Black Cow

Just a short 50-minute drive away, Newburyport is our favorite spot for a weekend getaway. After a relaxing walk by the riverside, we love how easy it is to access Black Cow from the main parking lot. We’ve enjoyed dinner here many times, and this Sunday night was no exception. The atmosphere in the main dining area was perfect, blending views of the sunset and street lights. The staff is always friendly and eager to help. The food never disappoints, with our go-to favorites being the signature burger, poke salad bowl, and sushi rolls.

Googled good places to eat and this came up and my husband and I decided to try it. Michelle was our services and she was fantastic. I was unfamiliar with the beer selections and Michelle helped me pick one that I absolutely loved, The Four Season from Idle Hands IPA. We had the lamb lollipops that melted in your mouth and fantastically paired with goat cheeses and raspberry vinaigrette. We also had the chicken sandwich with chili aoli and haddock with mashed potatoes stuffed with lobster. Would definitely recommend based on service and food quality.

First time here and really impressed. The food was excellent. He had lamb, lollipops, escargot and a spicy salmon roll. A good selection of beers on tap and the margaritas are phenomenal.

Service and atmosphere were nice. I didn’t find my food to be that compelling for the price. Sandwich lacked sauce, cake wasn’t a nice texture, fingerling potatoes didn’t have much flavor. Probably wouldn’t be back again, but maybe some other things on the menu are better.

Stopped to meet with a friend, and our waitress was fabulous and super attentive. They had a delcious bloody mary! We also had the chili and Korean fried cauliflower. I'm very pleased with everything all around.

Very well subscribed. Excellent food. Had crab cake, Bang Bang shrimp, calamari, blackened salmon and steak. Loved it every bit

Lots of clearly labeled gluten free options! Also very smart defaults like only having gluten free soy sauce. All the breaded seafood can be done gluten free. Food came out fast and the staff was really nice.

Was disappointed in my $59 Steak Marsala. I expect more from a steak at that price. Very chewy and too much gristle. On this day, my steak wasn't cooked as requested either. But the service and atmosphere are very good.

Amazing food, great service, and the ambiance is FABULOUS! We can't wait to go back & try the other items on the menu!

My daughter got a promotion so we decided to take her to a nice dinner. Turns out not so nice.. literally. Our server seemed like she would have rather been anywhere else than helping us. I won't blow up her name on here however management should be paying attention to the attitude and attentiveness of the staff. I doubt I will be coming back after that experience. Only reason I am giving more than 1 star is because the French fries and drinks were good.

The Black Cow is a good restaurant, but there are better in Newburyport. We used to dine here more frequently when they were situated on the water, but tried them once after the move and was not impressed. We were back at a friends request and glad we tried it. We had pleasant service, delicious cocktails and the food arrived from the kitchen promptly and hot. The food itself was quite unremarkable however. Nothing bad, just OK. The meatball appetizer had tasty meatballs, but was served with a pesto sauce that I did not think paired well. It also came with focaccia, which was nice add, but it was cold, hard and well not great. I'm not a huge steak fan, but do love a good burger. Once again the burger was just OK. It had some interesting add ons, like cajun onions, but the bacon was a fail. Little chopped pieces of woefully underdone and barely cooked bacon pieces. It's like eating fat. No savory bacon flavor and rubbery texture. I just don't like bacon that is barely cooked. We tried the peanut butter/chocolate cake for dessert which was nice. Anything with peanut butter an chocolate is a win for me. Not sure it was made in house, but decent enough. Without the view, the food needs to excel, and that that does not seem to be in the case at least for me.

I love(d) this place but after 25 minutes of sitting, we have menus but no water or service to speak of.

The location here is the big draw. We were seated pretty quickly on a Sunday lunchtime, right as soon as it opened. We did have a reservation, and I'm glad because the place filled up very fast after we arrived. Unfortunately, the service let things down for us. Our server kept disappearing for ages and we ended up waiting too long for sauces and drink refills. The short rib bolognese was not as great as I'd hoped it would be for the price; it had a strange cheesy acidic taste that was offputting. We were in a booth, but the people seated at the bar seemed to be having much better service so we'd possibly try that if we returned.

