Moxy

Tapas restaurant · Portsmouth

Moxy

Tapas restaurant · Portsmouth

2

106 Penhallow St, Portsmouth, NH 03801

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Highlights

Creative American tapas, pork belly, gnocchi, and unique cocktails  

Featured in The Infatuation
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106 Penhallow St, Portsmouth, NH 03801 Get directions

moxyrestaurant.com
@moxynh

$30–50 · Menu

Information

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106 Penhallow St, Portsmouth, NH 03801 Get directions

+1 603 319 8178
moxyrestaurant.com
@moxynh
𝕏
@moxynh

$30–50 · Menu

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outdoor seating

Last updated

Aug 11, 2025

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@infatuation

The 11 Best Restaurants In Portsmouth, New Hampshire - Portsmouth - The Infatuation

"Take a break from the tourist crowd at Moxy, a tapas spot where you can sip on a Wallflower cocktail with smoked tomato and dehydrated hot sauce salt, and snack on some lentil duck fritters. The portions are on the tinier side of the tapas spectrum, so you’ll want to order basically the whole menu, especially the crispy pork belly gems that explode and melt in your mouth. Enjoy those are you admire the sea of wood surfaces and inspirational quotes from—checks notes—Mark Twain and Julia Child printed on the walls in sans serif fonts. The indoor balcony seating also gives you a bird’s-eye view of any shenanigans happening down at the bar." - anne cruz

https://www.theinfatuation.com/portsmouth/guides/best-portsmouth-new-hampshire-restaurants
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@infatuation

Moxy - Review - Portsmouth - The Infatuation

"Take a break from the tourist crowd at Moxy, a tapas spot where you can sip on a Wallflower cocktail with smoked tomato and dehydrated hot sauce salt, and snack on some lentil duck fritters. The portions are on the tinier side of the tapas spectrum, so you’ll want to order basically the whole menu, especially the crispy pork belly gems that explode and melt in your mouth. Enjoy those are you admire the sea of wood surfaces and inspirational quotes from—checks notes—Mark Twain and Julia Child printed on the walls in sans serif fonts. The indoor balcony seating also gives you a bird’s-eye view of any shenanigans happening down at the bar." - Anne Cruz

https://www.theinfatuation.com/portsmouth/reviews/moxy
View Postcard for Moxy

dietmar doehring

Google
Loved the atmosphere and warm welcome. I think we oreded about one of everything, see photos. What was the best? The gnocchi. Then the home made Italian sausage. The corn, not so much. Just lacked flavor but the sauce was delicious. The fried chicken was a disaster. Over breaded and hard as a rock. Pork belly, awesome. Beef rib wayyyyy over salted. The meat ball was decent. The crabmeat flatbrrad appeared to be fake crab which i dont want to believe being we are in Portsmouth. The table favorite was the fried pickles and sauces. The service was fast, I mean, the food came out quick as we ordered. The servers were great as well. Would I go here again? Not sure.

Diana Lo

Google
It had been 12 or 13 years since I'd last been to Moxy, so I was so excited to bring my fiancé for his first time on Saturday night. About an hour before opening, we were able to easily secure a reservation for 5:45pm and were seated upstairs near the railing. It was his time having tapas so I let him pick most of the dishes to make sure we got things he would enjoy. For our small plates, first to come out was the calamari. It was perfectly spiced and the peppers were a lovely addition. Then the Moxy bread was delightfully toasted. We also got the crispy pork belly (a top dish for both of us, perfect combination of flavors), the mini Italian sausages (this one fell flat for us), and the mini fried chicken (another top dish). We finished off with the whoopie pies, which to me the filling was a bit too sweet, but the dark chocolate sauce helped to cut that a little bit. We had a lovely time and can't wait to come back! For parking, there's some street parking available, but I'd recommend parking in one of the garages and walking, so you don't get caught up waiting for pedestrians and looking for a spot. The Hanover Garage (as of June 1) is undergoing some construction so certain entrances/exits are closed, which can prolong the parking and exiting process. There are signs that recommend the Foundry Garage.

Leann Cirignano

Google
First impression: love! Sooo trendy and cute inside Service: everyone was super friendly, seems like everyone is working together and helping each-other out Food: AMAZING. The carrots were life-changing and I can’t stop thinking about them. We also had the muscles which were so good, the bowl didn’t even have any broth after we were done with them.

