The Rudder

Restaurant · Gloucester

The Rudder

Restaurant · Gloucester

3

73 Rocky Neck Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930

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Highlights

Inspired seafood & seasonal menus to enjoy in a rustic dining room or on a heated harborside deck.  

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73 Rocky Neck Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930 Get directions

therudderrockyneck.com

$$ · Menu

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73 Rocky Neck Ave, Gloucester, MA 01930 Get directions

+1 351 217 1265
therudderrockyneck.com

$$ · Menu

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Last updated

Jul 10, 2025

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@eater

"Barbara Lynch’s collapsing restaurant empire saw another closure this month: the Rudder, in Rocky Neck, which Lynch had opened just over a year ago. Her two remaining restaurants, No. 9 Park and B&G Oysters, are also slated to shut down soon." - Erika Adams

4 Boston Restaurant and Bar Closings to Know, October 2024 - Eater Boston
View Postcard for The Rudder
@eater

"The Rudder is shutting down, effective immediately, as part of Barbara Lynch's restaurant closures." - Erika Adams

Boston Chef Barbara Lynch Is Shutting Down All of Her Restaurants - Eater Boston
View Postcard for The Rudder
@eater

"The chef is pressing onward with opening her new restaurant the Rudder, in Gloucester." - Erika Adams

Portugalia Restaurant, a Portuguese Mainstay in Cambridge, Shuts Down After 40 Years - Eater Boston
View Postcard for The Rudder

Charles Watson

Google
Latest visit won us over. We visited in early June and the service was slow and they just seemed un organized. But last night we returned and the food and service was fantastic. My wife had the steak frites and I the gnocchi bolognese. Both dishes came out quick and we're delicious. I'm a big eater and the portions were perfect. I was full but didn't need a nap. We'll be back.

Alex Lasky

Google
Had a wonderful dinner here last night. The setting is wonderful, right on the harbor overlooking a variety of boats bobbing in the sea. The menu was small but had a lot of good options. We got a hot lobster roll and the lamb. Both were excellent. The cocktails were also a highlight. The service was like we were celebrities with multiple staff members checking in on us, refilling water, asking if we needed anything. First class staff. Overall a 5 star experience and I look forward to going back!

Thai-Anh Hoang

Google
Being a fan of Barbara Lynch, we were excited to try this restaurant. It was definitely memorable in a really awful way. 😑 we arrived at 8pm, so the place was not busy on a Friday’s night. There was only 1 waiter and 1 buser for the entire restaurant 😱. It shows bc someone finally showed up to take our order 20 minutes in. The waitress was lovely and did take care of us. I think it’s we were one of the last diners for the night and she was not overwhelmed like earlier. Now let’s talk about the offender of the night, the food!!!! We started off with warm bread, marinated olives in olive oil and butter. That was the good part. The steak tartar was not chopped finely enough so the flavors didn’t blend as they should. You get one bite that is bland and one bite that is salty. On top of that, the mushroom they put on the dish were questionable and killed the dish. Rabbit pasta offended us on so many levels. It was not seasoned and the pasta was so mushy that we were left speechless 😶. Luckily the butter seafood soup was good. Additionally, half of the items we wanted to order or have order were “sold out”! At this point, we gave up, paid our bills and headed to the Beaumont Hotel restaurant for food and drinks. I’m flummoxed by the absolute mediocrity of the entire experience and can’t believe Barbara would let something like this restaurant be a part of her legacy….

Jim & Peter Schatz / Souza

Google
Barbara is bringing it all together at Rudder. You enter as a stranger and feel like you are leaving friends behind at the end of your meal. Grace is key and an elegant low key vibe runs through the room. Everything is cooked to perfection. Saffron shellfish stew, melon balls, prosciutto, and mozzarella starter and bibb salad were delicious. Drinks are great. You can also spot Barbara’s art on the walls while you dine. Her talent extends beyond the kitchen. Have fun!!

Ginny H

Google
We really wanted to love this place. We’ve been going to B&G for years and figured this would meet the same standard. Sadly they’re hardly comparable. I’m all for a chilled dish but the artichoke/rock shrimp was frigid and the shrimp were tough and soggy. We each had one bite and no more. The halibut entree was so desperately in need of proper seasoning. I’m not a big salt girl but this fell flat even for me. Putting this in caps because it’s important. IF YOU GO TO THE RUDDER, ORDER THE LOBSTER ROLL. It’s other worldly and the fries are cooked to perfection. 10/10. Service was great, our waitress Carissa was very sweet. Cocktails were very well executed. Wine offerings were subpar. Summer in a Bottle for a rose feels like a rudimentary choice at best. The vibe was great and the view was serene. I definitely won’t hurry back unless I have a hankering for a lobster roll.

Aru Tarr

Google
We ordered 2 chocolate mousse desserts to go. The mousse was very thin, not what one would expect from a fancy restaurant, and it was barely 2 tablespoons of mousse surrounded by whip cream to make it look larger than it was. There was no cookie as was listed on the menu, but they gave us one cookie to go after I asked and told me they were out of cookies. It was extremely disappointing for such an overpriced dessert. They were $12 each. They should have charged less if they didn't have enough.