First visit to this location. Ez Open Table reservations and ample (paid-cheap) parking. Waitress very good. Cocktails ample. Menu wide - note: large Sushi Bar. I had the baked haddock, prepared well. Very good. Football season so I enjoyed the TV screens.

Excellent beer selection but quite expensive. They typically have about 40 on tap. I paid $12 for an 11 oz pour of Hill Farmstead Edward. It was damn good though. The sushi is good, not great. But is was ridiculously overpriced, average is about $25. The 2 rolls in my attached pic were $50. The Veal Milanese was like rubber. It was so tough that I needed a steak knife to saw through it. It was loaded with chopped garlic that wasn't sufficiently cooked so it was bitter and unpleasant. A $30 waste. The tall blonde hostess was the most unpleasant person I've met in quite a while. We almost u-turned out of there after dealiywith her attitude. The rest of the staff was pleasant. 2 rolls, one pasta entree, and one 11oz beer was over $100.

My husband, 14 year old daughter and I visited around 4:30pm on a Saturday night. We didn't have a revelation, but luckily there was a table available as it was very busy. We were seated promptly. Our table looked out ever the downtown area. Our waitress was prompt and efficient. My daughter ordered a burger. My husband and I each had sushi and I had a small Pear Salad. My husband had a beer as well. The Pear Salad was one of the best salads I ever had. There was a hint of smokiness in the stressing paired with goat cheese was simple delish. Our sushi was fresh and well put together. My daughter enjoyed her burger and fries. Our waitress checked in with us frequently to make sure we had everything we needed. We would absolutely return again.

Went to their new location right next to their old one . I had my parents 50th wedding anniversary there at the old one many years ago . Was a big success ! The new one which I was not aware had been changed over from the old location was absolutely fantastic. We went at 2 pm for an Easter reservation ! The food was absolutely wonderful ! The service was as good as the food ! We are on the second level ! The place is spotless ! Clean and new ! Our waitress was amazing ! She was right there from beginning to end making sure we had enough water and drinks were full etc ! The kitchen helpers who assisted with the food delivery were fantastic ! They helped the waitress out perfectly! It was very busy as it was Easter ! The food was ordered, muscles. Sushi, which is excellent ! And steak tips and apple filled raviolis and a had a Caesar with chicken tips ! Calamari my son had was excellent ! There was not one thing to complain about. All the other guests around us were getting great service and their food was served very quickly I noticed! The Host and Hostess at the front door greeted us promptly and on our leaving were greeted and thanked for coming. Al I will say is , we will be back ! The new roof top deck looks awesome! It overlooks Newburyport while also being private from onlookers walking below. ! The place gets 5 stars hands down ! Great job Black cow and all the workers on a busy Easter holiday ! Thank you !

We came to Newburyport for a day trip and needed a meal before we headed for the commuter. The wait was an hour but luckily they have enough seats for 4 at a bar area upstairs. The space itself is really big with an upper outdoor area with a bar that spans from the inside and out as well as the downstairs dining area which looked mainly inside. Our server who also seemed like one of the heads of the bar area was really nice! I could tell they were really busy and he was running all over the place but every interaction I had with him was very sincere and enjoyable. I ordered the rock and roll sushi which was so yummy! I kind of wish I have ordered more rolls but I was kind of in a rush because my train was leaving soon. I also ordered three of the daily oysters and unfortunately it took so long for some reason for them to bring out but the gentleman kept apologizing about it. We were about the leave and I was closing out the check and it came out lol.

I didn't read all the reviews, but I'm unclear why they're at 3.4 stars. Our waitress was wonderful (Samantha) and the food was delicious (clam chowder rocked and the pear walnut salad was to die for. Some of the folks who worked there were also surprised since are consistently rated one of the top 3 restaurants in Newburyport (not sure of the source).

The food is decent, nothing to write home about. This place is extremely overpriced for what you get. I have had a steak in a fancy steakhouse for less. I think there are better places with much better food and selection in the area

Haven't been in years and glad I went back. Steak was phenomenal. Place was a tad cold inside but all good

Loved all the gluten free options. I split a crab cake, calamari and a salad with a friend. Delicious! Nice location although I would have loved to sit outside, they were closing that as it was starting to get cool out.

