The Secret Critic

07/21/2024

We recently gave BRGR BAR in Portsmouth Nh another try. This time, much better results! What’s weird is we had the same waitress as our previous attempt in the fall but this time was a much better experience! We started with the Nashville spicy wings, these were off the hook! 10 out of 10. One of us had the signature BRGR burger and it was great, nine out of 10! The only thing annoying was the amount of pickles they put on it.. do you self a favor and get the onion rings! They are delicious and very filling! For the other burger we tried the Figgetta Bout It burger. This was a 10 out of 10! Again, the service was excellent and we never had to wait for a refill on our drinks, to go boxes for the leftovers, or the bill. For this reason we will be back again soon!

07/14/2024

Great food and service. Been 2 times in a week.

07/13/2024

We recently visited the Muddy Moose in North Conway. And here is our review. We have been here a couple of times before, so we have previous experiences to draw from as well.
For an appetizer we started with the chicken tenders. These were OK but the portion size was definitely disappointing. You could tell that these are frozen and came right out of a bag of chicken tenders. The honey mustard sauce was perfect.  For one of our meals we had the taco salad. The portion size was great and the taco bowl had a lot of “good stuff “in it! For the other meal we had a grilled chicken sandwich with bacon and cheese on a brioche roll. The portion size was small and disappointing. The fries were also overcooked and disappointing. The service was great and we didn’t have to wait for anything. Given all of this, we would try it again.

This one is on the pricey side, as are most places in North Conway, overpriced. The atmosphere and ambience is fun, think of it as a family style pub and restaurant. 

07/12/2024

We recently visited Moat Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery in North Conway. We have mixed feelings about this one. Let’s start with the service…the service was good! The drinks were good, naturally! We got the Bavarian pretzel with cheese sauce as an appetizer and the pretzel was edible but the cheese sauce was nasty! It was the consistency of mashed potatoes and was pretty flavorless.  For one of our meals we had the bean burrito with Cajun fries. Overall this was a seven and the fries really carried the dish. Do yourself a favor and be sure to get the Cajun fries! For the other meal we had the Angus sliders with cheddar cheese and bacon and Cajun fries this dish was a 9! The portion sizes on both plates that we ordered was good. This place is a little pricey but so are most places in North Conway! We will definitely be back to give this place a second shot, but will absolutely not order that ugly pretzel! 😉

07/07/2024

Went to Street in Concord NH. You finally found your calling. Stay out of the pizza business and Tic Toc waitstaff.

07/07/2024

We secretly hit up The Alamo Texas Barbecue & Tequila Bar recently for the fourth time! This place gets the award for most consistently great food! For the fourth visit, our food was off the hook! Started with the hot chicken wings…sweet chili sauce. Do yourself a favor and make sure you get these as an appetizer next time you visit! Had the pulled pork, brisket and pulled pork tater tots. The brisket was a little fatty but other than that was cooked to perfection and tasted amazing! The pulled pork was perfect and so were our sides.. the food is a little on the pricey side, but worth it! We’ll be back on our quest to try and find out if these guys ever have a bad day! Stay tuned……

07/05/2024

We recently visited the Cape Neddic Lobster Pound in York Maine. Here’s how it went. The service was poor especially given how empty it was and how many waitstaff there were. The food was pretty good but very pricey! The location is perfect, the tables and chairs are very outdated and the place was dirty. We started with their clam chowder it was hot, fresh, and very tasty. One of us had the scallop plate, and got just seven scallops for $27! The scallops and fries were fresh and very tasty. The other got blackened shrimp tacos with fries and coleslaw. The tacos were 10 out of 10 the fries were also fresh and tasty, and the coleslaw was great. With tip, the bill came to $90! For that fact alone we probably won’t be returning. But if money is not an issue the food is definitely good.

07/05/2024

We recently visited The Ice House on rte 1B in Rye,Nh. Here is what we had. we started off with the onion nuggets, and they were great hot fresh and perfectly cooked. We also started with their clam chowder. This was a big disappointment and we would not get it again in the future. For the meal, we split a half and half platter with clam strips and sea scallops. It also came with fries and coleslaw. The scallops fries and clam strips were all cooked to perfection and delicious! The coleslaw was definitely a bust. The pricing was very reasonable especially considering how much food we got. The service was lackluster, and probably due to the nightmare of a table our server had before she waited on us. All in all it was a nine out of 10, and we will definitely be back!