Tim Smith

Google
Excellent experience! Couple of drinks, some shared plates and everything was amazingly delicious! (I could've used a straw for the broth from the mussels.) Definitely recommend giving Moxy a go!

Ezra Weinstein

Google
Great atmosphere, amazing service and absolutely delicious cuisine. Very distinct and unique tasting American tapas! Do not walk out without ordering the sweet potato fritters, they are out of this world!!!

Jenna Chestnut

Google
I’ve never not had an amazing time here, food is always unique and delicious. You can tell the chefs enjoy what they do, and that makes all the difference! Also love that the menu changes - it’s like a new adventure every time.

Kayla Blaze (kaylabhogan)

Google
Server was not really friendly. Manager was friendly and spoke kindly to his employees. Cute place, food was hit or miss for us. Since it’s tapas I’ll give a little review of what we tried. Most things had a redeeming quality but generally missed the mark or were inconsistent. Forest flower cocktail: 5/5 delicious! Patatas bravas: 3/5. Wasn’t expecting the potatoes to be unseasoned home fries…was thinking more of a fingerling potato or something would’ve been better…the roasted garlic and herb crema was very good. Fried pickle chips: 0/5 took half a bite... They were too thick. Texturally terrible. The sauces with them were good! So I was so sad. Corn muffins: 4/5 maple jalapeño cream cheese was good. Mini beef burgers: 5/5 good and very cute. They were juicy and well prepared. Beef short rib marmalade: 5/5 Cacio e pepe: 5/5 Baked haddock: 1/5 no flavor at all. Sunchoke puree was alright. Brussels sprouts agrodolce was good. Beef vinaigrette somehow had no flavor as well? Johnny cake community: 3/5 was alright but wouldn’t order again. Fried brioche: 5/5 cute dessert, was good with the blueberry.

FL Coast

Google
We stopped in on a cool early October evening for late dinner and drinks. The food, drinks, service and atmosphere were all great, albeit a little thin on crowd due to later evening. We started with the Great Bay Martini and Girly Lounge. We followed that with a few tapas, starting with the Fall Salad, Beef short rib marmalade, Squash Lasagnette, Crispy Pork Belly and Arctic Char. We finished the night with a Tito’s soda and cranberry drink mixed well. We recommend the place along you’re in Portsmouth. They serve small plates so don’t expect large meals, it’s more about tasting a lot of smaller items, as opposed to large meals.
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Karen M.

Yelp
Excellent service Superb Espresso Martini The pork belly and short ribs were to die for A+++
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Kelly P.

Yelp
The food is absolutely unbelievably good. Tapas style, our server advised us how many plates to order and we selected 6. The pork belly was so good we ordered a second round. I loved the beets, my partner loved the corn bread. I loved the cod. It was delicious flavor after delicious flavor all in small bites. We left with some to go desserts and loved the Whoopie pies. Our server was fantastic- attentive, very cool. I lived in town I would likely be here at least once per month if not more.
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John M.

Yelp
Honestly had high expectations for an establishment that had multiple James Beard nominations over the last few years. Food was visually plated well but lacked unique and distinctive flavor. The space is a small, hip spot with a main dining area and loft. Service was casual but efficient.
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Greg W.

Yelp
My first meal in Portsmouth,NH which has become a foodie haven. Moxy is simple awesome. There are not enough superlatives to describe this place. James Beard level - definitely! The Patatas Brava was delicious and just the right amount of spice. For cocktails I started with the Ellen Ripley which was really good - tequila and tamarind what a combo! I then had the crispy pork belly which was prepared perfectly and the sweetness of the sweet potato and fennel relish complemented the pork perfectly. For dessert I had the great bay martini with the fried brioche. Who knows fried bread would be soooo good! Service was excellent and the ambiance was great for a post work get together or a great first date because the small plates lend themselves to intimate dining with conversation focusing on the drinks and food.
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Michael R.