Everything about this place is excellent!! It's big, it's nice, it's clean. They have multiple seating levels, an amazing deck with a great view. A swanky sushi bar.. expensive for sushi but very good. All the pricing for the excellent food and service is on par for what you pay for anything that is good. The drinks are good and not watered down.. that is a bonus! If you want cheap for your meal you cAn go to the 99.... But it won't be nowhere n are as tasty! You get what you pay for. This place is wo

It was our wedding anniversary and we asked the locals for a special restaurant. The locals told us the Black Cow would be a good choice and had a wonderful menu for lunch and dinner. We decided on an early dinner and were seated upstairs where we could eat inside or outside. It was a little warm outside, so we decided on eating inside in the AC. Our waitress, Michele, was great and the food was hot when served. Our granddaughter had pasta with butter, perfectly cooked and appeased her picky taste buds! My daughter had a Moroccan 1/2 roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and summer veggies (i.e., zucchini, yellow squash and carrots). The sauce tasted of cinnamon and Garam Masala and it was on the sweet side and very tasty. My wife had Twin Lamb chops over mixed vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes with an apple mint gastrique sauce. Very delicious and excellent presentation! Our grandson had ravioli filled with lobster and topped with a split lobster tail and cream sauce. He ate it all and said it was great! My son in law had the Tuna Sashimi with mixed vegetables that melted in your mouth. I had the Haddock stuffed with crab meat with mixed vegetables . It was so good I ate before taking a picture. Sorry! Great food, great dining atmosphere especially upstairs and great wait service. Thanks, Michele! We were very pleased with our meals and with our gourmet experience. The Black Cow is in the heart of Newburyport, so you are close to everything from shopping to walking on the boardwalk viewing all the yachts at the dock. A great summer experience for families and friends. Eat well and safe safe. Happy summertime!

The Black Cow, has been and is, one of the best Restaurants in Newburyport! We've dined here dozens of times when they were on the waterfront and at their new location and have never been disappointed! Had lunch there on June 1st and asked to be seated upstairs on their deck. It was the perfect spot for lunch, great staff, beautiful views and most importantly delicious food! She had the blackened salmon on a bed of greens and I opted for the Cow Burger which was huge and one of the best burgers I've had in a long time! See pics. Parking is plentiful across the street if you can't find a space at the Restaurant and inexpensive, 3 bucks for 2 hours, cheap!

Great gluten free menu. Lots of choices. Loved the view. Our server was great. We have been here before and will be back

If you are even considering going here, you have to! The view is beautiful from the rooftop, so close to the waterfront. It's probably amazing during sunset. I got the sticky cauliflower from the appetizers menu and it did not disappoint. It was spicy and sweet and tangy - almost like a chicken wing. Definitely recommend the plum island spritzer which went well with the cauliflower.

Excellent service. Drinks were outstanding. We had the muscles and it was one of the best white wine sauces I've ever had. Definitely will go back.

Nice dinner tonight, had a little wait but less than they quoted us.large restaurant with 2 floors & 2 bars. I got the steak tips. Came with mashed & carrots. Mashed where good, no garlic. Not a fan of garlic in anything. Tips where good, cooked a perfect medium rare. Couldn't finish them. Jessica was our server. She did a great job of checking on us just enough. Filling our drinks& checking on us. Good servers are hard to find these days ! I thought the prices where a little high though.

We haven't been here since it moved off the water but went today while in town. First impression was excellent. The ambiance is lovely, sophisticated, beautifully designed with brick wood and leather all around. The bar is sprawling with attentive, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Drinks (roasted old fashioned) were delicious and served over a large cube. There was an impressive array of on tap beers. We did notice that the bar staff used extra ice to fill "short" drinks very regularly, a practice I don't approve of. Lunch was a Nashville chicken sandwich which overflowed the bun and was spicy and tangy with interesting fries. My date had a Caesar salad with a vinaigrette Caesar dressing (not traditional creamy) which he said was very good and bang bang shrimp, which was typical in flavor and preparation but also very good. The price was on the high side for what we ate but probably typical for a higher end restaurant in town. I would definitely come back and maybe enjoy the rooftop deck in nicer weather.

Daddy was hungry and my throat was parched. Good food and beer. The food was very good. Had a fish meal. Drinks were good. Service was very friendly, a bit slow, but I take into account it was Easter Sunday. I'll definitely go back. Good beer selections.

