The Hammer Pub and Grille

Formerly the Rusty Hammer 🔨, I'm glad they kept the original sign, I visited the previous restaurant a few times in my past. This is my first 🥇 visit to the Hammer Pub and Grill. Friendly service! Bar atmosphere. I was craving French onion 🧅 Soup 🍲, man, I hope 🤞 I'm not pregnant, and a Google search 🔍 mentioned this restaurant. They have seven TVS downstairs tuned to sports shows. The soup 🍲 had a kick to it with the right amount of black pepper added to the soup. Tasted good 😋. The chocolate mint cream pie was a good dessert. Prices reasonable. They have a rotating specials menu. The music 🎶 was classic soft rock played at a reasonable volume. It was actually a baseball ⚾ team that showed up and became loud. You can pay your tab at your table. Seasonal outdoor seating available. Only issue, they do clean the tables, but, they feel a little sticky from the cleaners. The seat I sat on I had to dust the crumbs off 📴. I recommend a visit.

Fantastic mixed berry salad to start. Then some broiled haddock tacos with a Cajun seasoning and some amazing sauce. Service was great and friendly. A great little spot!

Ultimate grilled cheese was absolutely delicious! Server recommendation of waffle over regular fries was spot on!

CLOSED - It was great when I ate there a couple of years ago - but as of 25-Jan-24 this restaurant is CLOSED and apparently being remodeled, to include a new roof (saw the building permit). Thank you for four decades of great food and service, Rusty Hammer!👍

Great food and atmosphere. My power went out due to a storm so I powered up with some cold snaps and a Nashville chicken sandwich...kinda wish my power never came back on, I'd still be here Cool place

Exceptional food and service!!! Coming from Tennessee where bars and pubs are everywhere this one exceeded our expectations.

I had an amazing meal and great service while there. I had the fish and chips and had to tap out after eating 1 perfectly fried filet, I was given 2 with a huge amount of fries. Appetizers were awesome too. Huge servings and amazing atmosphere. Thanks Hammer Pub and Grill for a great time.

A Portsmouth legend. The best bar, as in the best actual bar as a piece of furniture, I have ever seen. It is built like a cathedral, with a gentle slope supporting up to 40 elbows at a time. Belly up to the altar and say your prayers. Recommended: fish and chips. They have malt vinegar.

Meh. Spicy fries were inedible from the chili powder. The crab ragoons weren't creamy. The chicken fingers lacked seasoning. The steak bomb sandwich was OK.

We stopped in for lunch after shopping on market street. Big pub tables with cold AC and a huge bar. The bartender was also taking tables in the dining room and she was super friendly. We ordered local NH beers that were ice cold. The Cobb salad with additional grilled chicken was fresh, house made dressing, and a massive portion. I could barely finish my lunch! Prices were also very reasonable. Great spot to grab a beer and a bite.

This was a very eventful evening at the hammer! We arrived with reservations for my granddaughters birthday dinner for 11 people to be seated outside at benches that couldn't be pushed together. How can you have a party without sitting together. So the server who was very nice moved us inside and pushed small tables together. Even though this is a large group I only review my own order. I ordered clam chowder and fried cauliflower. All orders came promptly considering there were 11 of us. My chowder was tasty but lukewarm and fried cauliflower in which I had the most problem with was supposed to be fried and crunchy and it was not. It was not the least bit crispy. I didn't even finish it. Would never get this again it should have been maybe like french fries! Went around the table and asked how everyone liked or disliked there meal and the consensus was not very positive. My grandson who eats everything felt sick. So needless to say we were not pleased with our meals! It was a birthday party so that was good but unsatisfactory on the food!

Stopped in for a quick bite before seeing a show at The Rep. Service was fast and prices were reasonable. The burgers were great incredible. The Cowboy Smash Burger was perfect, with just enough chipotle bbq sauce (I skipped the jalapeños). The fries were crispy and so good. We will definitely return soon. I want to try the grilled cheese with goat cheese and tomato or the apple salad! Everything looked so good and it will for sure be a new tradition before hitting the theater.

We visited Portsmouth for a few days. Came upon this restaurant and headed in. We love the neighborhood bars! Our waitress/bartender Lisa was so nice and accommodating! I had an unbelievable cubano sandwich that was probably one of the best I've ever had. Bread was crispy and the pulled pork was soooo delicious. Fries were well seasoned, hot and additive. Yum, yum, yum!!! Beers were icy and can't wait to come back!