Emanuele Pagani

Google
Average experience for a premium Boston price. Impossible to park close by, Service was inconsistent, we had to get an additional plate and silverware ourselves. Food was good but not exceptional. Bolognese was a soup, as italian, it was disappointing. Wine served in home style glasses warms up in no time. Prices should be reduced by 30% and staff should get some formation and alignment.

Maureen McFadden

Google
I'm visiting from Vt. Run to this restaurant! The view, service and food are exceptional. Arwin was our waitress and she was exceptional. I guarantee you'll be very happy with choice.

Jane S.

Yelp
short version - delicious food, excellent service, cool vibe. Also Barbara lynch was there, talked with the tables, cooked our food. Long version - I went with three friends after a whale watch. We were late but they fit us in anyway without attitude. The hostess was cheerful, Bar tender friendly, the waitress was knowledgable and Personable. the menu is like classics with a twist. I had two appetizers watermelon salad (shaved cucumber, goat cheese watermelon) - followed by steak tarttar (shaved steak with nutty mushrooms in a vinigar sauce) both delicious. Two friends had chicken Milanese and both loved it. Another had bib salad - sounds boring but my friend said it was delicious. She also had the butter soup which she said was devine (a lobster shrimp and crab soup served in a bowl, with butter sauce added table side). After dinner Barbara lynch came out and greeted the tables... in an obviously cooked in chef coat. What? Yes she's actually there cooking. So cool. I made a reservation to go back and can't wait to try the butter soup. I can't expect barbara lynch is always there but I feel like restaurants with celebrity names are usually just a brand, but she was there and obviously is invested personally in this restaurant.

Stacey S.

Yelp
The star is for the food, because it was good. Small portions, big prices. Consistent with expectations. The missing stars are for the service, which was so bad we were laughing by the end of the night. I invite you to humor in my experience, and perhaps consider dining somewhere else if you find yourself looking for a nice dinner in Gloucester. We were seated ten minutes before 6:00 PM. Our server came by within a few minutes with menus and a tiny bowl of warm olives and two little rolls with salted honey butter on the side. So far, so good. But, as we came to realize later, that was -- more or less - the end of the good. While waiting for our server to return to take our orders, we were delivered someone else's bottle of chilled white wine. OK, that happens. We wait some more, and we finish our tiny snacks. We're still waiting when a water-kid comes by and busses our table. Not only does he take the tiny snacks, but he also takes all of our silverware and tiny plates for the tiny snacks. It was rather bizarre. We found ourselves looking at a bare table with just our water glasses; a portrait of what one typically sees at the end of a meal, not while one is waiting to order food. As an added bonus to this pre-meal bussing, water-kid returns and puts down new forks and knives with a satisfying clunk clunk on our bare table (bare, like.. no tablecloth / tiny plate / semi-impervious surface between our food weapons and the ick that is any table surface in a restaurant). A little part of my soul died because water-kid had so much potential, but it seemed pretty apparent that no one had taken the time to really coach him through a tiny-portion-big-prices dining experience. By 6:25 we flagged water-kid down and begged him to find someone that would take our order. We had been under the illusion we'd have plenty of time to eat before our 7:30 show. By 6:30 the bartender came over and said he was pinch hitting for our server and could take our order. Besides wondering how many servers we might be interacting with, we were cautiously optimistic that things were back on track! While waiting for our food, we were served another table's entrees. Sigh. Around 6:45 or so our food was brought out by one of the water-kids. I ordered the butter soup (after reading good things about it) and note that water-kid's execution of the tableside component was good. But, no one had prepped my table setting with a soup spoon (or any spoon, for that matter). Thus, as water-kid walked off with his teapot full of butter, I was left to admire my lukewarm lobster soup and wonder if a spoon would be forthcoming or if I would have to go forage for one myself. I waited. And waited a little more. But, eventually, I realized that no one was coming. There's a rule of thumb in the service industry that servers should check in with guests within "two bites, two sips, or two minutes" to make sure all is well. That didn't happen. The water-kid that had midwifed our meal out of the kitchen had disappeared again, the server was still AWOL (or just ignoring us, unclear on that one), and bartender was busy chatting up the two ladies sitting at the bar. Nobody bothered to come check on us at all. So, that's how I found myself on a spoon safari in an iconic neighborhood establishment featuring refined classics and local seafood. Was magical. By 7 pm it was clear that we did not have another ten years to wait for someone to ask if we wanted to order dessert. We flagged down our water-kid and asked for the check. I hope he gets a promotion, or at least a pay-raise. In all my years as a Millennial foodie, I have never felt so neglected at a restaurant as I did last night, but at least our water glasses were always full!

Aru T.

Yelp
We ordered 2 chocolate mousse desserts to go. The mousse was very thin, not what one would expect from a fancy restaurant, and it was barely 2 tablespoons of mousse surrounded by whip cream to make it look larger than it was. There was no cookie as was listed on the menu, but they gave us one cookie to go after I asked and said they were out of cookies. It was extremely disappointing for such an overpriced dessert. They were $12 each. They should have charged less if they didn't have enough.