Service is not the greatest been here 3 or 4 time now always get the filet at least that has something to stand for! poor servers have no clue on what they're doing also ordered a the dilly tini barley was filled up to the top had ice chunk in a martini since never??? Never in my life have I ever had ice in a martini

We used to visit Black Cow at their previous location and really enjoyed it. However, our most recent visit (September 2023) was a good reason not to return. We were seated in the sushi bar area, with my two 7 year old. The booths were elevated like high tops and my tallest son literally had to get a running start to jump into the booth. My smaller son tried to step into it and immediately took a tumble. It wasn't long after that when the poor toddler behind us also fell out of the booth and was crying in pain. Staff was apologetic but the manager should have come over right from the start as two children were down for the count. We figured once we got our food things would improve. My husband selected a cabernet to accompany his anticipated lamb entree. Unfortunately, they were out of the lamb, so he was stuck with a cabernet with his veal milanese. He said the veal was good but the pasta was absolutely terrible as another review mentioned. I ordered tzaziki salmon, and it was quite literally a bland, unseasoned piece of salmon with tzaziki sauce on top. It also had multiple bones in it. I took about 3 bites and gave up. The limp overcooked asparagus and rice pilaf to accompany also went uneaten. I debated on sending it back, and I have only sent something back once as I really hate doing that and worry that the cooks will get mad and do something to my food. I opted to take it home and tried to feed some to my cat, who wanted no part of it. The clam chowder and chili we had before our meals was delicious -- so good, in fact, that I wondered whether they were actually made in house based on our terrible entrees. The kids meals were also great, but how hard is it to ruin a hot dog and chicken fingers with fries? I'd say stick with the fried foods and burgers here and you'll be just fine. Don't bother with the more expensive entrees as they aren't fresh and are uninspired. Note to the hostess: Don't seat children in the high top tables - they're difficult enough for adults to get into and are a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Great restaurant. Gina was the best and made the experience great for the 8 of us. Food was delicious of course as well. See you again soon.

Had lunch here today and while our server was excellent the food left much to be desired. We were at Plum Island today and decided to have lunch here. We started with the chicken wings with the hit sauce. Apparently there was a misunderstanding because the wings came out without any sauce. Here's the kicker: they were completely flavorless as in nobody seasoned them. Adding the sauce which was served on the side made them a bit better but they should have been tossed in it. WITH SALT AND PEPPER! I had the bleu cheese salad with chicken. Again, nobody in the kitchen even tried to season that chicken! It was flavorless. The bleu cheese dressing was so thick it could not be poured or drizzled over the salad and the bacon bits were hard and flavorless. Tbe dressing was thick like sour cream and did not have a bleu cheese flavor. My GF had the Greek salad with the blackened shrimp. The shrimp were served on anwoooden skewer and when I say they were fused into the stick im not joking. I had to help pull them off. I suspect that they were skewered on an earlier date and allowed to dry and therefore adhere to the stick. We didn't finish either salad or the wings, we won't be back.

The mixed ratings throughout my dinner renders this an overall 3 stars, otherwise it would be lower and higher on specifics. For example, I would give the Blue Lemondrop 5 stars as it's quite a tasty treat, and very deserving as being one of their most popular cocktails. However I would give the Grey Whale Coast a 1 star, despite typically enjoying gin-based cocktails. The Crispy Calamari might be one of the best I've ever ordered from any restaurant. Breaded lightly, tasting great with the peppers and tomato. The menu didn't list how many ounces are served on the steak, but the server was very friendly and more than willing to help. However, (I'm not sure if it's a chef policy though I doubt it) I wasn't asked how I wanted my steak. It came out medium. Unfortunately I prefer my steak medium-rare, so I was not able to fully enjoy it. It was seasoned and seared well, and the garlic mashed was good. Perhaps I'll try the sushi next time instead of the meats. It's a very spacious place with two floors and a deck view near the water, so the environment is quite nice.