Walking around Portsmouth, I was looking for a place to watch the USA v. England game. As I was walking, a door opened, TVs appeared, and I saw that as my sign to sit at the bar. Within 20 minutes, the place was packed. Drinks came in a timely manner, and, though I didn't get any, the food smelled amazing. Seemed like a great place to gran a bite to eat with friends, or get a quick bite on your own. My experience was great. Would definitely visit again.

We held an "after the Portsmouth Christmas Parade" party in the upstairs room. Decorated just for the holidays, the two bartenders were great; Chef came up to check on the food (which also, was great - especially the bacon wrapped scallops!) and the manager was on hand. Nice people, nice and super convenient space, you'd never know it was just above the pub!

We were passing through Portsmouth for the day and stumbled upon this cute pub. We were immediately greeted by the waitress and she was friendly and attentive throughout our meal. We started with drinks. The watermelon margarita was delicious! My hubby enjoyed a seasonal sour beer on tap. For food we went with the empanadas, clam chowder, and lobstah mac and cheese. It was all delicious. The mac and cheese was so buttery and rich with great lobster flavor and chips on top for crunch. The empanadas were so good. We loved everything. We ate outside but there is also indoor seating. We will definitely be back the next time we're in the area.

My girlfriend and I rolled into Portsmouth yesterday heading right to The Hammer Pub for lunch. Sat at the bar and enjoyed their array of large screen TV's playing sports. Besides a good collection of tap beers (I like IPA's and she likes wheat beers) we had their excellent Nashville fried chicken sandwich. Not too sturdy brioche bun with a large crispy slab of well seasoned (but not too spicy) chicken with slaw and pickles (my apologies to the kitchen for forgetting other ingredients). And the fries: best I've had in months; crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Plus excellent service from our barmaid.

I just swung in to grab a great Sunday hangover breakfast. I ordered the eggs Benedict . OMG he nailed the hollandaise sauce. Perfecto!

I miss the old Rusty Hammer but this place ain't bad. Decent tap list and decent vibe. I had some pork tacos that were far better than I expected.

This might be unfair but I've no idea if the new hammer is good or not. I tried to duck in to have a beer while Mimsy was getting her nails done, to check the place out for the first time in 25 years. It was 5PM on a Saturday, and the door was locked. I looked up and the "Open" flag was out. I tried again. Yup, locked. I peered through the door glass and right in front of me, an employee was at the greeting station, staring back at me. I tried the door a third time and she then realized the door was locked, and let me in. I take a seat at the bar. It was a bit busy but not crazy busy. For the next ten minutes, the bartender walked past me. Counted her tips. Got a beer for another patron. Cashed someone out. Rearranged her tip cash. It was at that moment I realized the God did not want me to have a beer there. Not being one to challenge the Almighty, I went across the street to The Clipper Tavern, which was my first choice anyway. The door was not locked, and the bartender warmly greeted me and asked me what I'd have before my ass even hit the seat.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day?? Enjoyed a steak bomb with mom. Thank goodness we split it. The steak tips had great flavor and the fries were nice and crispy. The waitress was very friendly and even though she was busy she was very attentive. Appetizers seem a little pricey but will definitely come back

We were looking to find a place for lunch and found The Hammer! What a great surprise! The mozzarella sticks we're not your typical appetizer. They were huge! The cheese was ooey and gooey and the outside was crisp and crunchy. Absolute perfection! Then my husband had the Reuben with pastrami and I had the Hot Nashville Chicken sandwich. My husband said his sandwich made with coleslaw was delicious and too much for lunch. The chicken sandwich was so big it could have been put on 2 rolls instead of one. It ended up being dinner too! Don't miss this place when visiting Portsmouth.

there are flys everywhere flying in my drinks and they took forever for my food and they were judging us. our server didn't ask how we wanted our check and just threw it on the table, we wanted it split three ways and she didn't ask how we wanted it

The Rusty was border line burgers and beers & now it's just a pit hole. Waited at 2:15pm for the waitress to take our order after she spent 20 minutes in the bathroom. She walked by us 12 times and never looked twice while we sat in front of the bar. We left. The hostess said goodbye to us as we walked out as if we had finished our meal. Told her we never got the chance to even order anything. Patrons at the bar were loud and obnoxious. Was a wasted space in the past and still is today. The staf don't have a clue.