Matt L.

Yelp
Damnit! Barbara fan. Bit of a foodie. And despite telling myself over and over not to get excited about this place, I had. Repainted. Nice art/ambience. Attentive waiter. Nice hostess. And the apps rolled in. All great. Oysters. The tuna. Fresh plates all. Sea fresh goodness. Five stars. Then came lobster rolls - but chopped lobster salad really. Topped with a claw or two. Felt decidedly un-Gloucester. And not great. And a seafood bouillabaisse that my wife said came up a little short on the seafood part - as did my brother-in-law to her left. In truth, had I walked past this place and we all just popped-in for dinner probably more stars. But given the star-power, the expectation, kind of disappointed.

Jay R.

Yelp
We were starving and dropped in for an early dinner. The bread with honey salted butter and dish of olives was the high point. It's a concept restaurant, with a beautiful space, and our server was great. I had a very weird lump crab appetizer, gelatin on the bottom - literally tasteless. Greek salad was mainly yellowing romaine with a ton of brown spots. My friend had the butter soup - tasty but extremely rich with one scallop, shrimp and maybe one 1 oz. of lobster. It's a hip place, but food came up too short. I left disappointed and hungry.

Marc T.

Yelp
I don't know even where to start on this review; this was such a fabulous experience and am confused why The Rudder has only 3.5stars. I took a party of four up on a Thursday night for a special celebration. I made reservations in advance, advised the host of the special-ness of the night and couldn't have been treated more like royalty than if I actually was. Upon arrival, with an incoming fog, we opted to sit inside (despite requesting an outside deck table) and they didn't flinch and accommodated accordingly. Our server, Kaila, was absolutely fantastic, explaining all about the menu, helping with making cocktail selections and making sure we were satisfied at every step of the way. She helped make the night memorable (Kuddos Kaila!) The food was prepared and presented fabulously; exactly as was described. The dining room support team was always attentive without being overbearing. A big plus! Did I mention the deserts? If having only two options throws you, grow up; this isn't the Cheesecake Factory. We ordered both to share and wasn't disappointed at all. If you read other reviews and they complain about the size of portions andor the cost, then they didn't do enough research into who Barbara Lynch is and what she creates in her kitchen. Here again, grow up. If you go, understand what you're going for. I, for one, will not only come back, but also recommend The Rudder to anyone who wants a special experience.

Hope A.

Yelp
Oh my gosh my friend and I stopped in July 5th in late afternoon. We were so so delighted at the incredible wine and halibut dinner we had ! We both thought it was the best meal in a restaurant we have ever had. The halibut was so fresh, elegant and with the deliciously seasoned ratatouille just hit the exact spot of amazing! I was so happy that I had seen the article about The Rudder in the Cape Ann magazine. It surpassed all expectations. And our delightful expressive poet like waiter, Dennis, gave us the added joy to our experience. He was perfect and was kind enough to take a picture for us to remember this most delicious experience.....I will pass this on to friends and will be back soon. Thank you so very much, Hope

kevin g.

Yelp
To begin this is a French style restaurant without the bread. The decor looks great. The kitchen looks super clean. The drinks are very good but could be better. The help is very friendly and they are still working out the bumps of opening a new restaurant. The food tasted amazing but the the portions are truly small. I had the halibut but it is really a 1/2 portion in a small bowel for 40 something dollars. The poached lobster was delicious but the sauce became gelatinous as it cooled. The shrimp cocktail were plebeian. I would skip it. The chocolate mouse tasted more like a carob chocolate.. but it was delicious! I do not understand that they had a lack of bread for a "French" restaurant. The $400 total cost, including a $70,m bottle of wine, was hard to swallow. I think the restaurant will have customers but not clients. I would try it for sure.

Ann S.

Yelp
My husband I came here on a Friday night, and it was a wonderful experience, start to finish. Beautiful setting, extremely friendly and professional staff, and absolutely delicious meal. We had the tagliatelle, halibut and duck - all were spectacular! Highly recommend!

Joe R.

Yelp
We arrived by boat and were lucky enough to find a spot to tie up. The dock is pretty small with room for only a couple of boats so arriving by boat could be problematic, yet it worked out well for us. I typically find waterfront restaurants to be places where one enjoys the water and tolerates the food, e.g., Studio. This is not the case at Rudder where the food, service, and view were all top notch. The beef carpaccio, crab/tomato appetizers were both divine, and the oysters were great although not properly shucked with the meat still attached to the shell. Jesse our server was attentive but not pesty, understood wine well, and knew the dishes inside and out. We were there quite early so we saw the owner prepping the crew on the evenings dishes. She spent a while explaining each new dish, having the the servers taste it, and asking them questions. It looked like a pretty new group of employees, as one would expect at a new restaurant in a somewhat remote location, so this kind of hands on deep training bodes well for the future of the place.

Allison G.

