“ the food here was delightful. the lobster bisque really hit the spot. the waitress was prompt and professional she knew the menu well. she was attentive with us even as the room began to fill up with other patrons. the main dishes were delicious, the venison was delightful, my partner who hates mushrooms couldn't get enough of them. i got the chicken special and it was moist, crispy and savory. i loved it. only thing id change is the table was so cold but its a new england winter so as is expected ”

“ Had an early dinner here after being intrigued by the menu - lots of local and seasonal items with a creative twist, many of which have game or seafood. We were able to get seated at 5pm on a Sunday as a walk in, but the space did fill up quickly. FOOD I got the house bread and spread, brown butter roasted carrot soup and beef cheek mushroom pithivier. While the bread was decent and the pear butter spread was lovely, I didn't think it was worth the price point. The roasted carrot soup was nice for a fall evening - sweet and creamy with tasty shallots, but the ginger flavor was a bit overpowering. The beef cheeks were tender and the pastry shell was delicious, but it was a bit dry and I wish there had been more madeira demi glace on the plate to dip. I had a cider for my drink and while I really enjoyed the flavor, it was not very cold, which was a bit of a bummer. My friend had crabmeat on a fried green tomato app, and the bison ribeye and razor clams over bacon braised greens special. The crabmeat app was okay - he didn't love the kimchi and uni topping, but his main was great. The bison, while a bit chewy, had great flavor along with the clams in the bacony tomato base with greens. SERVICE Our server was attentive and personable, just had a bit of a lull towards the end. All the staff from the host to the busser were nice and polite. AMBIANCE I like that the restaurant is sort of tucked away right off the main drag by the water. The space felt intimate, dark and cozy with exposed brick and stone walls, and thick wood ceiling beams. You can tell this is an older building with strong bones, which adds to the charm. Furnishings and decor leaned into its rustic bistro style and there's a nice window view of the harbor. We generally enjoyed our meal and most items were a hit, but there were a couple misses that were noted, especially for the price (our bill was about $180 after tip). Overall we'd return to try more things. ”

“ Very experimental.Not sure risks merit the rewards.e.g. The pasta underneath the chorizo flavored pollock was nice but the dollop of mushroom pate was gratuitous.the meze was interesting but the bites were so small as to leave no effect on the palette .The blueberry pie with balsamic vinaigrette depended on the right proportions and unfortunately was too vinegary.at least they are taking risks but at our expense ”

“ A lovely place for a data night- the food is certainly great! The chef's meze plate was excellent - really fun assortment of things that changes daily. I also enjoyed the lamb empanadas, now that's not something you see every day! The vibe was okay, our waiter didn't seem too into it, and it was strangely dark and humid inside (kind of like being inside of an old boat), but we still had a good time. ”

“ Loved this spot. I've been to Portsmouth a thousand times and never wandered over here, but very glad we finally did. The atmosphere is quiet and cozy. There is a lovely view of the water from the second floor. The staff was friendly, always there when you needed them and helpful with suggestions and information about the dishes. The food. I haven't been so pleasantly surprised in a long time. That isn't to say I didn't expect good food. I just honestly had not eaten half the things on the menu, or at least not in the combination they were presented. What a cool, fun and innovative menu. Everything was awesome. Rabbit, venison, lobster salad. A+ across the board. And snag a Black Trumpet cocktail. Strong, but delicious. ”

“ I started with the tuna tartar, humus and Oyster. Have never been an Oyster fan and believe this was my first fried oyster - still just tasted like saltwater to me, so guess I'm not sold pn oysters yet. For main course I had the mushroom paella - it was good but a lot spicier than expected. I love spicy food but felt there wasn't much else to the dish than spice. So not bad but not great either. My friends had the scallops and 5 out of 6 were over cooked - not what I expect from a place like this! All in all good with good vibe but not as good as I was expecting (has quite the local reputation). ”

“ Let me preface this by saying none of the meals I tried are on the Black Trumpet menu. I attended a benefit dinner for Seacoast Eat Local and was blown away by the chef, the meals, and the wine pairings. The atmosphere is both charming and sophisticated. The servers were attentive and personable, despite juggling all of the guests. I'd love to come back for a meal and am looking forward to it! ”