06/14/2024

York River Landing on Route 1- food was good once they corrected part of our order. Service was sub par. Not enough servers for a lunchtime rush. Not inexpensive. Save your money and go elsewhere. Until next time..

06/05/2024

IYKYK

We feel so honored and excited to be recognized for our fried clams—it is what we’re most famous for, after all! Thank you Taste Atlas for naming Bob’s Clam Hut one of “3 Maine Restaurants To Land Top Spots for the Best Fried Clams in the World”!!

-> Read the full article by tapping the link below! https://wjbq.com/maine-restaurants-best-fried-clams-world/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

05/03/2024

IYKYK

04/28/2024

The Cookie Jar bakery in Portland Me. Here are our thoughts. The donuts and nd pastries are a 10! They are expensive. The customer service was poor at best. If you’re in the mood for amazing old fashioned donuts and don’t mind the lack of great service, this is your place!

04/19/2024

Don't want to hurt anyone's feelings..

04/18/2024

We very recently visited The Hearth Market and Bistro in downtown Portsmouth, NH. For starters we had the charcuterie board. It was great, a nine out of 10! The fresh brewed iced tea was the perfect drink to go with our meals. One of us had the falafel Gyro and it was really good, eight out of 10! The other had the bistro burger with homemade chips. It was a nine out of 10 and would have been a 10 if it was an overcooked. The atmosphere of the bistro is a 10 out of 10 and the entire market is hip and fun and has a great atmosphere. Overall this place was 9 out of 10! Inside the market there’s a coffee bar, a regular bar, a fresh food market, and a dessert counter. There’s also a pizza counter in the market. If you are ever in Portsmouth, this place is a must! It’s right across from Ceres Bakery witch just happens to be our favorite bakery and Panini shop in Portsmouth. 😉

04/14/2024

We visited Woodmont Grill this week and it was perfect! Our first 10 out of 10! We started with the rosemary focaccia bread and it was perfect.. We had sliced Ahi and the French Dip, pictured here with hand cut French fries. Both were cooked to perfection, plated exquisitely, and came out at the same time. They were both a 10!  The waiter was very attentive and very friendly! Atmosphere and mood here are perfect! Really cannot say enough about this place! Do yourself a favor and make a reservation. We will definitely be back next time we’re in DC!

04/12/2024

We made a recent trip to La Carreta in Manchester, NH and here is what we had. Started with their amazing chips and salsa 10 out of 10. Also ordered the queso fundido as an app, nine out of 10. we had the three choice combo platters. l
One was a combo of a Tostada, enchilada and burrito. The other was a combo of shredded chicken, and beef tips for the others. We both had the Mexican rice which was an eight out of 10. Had the house margarita. Waitress was very friendly, but not too attentive. She had a lot of tables which could’ve been the reason. The food all came out piping hot and tasted really good. Overall this was an eight out of 10! Will definitely be back to this one.!

04/07/2024

We hit up The Friendly Toast in Bedford Nh today and we had a good experience. The food was all hot, except the home fries which were actually cold. One of our coffee mugs was dirty on the outside with caked on food. Our waitress noticed us cleaning it and she rushed over apologized and promptly replaced it! There was no wait which was luck on the timing. The waitress was friendly and personable. The coffee was hot, fresh, but tasteless. For entrees we had the Doughnut stop believing, which was a nine out of 10 only because of the home fries, huevos rancheros which was a nine out of 10 only because of the home fries,  and specialty pancakes topped with the maple whipped cream which were a 10 out of 10! This is our first review for this location, and all things considered it was an eight out of 10 and will definitely be back next time we’re in the area!

03/28/2024

We visited Trattoria Il Panino in the North End of Boston last week..Great food, friendly, playful staff (Authentic Italians), and the food was very good. While a little pricey by our standards, it is definitely more affordable than most places in the North End. While we didn't snap any pics, here is what we had. Chianti, Prosciutto Raviolis, and Chicken Parmigiana. Have been here many times over the years, and they still got it! This was an 8 out of 10, we'll be back..