Yelp
Went here on Sunday night for a late dinner due to nothing else being open but luckily for us it was absolutely delicious!! The staff were amazing and accommodating for us since we came in late and the service was incredible! Food was delicious and oysters were the best I have had! The atmosphere was so nice and I'm sure the view is great when you can see it !

Scout N.

Yelp
This place was such a wonderful experience. First, what a beautiful setting on Rocky Neck. We had Two types of Maine oysters which were outstanding. The Mignonette sauce was the best I've ever had. We also had the Clam Chowder and Brioche pizza - both outstanding. The staff was very attentive and so welcoming. We will be back!

Deena B.

Yelp
We were so excited to try out The Rudder for our 13th wedding anniversary. We decided to just give some cocktails and raw bar a try and then see where that took us. We sat at the bar, the bartender was super nice and attentive but clearly very stressed (which made us feel bad). She mentioned several times that they were short staffed and had no bar back. Meanwhile this is Sat night and Ms.Lynch was nowhere to be found on a busy newly opened night. Perhaps that was why things were a bit off. The oysters served to us were an absolute disgrace. I would expect this next door at The Studio but here? At a Barbara Lynch establishment?!? They were not shucked properly. Most all liquor was poured off during the "massacre"...all 12 of them were not even cut from the shell but somehow mangled....leaning us to have to awkwardly scrape the meat off the shell. One of the oysters was severed in 1/2, completely butchered. Positives: The shrimp cocktail & cocktails were lovely! We NEVER complain and at the end mentioned our disappointment with the oysters. The bar tender replied by saying the person who typically does the shucking "stepped out" and a server had to do it. Ummm ok?!?! Shortly after we heard the staff call out that no more oysters were to be served as they were too busy aka. short staffed. That was just so weird.....as a result we decided to just head out after two cocktails & a glass of wine. The food served around us looked delicious but our trust was lost. We ordered takeout from the Causeway (seafood marinara) and had a lovely main course at home. We will come back to try the entrees but I won't be running back. Oh and Ms.Lynch...maybe if you actually signed the copies of STIR sitting there for sale someone will buy one. After all this time us locals have been waiting for this to open and then this.... Clearly more care needs to be had here... Sad :(

Courtney B.

Yelp
Had a reservation on a Tuesday and were greeted and seated promptly. Our server (Jesse) was attentive, knowledgeable and kind. Jesse recommended we got a few apps because the dinner portions are on the smaller side. We split the prosciutto and melon and the strozzapreti between 4 and everyone had plenty to taste. Each of our entrees we're plenty and everyone enjoyed their meal. We will be back and hoping they stay open year round!

Mary H.

Yelp
Disappointing Didn't call back when I called to confirm reservation Didn't have our table or reservation which we made in person! Food was marginal Prices high Service left a lot to be desired:(

Thomas F.

Yelp
The oysters were not shucked professionally. the drinks were expensive and not spectacular, the server was just ok left tip and not to return. Restaurant could of been cleaner.

Brian B.

Yelp
We've been to several of Barbara Lynch's restaurants, included Menton in Boston, which was the greatest meal of our lives. The Rudder is an institution in Gloucester. With the Chef taking it over and putting her stamp on it, while still keeping to the local tradition, we were curious as to how it would be. Knowing our experience with the Chef's restaurant we shouldn't have been surprised but, still kind of were. We started with French Onion Soup and the New England Clam Chowder. I'm a NE Chowder lover but this was next level. I had the JFK Lobster Stew for my main and it was amazing. Note regarding the great service; Person at the front noticed I moved my jacket several times, as it fell of the chair, and they came over and offered to hang it up. I love that kind of attention.

Jeff J.

Yelp
Amazing food! Loved the staff super friendly great drinks. Highly recommend to anyone in Gloucester

TinaGinaBabina L.

Yelp
What a huge disappointment for a Barbara Lynch's Restaurant! As foodies we were excited to try it. Made the drive today for lunch and the location is beautiful and given that it's a Barbara Lynch restaurant we def had high hopes it would be amazing. Omgeeeee were we wrong. For starters, despite not being very busy at noon, the service was very slow. Our waitress was nice, but she was busy taking care of several tables so it was hard to get her attention to ask for things. We ordered three appetizers and three entrees. For starter the description for their jumbo crab salad was definitely not a salad, but literally a few lumps of crab on top of an aspic-like jelly that is extremely bland. The crab lump itself is fresh but unseasoned and a bit on the dry side. The seared tuna was ok but lacking in a proper sear and flavor. The highlight of the appetizers was the clam chowder but in and of itself it's nothing to be excited about, but it definitely has more flavor than the other two appetizers. Now let's get to the entrées All three came either cold or barely warm. Judging by how busy the restaurant is at this point, I suspect that the food was sitting out for longer than should be. The spaghetti alle vongole was clinging together in clumps and cold. It was edible, but definitely disappointing. The hanger steak came well done the first time when we had ordered it medium rare. They kindly took it back and gave us a new one but it then it was rare, tough and flavorless. We added extra salt ourselves but that did not help so we gave up. Needless to say, the only thing that was good was the accompanying fries, which were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The Ipswich clams was another huge disappointment, there was no belly and just little strips. The truffles and sautéed corn were decent but failed to make up for the few fried strips of clams. All were in very small portion to boot which we were glad in the end because honestly they weren't very tasty other than the french fries. So 2/3 of the hanger steak was left and we did not bother taking it home. All in all $210 was spent before tip for 3 of us and we left unsatisfied. The nearby Causeway restaurant would have sadly been a better choice for today's lunch and a fraction of the cost. As foodies, we don't mind paying for great food but not when the food quality and service fail to match up to its price and it's supposed name. Needless to say, this was our first and also last time at the newly opened Rudder! Hopefully Barbara will read this review and make adjustment to the quality of the food and service. I added an extra star only for the location and view!

