager about. We didn't go back for over a year and was disappointed to see the same waiter there. He still recognized us and made it a point to saw hello and tried to be friendly but I find it unforgivable as any person in service to act this way. Other than this instance it has always been wonderful. Would highly recommend it for the food but not for the servers.
(4)Dave B.
This is another one of those been here for so long places the average yelper would have no idea how long it's actually been there. They claim 30 years. Based on the dinning room decorations and the outfit's the wait staff wear 30 years is about right & it's been 30 years since it's been updated. You get the feeling while dining here that the Portholes heyday has come and gone. I think what keeps them afloat is that Lynn has very few if any larger restaurants. Now let's talk about the food. It's really not bad, I've had some good meals here, I don't think I've ever had a great meal & I know I've never had a bad meal. The side salads they serve with the meals are very fresh & usually have a few more things in them than you would expect. The seafood section is very large, you have the regulars like haddock, shrimp, claims, scallops & salmon, plus some other items hard to find like sword fish, trout & even smelts. When looking at the large selection my only concern is what might be frozen Vs fresh. The prior yelp comment about the roach on a plate is very questionable; I find it very hard to believe it would have made it onto a plate & into the dinning room. But let me tell you, it's very unlikely you would ever find a building that houses a restaurant that does not have roaches. Prices are reasonable, the parking lot is huge, and there might be a short wait on weekends. Service is average.
(3)Busy L.
I remember this place to always being busy with at least 30 minute wait. Came back here on Friday and after a 5 year hiatus and restaurant was about half full. I know it's not a fancy place and was always sort of a standby for good, solid continental food of seafood and traditional american fare like stuffed chicken, prime rib, oysters rockefeller, seafood supreme, etc... We were not disappointed. My wife and mom had the 1.5lb baked stuffed lobster with scallop stuffing for under $23. Each lobster had over 6 sea scallops stuffed in a 1.5lb lobster. I bet my mom's lobster was closer to 2.5lb as it was huge with a claw that the waiter had to help to break as the shell was that thick. They raved about the flavor and freshness. I had prime rib that must've been close to 24oz for under $17. My son had the chicken finger off the kids menu and it was the usual frozen foodservice stuff. Just OK. The clam chowder has changed. It use to be much better and different as alot of herbs was visible. I'm glad that even with the downturn in business, this restaurant didn't sacrifice qualify by using inferior products. Give this restaurant a try if you haven't been or if i's been a while. It is one of those restaurants you want to go to instead of the usual chain restaurant stuff.
(4)BOB R.
No wait on a Satuday night in February. Waiter was very good to us. Clam chowder and seafood bisque very tasty. Stuffed haddock with scallops fresh and light. I haven't eaten there for years, Good prices, nice clean place, good place, good seafood. What more do you need? We'll be back soon.
(4)June D.
Went there last night after several years of not eating there. Got seated right away and a real spitfire of a waitress took care of us. I started with the lobster bisque - served overflowing in a coffee mug. The waitress called it served "avalanche" style. Very tasty, and full of lobster meat. Hubby had a cup of clam chowder which he said was very good. I had broiled haddock served with delmonico potatoes and mixed veggies, and also came with a salad. The haddock was very fresh and cooked perfectly, and portions were more than adequate. My husband had a side of fried clams and small order of onion rings. The side of clams came with rings, which the waitress failed to mention - dumb! He enjoyed the fried food, however, he said the tartar sauce was the worse he ever had! Which spoiled his meal, as he loves tartar sauce and always asks for extra. I describe the porthole pub as the seafood version of Hilltop Steakhouse.
(3)Andrea M.
Honestly this place is hit or miss. We used to go all the time until it became consistently horrible, waited two years, and came back. It's gotten better again, but I'm always ready for a let down. The ONE thing that's always great is the clam chowder, but a lot of times a meal here is like starting out great and working your way to disappointment. On the plus side, the waitstaff is always friendly and attentive, on the downside, I've opened a packet of butter to find chewed gum, I've had chicken so dry it wouldn't cut with a steak knife, a whole group of us ordered prime rib that had obviously turned - it smelled so bad I can't believe they had the balls to serve it. My sister tried a tiny piece because she didn't believe that a restaurant would serve rotten meat and she was sick for 2 days. When we complained they were so hush-hush about it and I guess they had to throw all their meat away because it was bad. We were so grossed out that we waited 2 years to come back. Plus, we had started hearing horror stories about the kitchen staff from a friend of someone who worked there. It appears that they've returned to the good establishment they were when we first started going. The fish has been excellent, but I'm still staying away from the beef there forever. I just can't get that smell out of my head when I think about it. The clam chowder though... superb.
(3)Randie F.
My husband does not refer to this place as the sh**hole for nothing. Our only theory on why people eat here is because they make the drinks so strong you don't realize just how bad your food is.
(1)Marcus D.
I agree, very hit or miss, but they make a killer Bloody Mary. The fried pickles is definitely a must - the Porthole wouldn't be the same without them. The bar scene is hysterical: I guess it's hot for the Lynn kids on Thanksgiving Eve. You will find dozing commodores from the yacht club and Viagra-chewing dudes that look like middle-aged, former porn stars checking out the "young tail" at the bar. The only reason to go here is for a "change," as in, "we haven't been to the Porthole. Let's check it out." It's worth the gamble.
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