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03/28/2024

Here is our review for our recent visit to Texas Roadhouse in Concord, NH. We don't usually do a review for chain restaurants but this one is NEW to Concord, NH, and this was our first time eating here. Overall, we had a very good experience. We went during a rain storm on a Saturday, which kept our wait for a table down to a reasonable amount of time- 15 minutes! The hostess was friendly and seemed to really enjoy her job. Same thing goes for our waitress! She was friendly, knowledgeable, attentive, and timely. For food we started off with their famous rolls and butter. They came to our table piping hot, and our waitress did not balk at the request to refill them.. 🙂 For an appetizer, we had the Onion Blossom. It was hot, fresh, cooked perfectly (not overdone) and came with their standard horseradish dipping sauce. We ended up taking half of it home with us. For one meal, we got their chicken critters (Fingers) with fries and vegetable medley as sides. They were hot, fresh, and not overdone..and nothing tasted like other food cooked in the oil! We would rate this a 9 out of 10. For the second meal we ordered the combo of 1/2 rack of ribs and sirloin steak combo (8oz), with a side of steak fries and corn. The food was all piping hot! The steak was cooked to perfection (medium) and not overcooked... The Ribs were perfect and had a nice glaze of sauce/bark on them. The steak fries were perfect and tasty. The corn was also great, but a little peppery..We would rate this dish as a 9 our of 10. The check came quickly as well as the to-go boxes, complete with an extra order of rolls to take home 😉 Overall. we would rate this Roadhouse as a 9 out of 10, and will definitely be back when we're in the area.. For now, this location is worth the hype, and your money! We'll let you know if anything changes after our next visit.

03/23/2024

New review of the newest Texas Roadhouse in Concord, Nh coming soon… is it worth your money? Stay tuned and find out…

03/22/2024

We recently visited The Alamo Texas Barbecue & Tequila Bar in Brookline NH. This place is a hidden gem and is absolutely loved by the locals! We were asked by 3 different couples on the way in if we had ever eaten there, and they all intimated that we would love it..! We’ve never experienced that before, and have to say they weren’t wrong! The menu was stacked, plenty of options, and the pricing was pretty decent. However some plates were expensive especially the barbecue-based items. One thing we noticed all of the waiters and waitresses were constantly busy and very attentive. The place has a great atmosphere. They even have live music in the bar area, which is a big plus here. We had the dry rub chicken wings as an appetizer and they were great except they were on the small side. For one of the meals we had barbecue loaded tater tot‘s which were covered and a heaping amount of pulled pork and cheese and scallions. These were a 10 out of 10! The other meal we had was a combination plate of pulled pork and brisket with shoestring french fries, Mac and Cheese, and of course fresh made corn bread! This was an eight out of 10! Everything was hot and fresh right out the kitchen. They have four different barbecue sauces ranging from typical Carolina mild all the way to ghost pepper chili hot. We sat at the bar and the locals were all friendly and festive. Will definitely be back there in the near future! Overall it was an 8 out of 10!

02/25/2024

Stopped at Frontera in Tilton Nh on rte 3, on our way to the lakes region today. First time here..Food was very fresh, piping hot and tasted good! Waitress was very friendly but a little aloof. We got the queso fundido, Steak Birra quesadilla, and Shrimp enchilada. Chips were hot, fresh and delicious. The salsa was a 10! Overall 8 out of 10. We’ll be back!

02/19/2024

Paid a first time visit to The New England House Seafood & Sports Bar in Wells Maine. Our regular place was closed and we were glad we stopped! One of the best clam chowders ever! Onion rings and aioli were on point! Got the daily special of pick two fried seafood. Clams and scallops for one and shrimp and scallops for the other. Great batter and great price!! Roaring fire and friendly service! Definitely going back!

02/17/2024

Had another visit to Chrysanthi's in Brookline. Had the Merry Margarita for an adult beverage. Made just right! One of the specials was an Arincini for an appetizer. One of the best we’ve ever had! Tried the spinach and garlic ravioli which was a 7.5-8! Round two of the steak sub was not as great as the first time but still good! Server was friendly but not as attentive. Juggling too many tables!

02/05/2024

More current reviews are in the works, including from Europe and the Mountain West region…stay tuned!

02/04/2024

If you would like us to provide a recommendation/review for any place not already covered in one of our posts, dm us privately..

02/04/2024

If you have any places that you would recommend that we visit and review, feel free to comment below.

02/04/2024

Bob's Clam Hut

02/04/2024

Insider tip. Bob’s Clam Hut on rte 1 in Kittery, Me is still the best place for fresh clams and scallops. Their lobster rolls are also out of this world. It’s no secret, but we’re here to tell you that they STILL reign!

02/04/2024

Chrysanthi’s on rte 13 in Brookline is worth the hype. Traditional Greek fare, and American food plus pizza. Great food, plenty of parking, great atmosphere. Our waitress was very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. We’ll be back next time we’re in the area! We had the steak tips sub, gyro plate and homemade baklava for dessert.