Hannah S.

Yelp
This place is in a great location with great style. Unfortunately the service and food were a major miss. Our server was barely there throughout our meal. She arrived a while after we sat and vaguely whispered about bread-we never saw any bread. She did not check in on us once and I had to order wine from a manager who brought out our food. That brings me to the food. I ordered that halibut and wholly god was it the worst piece of protein I have ever been served in any scenario. That poor fish had been over cooked and then reheated and then over cooked again. I needed a steak knife. It was like some terrible dry, overheated then reheated chicken from a fast food restaurant. We are talking halibut, from Gloucester, on the water, during halibut season! I did not send it back because I was not given the opportunity, nor did I want to wait another 20 minutes for food from a kitchen I seriously did not trust.

Jun C.

Yelp
Friend recommended this restaurant to us, we were excited to go. Worst host, limited menu, the service is so bad that we sit down but had to leave. Not worst my money to get a bad host service. Never go again!

Bubber H.

Yelp
This was our initial visit to the Rudder and we have added it to our preferred list of restaurants. The service was friendly, attentive and we enjoyed speaking with everyone working there. The food preparation and presentation was superb, and we enjoyed the entire experience. Like so many great restaurants tucked back into cozy corners in New England, you will park a few blocks away, but the stroll takes you past art galleries and wonderful shops. I can recommend the Rudder without reservation to anyone. They are open Wednesday through Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday, for the winter in December and January but we will be there again very soon, to have oysters and drinks, looking over the wonderful harbor area of the Neck. You should be too.

Agnes S.

Yelp
We came to the Rudder this evening in celebration of my birthday. We had 7:30 reservations, but had to wait for our table to be ready. We ordered drinks and oysters. My husband got the wrong drink from the bar, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. After an apparent delay, the waitress, who was apologetic, came over to explain that one of the kind of oysters was already not available this evening and wanted to know what we wanted to order instead. The oysters finally came at 8:45pm. We ordered two apps (foie gras) and the artichoke agrodolce. Which came some time after the oysters. I have a gluten allergy so I appreciated the kitchens accommodations with the menu. We quickly finished our apps and then proceeded to wait for an additional 40 min to get our entrees. From sitting down to getting our entree was over two hours. The dessert (pana cotta) was lovely. However, be aware, they do not serve any coffee. Of any kind. The waitress was kind and apologetic and comped the dessert and wine. The food was good, and the kitchen was accommodating, but very, very slow. Having been to multiple B Lynch restaurants in Boston before, we were disappointed in the Rudder and likely won't return.

Aprill K.

Yelp
We had dinner there last night. I had the lobster roll and he had the halibut. Both meals were delicious. We also ordered oysters too. The server was attentive and excellent. Thank you!

Phil F.

Yelp
Yikes. Limited menu, limited wine menu, poor accoustics. Maybe we caught it on a difficult night, but chef/ owner was abrupt and rude. Saving grace was our waiter.

Leslie B.

Yelp
This restaurant was a major highlight of a friend's bachelorette trip over the weekend. I was actually surprised to read some of the negative reviews on here, but they must have since worked out any kinks that were experienced by others prior to our visit. Many of the girls arrived earlier than I was able to on Thursday, so they stopped in this local establishment on a walk to have a cocktail and fresh oysters. They enjoyed the staff so much, that they wanted to reserve a table for full dinner service the following night (they only had the raw bar offered at the time the girls had stopped in). They managed to work our group of 7 into a reservation for Friday night, and we were so grateful. The other girls raved about the experience, and how wonderful the staff was, along with the establishment itself being such a unique place with a beautiful ambiance. Arriving for our reservation Friday night, I quickly learned they were absolutely right! The place was delightful. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner to slow roll through the night. We spent an evening (about 3 hours) enjoying ourselves, the food, the cocktails, sparkling wine, the atmosphere, and the staff. Franklin was our server, but he was also accompanied by a couple of visits from the bartender, and another sweet waiter that gave us more recommendations for his favorite spots in Salem we would be visiting the following day. The oysters and shrimp cocktail were divine! They were fresh, and the oysters were shucked properly (compared to other reviews, they were perfect - and I used to work at an oyster house when I was younger). We toasted with a lovely glass of Prosecco. Had a delicious Greek salad to accompany the heavenly rolls that were served with the most phenomenal honey truffle butter - I may have dreams about those rolls and butter. We shared the two pastas featured on the menu for the evening which was the pheasant meatball lasagnette and the spaghetti bolognese. Both were equally spectacular. To finish it off, we ordered the two desserts offered - the vanilla bread pudding, and the apple galette. They were both lovely. I favorited the apple galette, as the bread pudding was slightly different than I am accustomed to, but it was still delicious as well. Being from the south, we are used to a warm, gooey bread pudding, this was more light and fluffy with a more whipped topping and caramel drizzle - still great, just not what I was expecting. The majority of us also ordered an espresso martini, and having tried many of these over the years, this was by far the best espresso martini I have ever had. Major kudos to the entire staff, chef, bartender, servers, etc. who made our experience here nothing short of perfection! We appreciate you guys, and hope to be back to visit one day. In the mean time, we highly recommend visiting this fine establishment if you're in the area and able to make it happen!