Yelp
Have not been to Moxy in quite some time, and decided to give them a try for restaurant week. While we enjoyed our meal overall, it was easily the weakest of all the dinners we had over the past two weeks. Moxy serves small plates, Tapas style and offered up 5 courses for restaurant week at $48. Most restaurants offer a 3 course meal for the same price, so the expectation was the portions would be smaller. Typically, portions are a bit smaller for restaurant week elsewhere as well, but I have to say some of the courses at Moxy were embarrassingly small, as in barely a couple of bites. Most, but not all of the dishes were tasty. On the positive side, cocktails were great and service was pleasant and food came out from the kitchen at a nice pace. One of our first courses was cornbread. Delicious but imagine three of the tiniest bites, see my photo. I don't think a plate like this should have left the kitchen. It was as if someone took a small melon baller and carved out 3 bite size pieces of cornbread. The chicken thigh with lettuce wrap was delicious, but there were four very small slices of chicken with huge lettuce wraps and barely anything else to roll up. It was like eating empty rolls of lettuce with a tiny sliver of chicken. I carefully rationed a matchstick sized piece of chicken into the large lettuce leave and sprinkled a thin sliver of ginger and tried to roll it up. It was almost comical as there was nothing to roll! As the "main" large course of the series, I was left a bit surprised. The beet course was the weakest, while there were plenty of beets, they just did not appeal to me. No sweetness, flat, bland, tasteless. On the positive side, the croquette was delicious, but just two small bites, and not even enough to share. Most of what we ate tasted pretty darn good. We are not big eaters, but we did not feel this was a good value. I rarely leave a restaurant hungry, but this was borderline. When dining tapas style, you can continue to order more plates to suit your palate and hunger, but for restaurant week this just didn't really work for us. I think Moxy may want to rethink participation in restaurant week.

Vivian M.

Yelp
Absolutely amazing food and drink and service. Don't miss it! Awesome day exploring all the sights!

Kristin M.

Yelp
We came tonight during restaurant week where a 5 course option was offered. After picking our courses, the first three courses arrived ~25 minutes apart, which is far too slow considering the small portions of each course. The timing became awkward, as we were left wondering where our next bites were. In addition, we were placed right in front of a speaker and could barely converse. We eventually requested our server to fire the last two courses because it had been nearly 1.5 hours (how long we were expecting the whole reservation to take for a party of 2) and we had only received 3/5 courses and needed to get to a show in town. We were told the kitchen was busy, but regardless, After we requested our food come faster, the food came out quickly. Overall, the food was good. Some dishes were hits (beef short rib, seabass, curried lamb bread bowl), but some lacked seasoning (chicken skewers), and most were very small. We left full enough, but could have definitely eaten a couple more courses. Drinks were very good--the highlight of the night! What was truly disappointing was our experience towards the end of our meal, the host/manager came over and told us we needed to leave the table because another table was to be sat in 5 minutes. We were honestly shocked by this request, as we had been waiting and waiting and waiting for our food to come for so long (and eventually had to request faster service). It was as if the front of the house and back of the house had not be in communication at all. This was very disappointing service and left a bad taste in our mouth.
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Erica C.

Yelp
We walked in without reservations on a Saturday night, but the host was super friendly, and found two seats at the bar for us. We really enjoyed sitting at the bar to socialize and watch the bartenders at work. Definitely come hungry and ready to try a bunch of items. The presentation of everything is beautiful, we LOVED the fried clams and crab cakes. We tried a sangria and a scotch that had a s'more garnish. Loved it. We had coffee after our meal, and even that was served really thoughtfully. Can't wait to come back!
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Dana B.

Yelp
Amazing food, atmosphere and staff. The bartenders especially are top notch! Recommend to all looking for a new location a bit of the beat and path of downtown Portsmouth.
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Bill Z.

Yelp
If you'd like an example of how good tapas/small plates can be in Portsmouth, Moxy is a very good place to start. I came in with a fairly large party, we sampled a wide variety of small and medium plates and beverages, and it was a big thumbs up all around. The smallest bites really are quite small, best to be shared with one other person at most, unless you have someone very good at splitting things with a knife. The flavors, sauces, and taste combinations were pleasing if not addicting, and if you order anything that comes in a sauce, be sure to get bread to sop/dunk so as to not miss anything. I will say that I think service does go down a small amount when you're with a group of more than 6 (we were 12), but not enough to remove a star from the review. It felt like sometimes there was a disconnect between our waitress and our servers as to where specific orders were to be placed on the table - sometimes they asked where plates went, a few times they just looked for room on the table. The food did manage to find its way to the right people. There's also limited space downstairs to wait for your table, especially if you're a large party. Definitely plan around that, whether it be a reservation or dressing warmly if you have to stand outside for a bit (after all, we were in Portsmouth in February on a night with some wintry mix).
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Vanessa A.