I ate there only once when I was taking a long scenic ride and looking for a place to have lunch. It was so good that I am definitely going back even though it's not convenient to get to. Much better than classic pub food!

We were able to sit outside and do brunch, along with our pup. The waitresses were super awesome. I got the home made hash and eggs, which was really good. Some of the best homemade hash I've had (crispy!).

So happy we found this place to eat. The service and food were impeccable. The steak bomb, French onion soup, teriyaki club and haddock sandwich were all amazing. They were great checking ingredients to make sure my son didn't have any issues with his allergies. Service was quick and perfect!

Grabbed some delivery from the hammer. Its always a mixed bag on whether delivery will be good or not but the hammers knocked it out of the park. I had the Nashville hot sandwich. Chicken was so moist I thought I was in Nashville. The pickles were not overpowering and the coleslaw was a nice fresh addition. My only complaint is I thought the hot part was a little too mild. The wife got the fried chicken dinner and immediately exclaimed how juicy the breast was, always a good sign.

Closed 30 min early and had to go elsewhere. We had to go to the Clippers but was glad we did!

got dinner at the hammer and the food was great. The mozzarella sticks were some of the best I've ever had. Ordered the Nashville hot sandwich and it was a little over cooked, but i could tell that if cooked properly it would also be one of the best I've ever had. They had a Hawaiian bbq chicken special and it was delicious. Definitely recommend stopping by for those who enjoy a casual pub atmosphere

My favorite place in Portsmouth to eat and enjoy friends. Jill and the rest of the staff can't possibly do more to make you feel at home when you arrive. She's always asking for feedback and doing everything she possibly can to make coming her a truly amazing experience. The food is comfort food at its best and all made from scratch. I simply cannot day enough good things about this place, and look forward to coming back every time. You just can't beat it in the area

Literally so bad and honestly pretty scary. I ordered takeout from here with a friend and he was given the complete wrong thing. On top of that, I cut open my chicken to see it was completely raw. Like if I had eaten it I think I would die. My friend was given a sandwich which the chicken was also raw. Like raw raw. Not sure how that works because they were both battered. Terrible. Never getting it again.

Stopped in for a drink wound up staying for dinner. The staff here couldn't have been more welcoming or accommodating. Good beer selection. Comfort food at its best. Buffalo wings were excellent. Cheeseburger club and steak bomb were also outstanding. Will definitely return next time we are in Portsmouth area.

Surprisingly spacious at two floors with a bar on each, great spot for groups. There are TVs at the bars and light background music playing, the ambience was nice and the noise level was good. The waitstaff was friendly. They had a variety of draft beer, local and domestic. We had the Brussels sprouts to split and I got the fish and chips. The fish and chips had a tasty, crispy beer batter. The Brussels sprouts weren't my favorite, I needed more crisp and less sherry. I'm glad I checked it out and I will be back in the future!

Fantastic service, food, drinks and atmosphere. The staff here are so great! Went on a Saturday night and loved it to so much we spent the brunch hours of Sunday and more with good company. Next time we come to Portsmouth, this will always be our go to. Thanks so much to the hard working staff!!

My wife and I were lucky enough to stumble upon this place by mistake. Food was outstanding!! I had the salmon, she had the steak. Service was excellent and the tap IPA beer was local and really good!!!!! You won't be disappointed by this little place!!!!!

So pleased to see The Hammer back up and running. This place has a great feel and such a fun and welcoming staff. We had Jill as our server and she was amazing so was Kerry who was also behind the bar. The food is excellent. We had the Nashville chicken sandwich that was outstanding. My friend had the smash burger (double patty) and loved it. This is going to be a regular stop on our circuit.

Great food & atmosphere! Highly recommend everything I have tried so far has been cooked perfectly and the wait staff is very attentive and friendly

Great food and service. Glad we wandered by and stopped in for lunch. The chicken tenders, hot chicken sandwich, burger, and fries were all delicious.

Great staff and food! Loved the brunch menu on Sunday!! (best Hash Browns ever)