Diana P.

Yelp
So Disappointing! Where was the food? All meat menu. Rabbit Stew at $28 was five bites and gone. And tasteless. Stingy with the bread. A beer for $16. Tiny glass of wine for $13. Food description was incredible but the reality was not. Shockingly disappointing from such a reputable chef.

Darren J.

Yelp
What's not to love at The Rudder? Decent though not great food, tiny portions, high prices, and VERY slow service. Sounds like a recipe for success to me! A business colleague and his wife invited us to join them for dinner in Gloucester last week at the Rudder. I've previously reviewed #9 Park and B&G Oysters, and having initially been a big fan of #9 Park where I had one of the best meals of my life in its first month of operation, subsequent visits were all significantly worse than the previous visit until after 4-5 visits I said never again. The visit to B&G Oysters was at the behest of an out of town client that I was entertaining, and it was both outrageously expensive and completely forgettable food. Since then I've sworn off going on my own to any further Barbara Lynch restaurants, but in this case it was an invitation and we weren't in a position to ask if we could go somewhere else instead. Since we were guests, I just smiled and said yes. Barbara Lynch has a formula, and it's being replicated at The Rudder. Tiny, tiny portions (and I usually leave hungry or instead fill myself up on bread and keep asking for more of it). Food that can vary from fabulous to forgettable (often in the same meal) but is not at the same consistently high standard (which was definitely NOT the case when Barbara Lynch was starting out), VERY high prices, and usually outstanding service (I can be critical of a lot of things at Lynch's restaurants, but generally they train the staff really well and service is reliably excellent). The food at The Rudder? It was as expected based upon previous experiences. The salad was fine - nothing more, nothing less. The beef tenderloin was a VERY small portion. It looked lonely on the plate. It tasted good enough - not exceptional, but decent enough even if it should have been a lot better. It was cooked properly too - I can at least give The Rudder credit for that, because that's not a given these days. And if a restaurant is going to skimp on the most expensive ingredient on the dish (the protein), why aren't they loading up the rest of the dish with vegetables, etc.? That doesn't happen here. I skipped dessert. If I had to pay for what dinner cost, I would be outraged. For the two of us (of the four), our decent-but-not-memorable dinners probably cost our host around $200, excluding the bottle of wine which the host purchased for the table. It was not a filling meal, and it was not special. (Off the top of my head i can think of two restaurants in Gloucester that I think are far better, and at a fraction of the price of The Rudder.) Everyone at the table talked about how enjoyable the food was. And I know that at least two of us were not being truthful, but as there was a business purpose to the evening it wasn't appropriate to be appropriately critical. We thanked the host for a wonderful dinner (not) and vowed to never return on our own dime to The Rudder...or frankly to any Barbara Lynch establishment.

Amy G.

Yelp
First visit, it was great. Second time, not so much. While bartender and waitress were pleasant, fried clams on creamed corn was odd, the creamed corn made the flavorless, unseasoned clams soggy but we chocked it up to ordering poorly. Beef tenderloin was ordered medium. It was very rare and barely seared. I returned it. Waitress said it would be 10 minutes. When it came back, it looked nice, maybe totally new food but the meat was totally rare and unseared, again. I told waitress, who brought it back to the chef. She brought a pannacotta an no mention of the meat.??? There were only 6 guests in the restaurant so being crowded was not even a possibility.

Rachel S.

Yelp
Wow we have been to many restaurants in Gloucester but can honestly say this is the best of the best! Perfect Rocky Neck location with amazing views especially at golden hour. Menu was unique and the perfect size in terms of options. We ordered a clam spaghetti dish and the pork belly dish. Both were amazing although small portions for entrees. Ended the meal with the profiterole which was excellent as well! Can't wait to come back.

Renee M.

Yelp
Disappointed in the restaurant menu - very limited choices. My clam chowder was fine - just not great. My husband had the fried clams. Again, just average. And the wait staff removed my cocktail before I finished it! Don't think we'll go again. Add to that there is no signage so we walked right passed it!

Louise S.

Yelp
Absolutely Excellent! Rolls were delicious Definitely home made- tuna tartar served with guacamole was fresh and delicious- clam chowder was not cream based and was great we loved it- lobster roll was dressed to perfection. Drinks were perfect- service was excellent- dining room and bar were lively and very clean- I have nothing bad to say we will be back often.