Yelp
Excellent presentation of cocktails, total local Spot, bite sized food. we ordered Salmon, beats, beef slider, crab fritter, fried clam on tooth picks, mussels, bolognese pasta, and Johnny cake community, Chicken thighs and cocktails. Favorite was the crab fitter and chicken dish. The mussels are your typical mussel dish. Server was very helpful and knew the menu well. This is a great spot to meet friends after work as it's cozy and inviting. Bathrooms are on the lower level not sure if they have a elevator.
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Ariele R.

Yelp
Food was amazing, staff all helped each other so there was always someone around to check in, cute building in a nice location in downtown Portsmouth.

Dee J.

Yelp
Food good however quite small portions. Bartender unfriendly, aloof, and way too busy. Somewhat noisy, but pleasant interior. We left hungry. It was restaurant week and the menu was changed. Food flavor was good, just not enough. Usually Tapas is sharable. There is not enough on a plate to share.
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Joseph S.

Yelp
Rated by others as one of the top 2 in town (Cure being the other). We had a delightful and memorable meal in this "New England, modern tapas (or sharing)" spot. Nice space; lively, very good service. With the exception of one dish (whoopie sliders that were on the dry side needing more cream or filling), the dishes were superb. See attached pics. Our only real concern was timing. We had 1.5 hours before a show and expected a leisurely meal would be 60 - 75 minutes. In spite of pacing our orders - order cocktails, order appetizers, order entrees, and then order dessert, we were in and out in 50 minutes, When you place an order, it is out in minutes. Maybe their biz model to turn tables but a bit rushed. Dinner for 2 with tip was $175. Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Value 4/5 Cleanliness 5/5 Noise 3/5 (lively) Decor 4/5 Recommended!

Bill K.

Yelp
This was good! We didn't have reservations but ate outside and were seated and served immediately. The food comes very fast; a few reviews have pointed that out and the servers bring it up, but it was still surprising how quickly the plates were coming. We ordered five plates for two people. In increasing order of greatness: Heirloom tomato salad: Kind of a must in August, and it was *fine*, but I don't think the implied "merely" of those asterisks is the restaurant's fault; the New England tomato crop has not been great this year. The structure of the salad is good, it would just be better with better tomatoes. Pork belly: Cubes of crisp pork belly over sweet potato puree, topped with fennel. A very fall-like flavor profile. The pork belly was a little on the tough and dry side - only a little, but it was the only time we needed a knife. Moxy bread: Grilled bread with grated tomato and some kind of terrine I have forgotten the name of. Basically pan con tomate - somehow much more tomato-forward than the salad. Bone marrow and anadama bread: For me this was perfect, with the accompaniments well selected to counter the richness of the marrow and slight sweetness of the bread - arugula salad, Fresno chile jam, pickled beets. I wished there was a third slice of bread. Sauteed radishes and squash: Unexpectedly the star dish. Just a great blend of flavors - the mascarpone was described as "herbed," but was orange-ish, so I don't know if that's the result of some roasted peppers or ... what's an orange herb ... marigolds? It is almost definitely not marigolds. The sunflower seeds are a great touch - you've got the creaminess of the cheese, the tender vegetables, then the crunch of the seeds. Just a great dish. Cocktails: We ordered the Sunken Nautilus, a tiki drink with some nice Fernet presence, and a Trust in Magic, which is sort of like a respectable appletini with malic acid providing the sour. I also asked for an espresso and tonic, which wasn't on the menu but which they were happy to make, and for which they only charged me the $2 for the espresso shot (I'd paid $7 for the one I'd had somewhere else the day earlier). If you're eating at Moxy, you're probably not too fussed one way or the other about a couple bucks, but it was still nice to see.
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Eric G.

Yelp
What a find. We were in Portsmouth for the night and saw the other reviews and ratings. While we had to wait until later to get a table, it was worth it. The restaurant vibe was a mix of modern / hipness, which we like. The tapas style menu was not something we normally go for, but we loved it. Our server explained it all to us and even suggested dishes to accommodate our party of 3. We tried the sausage dish, the Johnny cake / pork shoulder, fried clam, potatoes, and a few others. They even adjusted portion sizes to accommodate. Such a great selection food, all delicious and beautifully presented. The cocktail menu, also great, a good variety of drinks featuring different spirits, and unique ingredients. Service was on point, the right amount of attention, interaction. A wonderful experience, looking forward to our return.

Betty M.