Had a great dinner with my Aunt and Uncle here. I got the poke bowl. Lots of fresh salmon and tuna, avocado, cucumber, seaweed salad, and rice. So FRESH. My uncle got the Baked Haddok. He loved it but said he would probably go back to the Haddok tostada next time (they were out this time). My Aunt got a small Bacon & Bleu salad and the appetizer crab cake serving. 2 large yummy crab cakes with an aioli on top. We got the Hamachi sashimi and Rock n'Roll sushi for an appetizer, which was super fresh and delicious. Our waitress, Ashley, was friendly and attentive. Would go back here again. Not a cheap place as the entrees are all over $20 and WORTH IT.

Food is still great service was horrible. If this was our first time here we wouldn't go back. Hostess that took our reservation was great she even checked on us. Waitress reminded of a low end diner type of establishment, I would consider this restaurant higher end. We waited and waited for the check after being ignored after the food arrived to finally get the check and it was wrong. If I didn't love the food I would go back. Wasn't as good as I remember but it was probably the poor service on a 250$ ck

My 16 yo grandson wanted to go the Black Cow for dinner. My husband and I took him, paid close to $300.00 for the 3 of us, the service was terrible, the waitress had a hair across her ass and was not friendly and had a smug look on her face every time she came to the table. As far as food, IT SUCKED. My grandson's steak was a plate of fat. The lollipop lamb chops were the size of a small marble and were not very good. The ambiance is nice, but when you pay that much for dinner you want it to explode in your mouth. I had the filet and it was worse than an overcooked pork chop smothered in some dark sauce that was gross. Get with it Black Cow.

Absolutely love this spot. Its menu is always changing, and the food is on point. The place isn't too big and the service is always very good. They have nice bar seating and a dining room. It's worth the trip for this one!

Miss the old place on the water. Food and service have suffered greatly since expanding. There Monday for lunch. Salad was mush. Waitress hard to find. Long wait for entree despite few customers. Will not be back.

Alexa the bartender has been really helpful my first time here. Very polite and quick. I ordered the Black Cow Chilli which was absolutely delicious. The establishment as a whole is a nice venue to eat at. Nice crowd, seats. This can be a laid back relax environment as well as a romantic one. Definitely coming back, thanks Alexa!

My wife and I have been to the Black COE several times and had good experiences. This time, however, actually started our day trip poorly and set the tone for the rest of the day. Firstly, all the booths by the windows at the front of the restaurant were open yet we were seated at the back in the darkest part of the restaurant. We got our drinks fairly quickly and the waitress was polite. But then it went downhill. We waited 15 minutes before asking for bread. Then was presented with cold focaccia that looked virtually stale and was cold with a bowl of oil stuffed with sun dried tomatoes that there was almost no oil in the bowl. My dish salmon was good but my wife's penne with beef was gross. No flavor, penne was over cooked. The waitress took forever to come back. When she did we just asked for the check and left. We discovered that a Tuscan kitchen by the water and a new tests called the Goat. There is also Michael's Harborside. We would normally default to the Black Cow but after this visit, where a filet mignon is $59, we will look at other options.

I usually don't review restaurants, but just couldn't let this one go! We arrived for a 5:30 reservation and were seated in the upstairs area which was very noisy. Ordered drinks and was amazed to find that there were not even prices on the speciality drinks. REALLY! Not a fan of that! Service was good, but many over priced meals. But the topper for the evening was that we were told there was a 2 hour limit on the table! I have never ever been to a restaurant where anyone ever said that. Needless to say I will never set foot in this place again!

While we enjoyed everything else about the restaurant, the food was very mediocre. We ordered a dozen oysters and the lobster flatbread to start. For the main courses, I got the salmon entree, and my boyfriend got the ribs. To be honest, the quality of the flatbread was kind of like those frozen pizzas you buy at the supermarket, but with canned corn and some lobster sprinkled on top. The salmon was definitely overcooked and very dry and so were the ribs. For a $140 dinner for 2, I would expect the food to be better, but I guess the price is justified because of the location. This restaurant is located right at the harbor and next to the public parking lot. The rooftop where we sat overlooks the water, and it's a nice area to walk around. As for covid precautions, I would feel safe dining here. Menus are replaced with a QR code that you look up on your phone, and tables/chairs are disinfected between guests. All the waiters wore masks, and we made sure to sit outside where air circulation is better. Next time I'm in Newburyport though, I think I would try a different restaurant.