R. V.

Yelp
First time visit after a long wait and promises of Chef Lynch's arrival for the past two years. Granted, restaurants aren't as affordable as I'd prefer any more. And granted the oysters were swell thanks to the chef (Mother Nature) and the shucker, but the martinis were watery, the service like a hour hand at 6 PM in a nearly deserted house, and the food decidedly ho-hum. My companion had the lobster roll which at over $40 had meat in it that was rather under cooked. I had a minuscule entre course of perhaps 3or 4 oz of tuna which was served with tiny chopped vegetables that was nondescript. The menu was tiny, which is usually a good thing, with entries that we hadn't sampled, to be fair, but this first visit to the new Rudder (suspiciously there's no sign over the door or anywhere ) could possibly be our last after eating there for the past 40 years. The deck is still a nice place to enjoy the water and boats.

Ashley B.

Yelp
Went to the rudder planning only to have a quick drink and some oysters right at 3 when they opened since they were fully booked for dinner. We were seated in the patio which had a perfect breeze, a beautiful view of the water, and catchy music playing. For anyone familiar with the old set up of the patio, it's completely different, much more space between tables and updated paint/ decor. The server (Jesse I think? I'm horrible with names) was so much fun and was super attentive throughout service that we decided to shift over to the bar- first come first serve- and sit there for dinner (especially since we heard Barbara lynch was in the kitchen that night!) SO GLAD we did. The food was fantastic. If the butter poached lobster is on the menu, get it! I'm still thinking about how delicious it was. It might be a touch on the pricy side compared to some of the other restaurants in the area, but 10000% worth it. Met some really great people and ate some of the best food we've had in a while. I cannot wait to go back.

Rachel S.

Yelp
I was really excited to try this new remodel of the Rudder. Have been going there for many years and it's never disappointed. I've also eaten at Barbara Lynches other restaurants and her food has always been amazing. Unfortunately, our waiter ruined the entire experience for us I believe his name is Jesse. He did not even ask how we wanted our (59$) tenderloin cooked and bread was served without any plates, the oysters were served without any oyster forks. An hour went by after our appetizers were served, and he came to check on us, and then suddenly remembered that he hadn't put our meal in yet. We waited another long period of time, and I went up to the front to check on our meal. I mentioned that our waiter was less than good, and he immediately came up to our table, promptly began yelling and spitting at me that he's always been ranked five star and he's very offended that I complained about him. I was horrified that he would scream at us so. We left prior to the serving of our meals, which I had actually never done, and I've been dining out in many places, including five star restaurants in Manhattan, where I live. I think the real issue is the wait staff, and I hope they hire some decent waiters. I don't think I can ever go back.

Elaine D.

Yelp
First visit. Went for a late lunch/early dinner. Service was excellent, food was delicious (Crispy duck, rock shrimp with gnocchi, pizza with brioche crust, and French onion soup). The ambience (loved the playlist) made for a most enjoyable visit.

Cain N.

Yelp
We had a bizarrely bad experience last night, had a 7pm reservation and stood waiting for the host to seat us for at least 10 minutes, once seated no one came to the table for at least another 10-15, no water poured or silverware...we ordered drinks and appetizers and asked for water, drinks came but no water, we asked again and was told she would bring us water and bread service, didn't see anyone for a long time, eventually we grabbed the water pitcher from the station and poured it ourselves, apps came they were fine, not great we were told that they were out of 3 of the menu items, literally had 3 entrees left to choose from, she said they were very busy and that's why they had ran out and was not at all apologetic, clearly they were completely unprepared for a normal Saturday night...we sat with empty glasses for a long time and eventually flagged down the host to get us more drinks, I was then served an ice cold glass of red wine and was told it was accidentally left in ice bucket, had to convince them to pour me a room temp one, after waiting forever for the entrees we looked around the room and realized not a single table had food and everyone else was having a similar experience, we had been there for 2 hours at this point and still no entrees, so we left $100 on the table and walked out ( have never done that ) it was a terrible experience, very badly run restaurant. Ps we never got the bread

Lee E.

Yelp
Having eaten at #9 Park Street, we were expecting something at least imaginative from Barbara Lynch's latest. And we know the Rudder from it's days under the hilarious and theatrical Evie Parsons. The place was always mobbed and had quite a buzz then. On November 19 at 5:00, the old warehouse sat virtually empty, with never more than one table and a couple of chairs at the bar in addition to our group of three. Of course we know and love the space, but experiencing it so empty, cold, and drafty made us sad. Service was attentive and pleasant, since there were probably two servers or more for each guest. We ordered the $59 prix fixe of three courses. We probably should have sent back the bibb salad, a tall, very wilted pile with toasted and fresh Paremesan and soft green beans. But we were hungry after long hike. A breaded, fried, bland, and dry chicken cutlet sat on a saffron risotto of pleasant texture and authentic aroma. It reminded me of a lunch counter veal parmigiano without the canned tomato sauce. The only listed desert, a tiny, overly fussy spiral of chocolate cake had a whiff of cocoa but little else. The server found us a leftover custard from the night before for variety

Maddy D.