Yelp
This a a tapas restaurant with really delicious fun shareable delights!! The food and cocktails were amazing and the service and pacing were perfect. Kudos to Peter our server who was attentive and helpful. The ambience was casual but cool! Definitely would go back in a heartbeat.

Aran M.

Yelp
Great food and great atmosphere. Would definitely recommend and go there again. The short ribs are amazing as is the pork belly!
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Lucy A.

Yelp
Moxy is okay-- the seating is cramped and the portions are small, but that's what I'd expect from a higher-end restaurant. I visited because of its appearance on classic Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and I do not believe it lived up to the "Flavortown" standards.
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Mark M.

Yelp
Disappointing, A Wednesday at 8 still an hour to go, was in the mood for drinks and tapas, but never felt welcome, ordered 3 tapas, came out in within minutes, like pre made microwave and cold, don't think we ordered wrong either. Take those James Beard plaques down please.

Marc F.

Yelp
Outstanding! A must try and return. What a find. OMG the Marinated beets. Short rib marmalade to die for. New England dinner an amazing gastronomic pleasure. You miss this place, you lost out.
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Mark H.

Yelp
I had the opportunity to have dinner at Moxy last night. I have always enjoyed this restaurant, but there was something that prevented a five star rating from me. Last night was completely different. It may be that it was due to the restaurant having a limited capacity, about 50%, so the kitchen was not overwhelmed as they are normally 100% full. Whatever the reason, the attention to detail with every offering was evident. Or it may be that the staff was energized after the restaurant was closed during the winter. Each of our items was slightly better than I remembered having it in the past. As a warm-up, I had one of the most unique drinks I have ever experienced. There was some concoction of gin, pineapple, strawberries, fruity pebble's cereal, and milk that somehow came together in a sweet, but not too sweet concoction. I am spending a little bit more time on the drink than I usually do because of the uniqueness of this drink. It was very smooth and refreshing. Even though there was milk in the drink, it was clear, and in no way looked as though milk had been added. It was a truly unique drink that I highly recommend at least one person at the table trying. Now for the food, Moxy has always had some appetizer involving cornbread. And they are always spot on. This version included cream cheese and hot pepper jelly. All I can say is the standard continues to be high for this particular appetizer. The spring carbonara was incredibly light and flavorful. There was not too much cheese, as often times happens in this particular dish. The pasta was fresh and cooked perfectly. There was a significant amount of lardon and peas in the dish, which provided a perfectly balanced entrée. The Italian sausages were simply sublime. How can you go wrong with this particular item when you have good Italian sausage, onions and peppers, and a very spicy mustard on a toasted bun. I loved it ... nothing more can really be said. The Whoopie pies were as high-quality as everything else. The marshmallow in the pie was fresh and the Whoopie pie cake was soft yet firm enough to hold together. It was accompanied by a very nice French press coffee which perfectly complimented the dessert. As I stated, I have always enjoyed Moxy, but this meal was slightly better than it has been in my previous visits. Well done to the entire team.
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J K.

Yelp
The food is amazing and the staff is fantastic. Favorite spot to go when visiting Portsmouth - a must.

Jeff M.

Yelp
Outstanding service and the dishes were creative and flavorful. I went with a party of four and we order 3 tapa's and 2 desserts and it was plenty of food.

Erica F.

Yelp
We love it here. Had our anniversary dinner here tonight and couldn't have enjoyed ourselves more. Ambiance, food and service were all 10 star The host was friendly and communicative and our waitress Megan was sweet and helpful. Food was absolutely delicious and the small plates were perfect for sharing just the two of us.
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Jesse S.

Yelp
Love Moxy. Always good food and creative cocktails. Very hard to get reservations assuming due to size. Can't wait to go back.
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Carrie H.

Yelp
2nd time visiting, we will be back again! Service is outstanding! Food is out of bounds. Delicious! Definitely a place for special occasions or just a nice night out!
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Ella E.

Yelp
I have been here a handful of times before and enjoyed it thoroughly. until tonight. the server was great. but the dishes were mediocre. especially the mini burgers. the beef tasted bad like it was rotten. would not go back after that. yikes.
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Olga S.