Our server Kit was not helpful or even kind. Kept an eye on us as we were tipping, because she knew that we were unhappy. Would not go back.

Horrendous service. We will never return to this overrated establishment. They somehow don't understand how to treat customers!

I met a few friends for lunch on Friday afternoon. The place was not too busy and unfortunately we were seated in the back room where on a beautiful sunny day it was quite dark. Our waitress was attentive. The menu was extremely limited for lunch. I am surprised they do not have more choices for lunch. My friends got the cowboy burger. Neither one of them ate the whole bun so I am not sure they didn't like the bun or were just cutting out some of the carbs. I had the Nashville chicken sandwich. It was just okay but the fries were great. If you want a place with a very expensive, limited lunch menu with no view and mediocre food, this is the place for you! With so many great places to choose from, I won't be back. Once again though, our server was great!

Stopped in for lunch on a Saturday afternoon and unfortunately did not have a great experience. This was mostly due to the fact that we had a server with a nasty attitude. I asked a question about Mai Tais and she just looked at me for a solid 4-5 seconds and acted like I was stupid. When she said the special of the day was a Lobster Roll and fries, I asked her if it was Maine or Connecticut style, and she sighed and said "It has mayonnaise on it, so whatever that means to you." WOW. Only thing we ate that we loved was the cauliflower appetizer. There were a bunch more cute restaurants within walking distance so next time we will try those instead.

We have been to The Black Cow for several family dinners over the years and we decide to go when my son and daughter came home from college. The menu seems more limited and a lot more expensive. For the price I would expect a more creative menu. Even the basic menu didn't arrive right. The chilli had no beans, a simple substitute of mashed potatoes wasn't made for a chicken dish and a burger had no seasoning. It was beef on a bun for $22. It's a good sized restaurant that is clean with a relaxed ambiance and wait staff is pleasant. The food was a disappointment. .

I like this place a lot. Food is always great as are most of the servers. I've had one server here that had an awful attitude and provided terrible service but I go here a lot and it was definitely an exception. I do think many menu items here are a bit overpriced but I will still return just maybe a little less frequently. The ambiance is great here, particularly when seated upstairs during the warm summer months.

This place is amazing. Great food, outstanding service, 5 stat ambiance. We had a wonderful meal, starting with the fried cauliflower. An extensive menu, with something for everyone. We will come back for another visit and fantastic dining experience.

Everything our group we ate was delicious. Recommending the sushi and crab cake. Amazing flavors. If we had another night in town, we would have come back. That good.

Finally went to the Black Cow recently and the experience was pretty much what we expected from reading all the recent reviews. If you are looking for a restaurant in the downtown area that has nice views, can accommodate larger parities, includes food and drink options to satisfy the masses, and is close to public parking, the Black Cow is a great option. They have indoor and outdoor / deck seating available (tables and bars for both), and menu options that span the gambit (including seafood, sushi, soups, salads, burgers, and other hot plates). We went for lunch over a holiday weekend and were able to get in without a reservation. Service was a little slow, but we weren't left alone for too long and in the end the food was fine. The weather outside was great, and we got to sit at their outdoor bar, so we were able to enjoy a very nice ambiance for our lunch which was great. All in all, not a bad place to consider if you're in the downtown Newburyport area!

Been here twice now and both times the food, service and vibes are immaculate. The deck has amazing views and the French fries are a sleeper hit, GET THEM.

Had a fantastic lunch here last week, delicious salad. My husband had a veggie burger, which he loved. Food was perfect. We were seated right away in a booth by the window. So happy to see all the "GF" designations on the menu as I am GF. Many options. Server very knowledgeable and friendly, service was fast, the whole restaurant was immaculate, including the restrooms. We will be back anytime we are in the area!

This place was poppin' on a Friday night! Overall the vibe was great and the food was also pretty good, just not the best. My favorite was the bruschetta appetizer, which comes on a giant monster slice of delicious focaccia. From there, it seems like you can go either the sushi route or steak route. We chose the steak route, and it was fairly good but nothing to write home about. My short ribs were super tender and tasty. My husband's steak was a bit on the thin side and slightly overdone, but not enough to complain, and the center was perfect. Seems nitpicky but for the price, I mean, ya gotta be! Pretty solid date night overall, next time I'd try the sushi though.