Yelp
Definitely the place to go for a great night of food, drink, and atmosphere! The outdoor seating is fantastic, with string lights, heating, and a nice view. We came here as a double date, mostly because with more people, you can get more tapas! They were very accommodating, and made any dish that had 3 parts into a dish with 4, so each of us could try it. My favorite tapas were beef short rib marmalade, gnocchi (comes with delicious chorizo and feta), and the corn muffins (so tasty we got two orders). The sangria pitcher is a must- it was enough for two rounds of drinks for the four of us, and so so good! Unlike some places, where the sangria tastes super alcoholic. We also got some pet-nat (naturally fermented wine), which was so interesting and delightful! The service was great and prompt, with food coming out in waves Would absolutely come back here again!

Jerry H.

Yelp
Amber is the reason to sit at this Bar. She is by far the Best and most Charming Bartender in Portsmouth. Give the wheel (and car keys if necessary) to Amber and just let her work her Magic. She'll make you 'just what 'the doctor ordered' for a creative-spot on- beverage (trust her- super smart!) and provide the best choices in this tapas style cuisine. Delicious! Yummy! Amber is The Best!
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Jennifer W.

Yelp
The best restaurant experience I've had in a long time. I made a reservation using the Resy app - super easy to do. Sat outside under a heated lamp and ordered the following: Nancy the Moonshiner (cocktail) Coffee Stout Potato Gnocchi w/ sage, feta and buttered squash Moxy Bread w/ grated tomato (similar to mashed) and terrene Griddled Corn Muffins w/ a maple cream cheese, sage, and aleppo dip Fried Brioche with cinnamon sugar and creme anglaise So good! Loved everything ordered. Service was excellent also

Elizabeth X.

Yelp
Went during restaurant week without a reservation, but scored the perfect window spot by the bar. Moxy is always the best spot for awesome bites, drinks and perfect service.
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William W.

Yelp
After eating at many different restaurants few restaurants truly surprise me anymore - but that is not the case at Moxy -- a truly wonderful and surprising meal and cocktails. Small plates are not usually my thing (probably because I am not a good sharer of food LOL) but these plates were so delicious you kept wanting to order more and more just to experience another perfect bite or combination which meant I didn't mind sharing so I didn't just fill up on one plate. :) After going to Moxy and Ore Nell's Barbecue which is part of this restaurant group (both amazing) I need to try all of their other restaurants! Depending on the size of your party - the server will be able to recommend how many items to order. The server was helpful, friendly and good humored. All the staff were attentive and engaging. You know its good service when just at the right moment someone notices you need another beverage or plates can be taken off of the table -- not too early / not too late. There is a bit of art and science to service and they seem to have it just right. For the food and cocktails - did I say amazing! Again -- I like to experience new and different combinations -- delight my palette and this menu does that. On this visit, the stand out cocktails for me were the Private Jet, the Bolo tie, and the Polka Dot Ascot. Next time I will try the professor Collins! I had to be able to stand up after my dinner, after all. Others in the group got the Sangria which they said was equally as good. The food -- don't be afraid to order from each of the categories on the menu. For fun snacks - the pimento cheese and saltines (don't be fooled these were not your store bought crackers) was a nice size starter to share. Under the While You're thinking the Fried Clams offered a unique and tasty bite that you shouldn't be afraid of related to "fried" - it is a bite not a whole plate of clams. The Crispy Rhode Island Calamari is a bigger portion to share and is closer to what you think of as a traditional appetizer - the coating on the calamari was perfect. The hungry for more - the Verde fisherman's stew to continue the journey of local seafood. Lastly -- to share or not to share -- We got all three, but my favorite were the New England Dinner 2.0 and the Johnny Cake Community. I would skip the Chicken thighs - after all you can have chicken anytime. LOL Did I forget dessert? Certainly not - get the whoopie pies with dipping sauce. The filling is perfect. You almost don't need the sauce. While this might not be a restaurant I would go to on a weekly basis given the format of the small plates and sharing items - this is a fun social place to have a great time with great food and cocktails.
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Linda M.

Yelp
As one of the many relatively new restaurants in Portsmouth that has revitalized its food scene in the past decade, Moxy is decent for the NH seacoast area. It is more than decent. It is refreshing. But it pales in creativity and execution compared to American tapas restaurants in the Boston area. The cuisine is American tapas, which is to say a wide range of spices can be utilized. The key is to utilize them in a way that's pleasing to the tastebuds. Where Moxy executed well on this front is with the crispy cauliflower and pork belly bites. The combination of flavors in the cauliflower worked very well together, including the mint which I didn't expect. I'm not sure if the zhoug sauce is homemade, but it is delightful. The pork belly was crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside - precisely how pork belly should be enjoyed. I was disappointed that the short rib marmalade ran out that night as I really wanted to give that a try. We moved onto spring carbonara next. I liked the texturize of the pasta, and the combination of ham and peas was very pleasant. We continued to the dinner entree portion of the menu and tried the chicken thighs in lettuce wraps. This is where the flavors got funky. Choosing chicken thighs is a smart move as dark meat is always more flavorful and my personal favorite when it comes to chicken meat. But what went with it can only be described as a wild combination of Asian flavors that created an explosion in the mouth which leaves you mostly confused. There were pickles gingers, fried onions, and cilantro - all are strong and powerful flavors. Put them together, you get fireworks of the wrong kind. Two sauces were provided - a mild chili one and a ranch-like one, just in case you needed more competing flavors. Finally, we tried the pain perdu from the desert menu. I want to point out that the music selection throughout the night did not disappoint. I give Moxy credit for being bold and giving Portsmouth something different.
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Yolanda Y.

Yelp
Traveling to ME and stopped at Moxy for dinner. It's american style tapas, with lots of creative spins. We enjoyed all the dishes we got. Goat schnitzel Corn beef tacos were our favorites. Good price for the amount of food we got. Would recommend!

Sean T.

Yelp
Really great service and variety of menu. Simply stylish room and a very easy to understand menu that's not over the top. Really pleasant experience overall and good value for what is given.
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Doodle103 M.

Yelp
Terrific food. Excellent staff. The hostess was kind and attentive, and out server Megan was informative, engaging, and perfectly timed 'checking on our needs and satisfaction' to ensure we didn't feel pestered. And she smiled whenever interacting with us! Almost a rare occurrence these days. The food runner was also pleasant and helpful. Definitely recommend. We will definitely go back.
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John B.

Yelp
You know, I had the pleasure of living in New Hampshire for a year and spent any free weekend I had exploring my surroundings, sightseeing, and trying to find the best food around. Now that I'm back home, I've been catching up on reviews and contemplating which business to review last. Gotta end on a good note and all. So here it is! My last NH review ever for a restaurant that easily makes my top two list for the Granite State and maybe even the very top spot! Moxy is an American-style tapas restaurant in Portsmouth, New Hampshire serving up shareable-sized plates of modern food made from locally-sourced ingredients. Basically, they are exactly the type of restaurant I look for when exploring new areas! I'm unfamiliar with the area, the regional produce, and the culture so I love it when someone tells me a story with the meals they serve up, but in a manner that is up-to-date and exciting. I feel as though that's the promise Moxy makes. They certainly cook with some moxy. Moreover, they have a wall piece proudly listing the local farms they support, all of which are located miles from the restaurant. F O O D Based on my description, you could probably deduce that the menu changes frequently depending on what is in season. I love that as it ensures every ingredient is at its peak of flavor! Rather than ordering whatever sounded enticing, I entrusted my server with ordering "whatever it is I should order from the menu." Basically, if this were my only visit, what would I absolutely regret missing out on? Plus a beer. No dessert. Here is what I had. -Portsmouth Rarebit (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/moxy-portsmouth?select=cIF_WAvPqDOOTqJR5b-LWg): Anadama bread, beer cheese sauce, caramelized onions, pear, pickled beets. Holy smokes! New England has a great dairy & great bread culture and that was evident in this dish, a modern and refined take on the humble grilled cheese sandwich. It's the type of grilled cheese I wish I grew up eating. Cheesy. A bit sweet. A little tangy. Very much comforting. They used a Smuttynose IPA for the sauce. Completely forgot what cheese was used other than it was locally produced and very tasty! Not going to lie, I actually was on my smartphone during dinner googling anadama bread. Turns out, it a hearty style of yeast bread common in New England and made of wheat flour, cornmeal, and molasses. Great dish! -Beef Short Rib Marmalade(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/moxy-portsmouth?select=qj6jLcvJRw4qZq7C_Hwfuw): Grilled local bread, pickled onion, shades of blue cheese. Meat + cheese + bread isn't exactly a groundbreaking formula but it was so well done and comforting that I had no complaints. I normally don't enjoy blue cheese but this wasn't off-putting for whatever reason and I cleaned my plate of everything. The short rib was so flavorful and the pickled red onion cut through the richness of everything. -Beer: I opted for just a beer instead of a cocktail as I still had to drive back to Manchester. I do not remember what I had except that it reflected much of the beers I've had in New Hampshire. Unheard of (at least to me) and forgettable. True, the craft beer scene has exploded in the Granite State over the past several years or so and some beers are pretty good, but I feel as though breweries in every surrounding state (Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts) make much better beer than what you can come to expect from NH. I would've much rather enjoyed a beer from Maine Brewing Co. or Funky Bow or anywhere up the highway in Maine, but then Moxy would deviate from their celebration of NH products. It is what it is. I recommend trying one of Moxy's craft cocktails instead. S E R V I C E Service was prompt and everyone had that New England kindness. They checked up on me often enough, didn't lead me astray with the menu choices, and genuinely asked what I thought of their food. I've had farm-to-table elsewhere in NH but I feel that but none of those places (looking at you, Republic Cafe) served up food anywhere near as successful as Moxy. I doubt I'll be back, but I would love a return visit to this restaurant and I highly recommend them to anyone visiting the area!
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Carlie W.

Yelp
one of my favorite restaurants in portsmouth. the food and drinks are so thoughtful, creative, and deliciously executed, and the staff is super knowledgeable and friendly.
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Michael B.

Yelp
Great tapas small plates great flavor and fair portion 4 of us had 12 selections. Had NE corned beef wrapped in cabbage. Omg Service was a bit slow but considering they were short on staff....they managed by providing friendly service I will go back
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Hali B.

Yelp
Comfortable welcoming atmosphere. Really interesting food. Small plates. Perfect for anyone who wants to have a couple bites of the whole menu! This was walking distance from our hotel. My sister and I split about 6 dishes. Everything was fantastic. If we find ourselves back in Portsmouth we will definitely be back. We had to double check the dress code (at my insistence - I didn't want to be under dressed). The owner was funny - and said as long as we weren't naked we were welcome.

John T.

Yelp
Great service, great people. We were happy that we found this little out-of-the-way place while walking around Portsmouth, New Hampshire. We sat at the bar, and the bartender and the servers that we interacted with made the evening so much more fun than any standard entertainment we could've found.

Heidi D.

Yelp
The unexpected surprise! We wandered through town before we found the right spot after a long day of travel. Food was 4.9/5 stars. Great flavor, presentation and reasonable pricing. Our server Katie was so friendly and knowledgeable. Please try the Moxy bread and the Rudebega. I do not enjoy fish and I found the haddock fantastic. We tried 6 of the small plates. We will be back to try the rest. The short rib tapas was delicious. And get the Portsmouth if you like a Manhattan. We fell in love with Portsmouth NH in 2021. The love affair continues!
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Tania S.

Yelp
We were on our way up to Maine this summer snd made a stop in portmouth to refuel and get a snack. We ended up ordering the scallops to go and they were pretty good! I liked the tomato-based sauce and the abundance of vegetables. It felt like a well-balanced mini-meal and I'd definitely want to try some other dishes from this restaurant if I were back in town.

carmela C.

Yelp
Great and creative dishes, friendly staff and relaxing atmosphere. The small plates let's you try a variety of fun food!

Stephanie D.

Yelp
We looooove moxy!!! They are very accommodating and everything I try is delicious. I love their pan seared salmon!
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Anna O.

Yelp
I absolutely love the small plate share focused orientation to this spot. The waiter recommended 4-6 plates for 2 people and 4 was brought for the two of us. The drinks are well thought craft cocktails. The ambiance is phenomenal and I loved the upstairs. One of the top spots in downtown Portsmouth.
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J A.

Yelp
Everything I had was good. I think the crab fritters were my favorite. beet dish good, gnocchi had a lot of flavor. johnny cake entree w the pork and sauces and optional lettuce wrap was pretty good. better w the johnny cake than the lettuce wrap but to me it just seemed like standard slow cooked pork that can be made in a crock pot.

Eric R.

Yelp
Excellent meal. Creative and delicious. Spring salad was outstanding. Sausage sliders were incredible - perfect balance and the Dijon was intense - the flavor kept coming! Lettuce wrap chicken thighs hot/cool crisp/juicy combo - so good! Service was casual but attentive and timing of service was flawless. Recommended!!!

Skinhairnailcare E.

Yelp
My husband and I agreed that this was hands down one of the most enjoyable overall dining experiences we've had in a long time! The service was great, the food was amazing, delicious drinks, and good value for the money. Definitely will be back!