Yelp
DO NOT GO HERE ! the entire experience was awful from the moment we walked in. no one greeted us so we just sat at the bar ... the bar tenders were rude and cold. we felt like we were inconveniencing them by just wanting to order drinks and being at the bar. the bar tender made drinks over a few minutes (which including making them halfway and then leaving and returning a few mins later), never gave us the drinks or said she was done. we asked for more sour mix in the drink which they reluctantly gave and charged us for it. they came back briefly to check on us and mumbled, rolled eyes, etc. overall a horrible service experience to what could have been a good night. we left immediately after finishing our $15 subpar drink.

K M.

Yelp
Went here with friends because one of them wanted to try Barbara Lynch place. First off, zero parking so be prepared to spend 15 mins looking for parking even though we were there for very early dinner. Ambiance is cozy. Service was fine but not always attentive on drinks. So now the food part. Meh. A big giant MEH. Somewhere like this is supposed to expose you to innovation & delight. But no. It was just meh. Salmon & chickpeas? Was plain grilled salmon on a can of chickpeas. Zero flavor. Oh and literally 1 leaf of spinach. Seriously flavorless and plain. Friend had $42 lobster roll but with expectation that it was going to be magnificent. Um, no. It was no better & nothing more than a run-of-the-mill, side of the road lobster shack. Only good thing was chips didn't come in a bag. Looked like a standard hot dog bun. Yipes. Shockingly disappointing.

Guthrie S.

Yelp
I am sad to write this but The Rudder was terrible. It took 45 minutes just to get a glass of wine...and two hours before the appetizers arrived. They took plates away before everyone was finished and the food was overpriced. My dinner did not have everything it was suppose to have on the plate and so they gave me some cheese. And the chocolate soufflé is a chocolate cake. When I pointed that out to the waitress she said that was my opinion and then basically stopped helping us. I really wanted to like this restaurant and I was so excited to take my family there. Here's hoping they can fix their issues.

Nick L.

Yelp
We were really looking forward to trying this restaurant...We went with another couple and the service as we walked in the front door was not great. We had a reservation and arrived on time-when we walked in the server said in a pretty unpleasant way "We are crazy busy today so you'll have to give us a minute" We waited a few minutes as they weren't ready for us at our reservation time- which was fine. However, there were lots of issues with the service and the meal. The food was mediocre- our friend's entree came on a cracked plate so we had to ask for another plate. One of the chair legs was broken and when we mentioned it they didn't offer to replace it. The service was really slow- between the appetizer and the entree we waited nearly an hour and 20 minutes. It was clear they were short staffed but it was an expensive and unpleasant experience overall.

Edie F.

Yelp
Nice ambiance, more room between tables than the old days. Liquor prices quite high. Had Chicken Milanese, which sadly was quite dry. The arugula with it was nice and fresh, however. Vanilla Bread Pudding was delicious, the Apple Galette was very good, but the pastry impossible to cut through even with a knife. Excellent waitperson. Probably won't go back anytime soon.

Rob C.

Yelp
Absolutely fabulous meal, great service, warm and welcoming Chef/hostess, comfortable and attractive atmosphere. We did go for late lunch so it wasn't too busy which we like. The mussels app, salmon with white bean, duck, chicken milanese entre's, greek salad were excellent. Thank you Barbara!

Mercene P.

Yelp
Had the most wonderful dinner here this evening. Our server Jesse was fantastic! We started with lemon drop martinis and oysters. Both were equally delicious! For dinner we got the poached lobster and the scallops. The poached lobster was amazing! And so were the scallops! As a recommendation, if you get the lobster save the bread so you can soak up the sauce! We finished our night splitting the chocolate mousse! I know I keep saying the same thing but WOW....so good! It is expensive but well worth it for a special night out. Look forward to a warm summer's night sitting on the deck!

Michelle D.

Yelp
Lovely place. Small and cozy. Went twice. Dined on the gorgeous deck. Second time dined at the bar. Food was excellent. View is lovely. Small menu but did all things superb. Love the small town vibes. Would go again.

Barbara D.

Yelp
Barbara Lynch has met her stride with her latest restaurant located in Gloucester overlooking the water. The Fall menu offers some of her signature dishes such as steak tartare , bolognese pasta, crispy duck and of course a selection of raw oysters and shrimp cocktail. The staff are attentive and friendly in helping to describe dishes and suggest accompanying wines. The restaurant has a rustic sea faring feel to it with a gas fireplace that keeps the room cozy in the colder weather. There is a lovely patio overlooking the water during the summer which can be winterized so all tables are available. Barbara can be seen in the kitchen as she creates and oversees the food preparation. She also goes out to greet diners and help them feel welcomed. This restaurant is a wonderful addition to the Greater Gloucester community.

Heather S.

Yelp
Read Karen A.'s review below. We must have dined on the same night (Saturday). Restaurant seems mismanaged. Inexperienced staff, lost reservations, poor service. At 7:30, our waiter asked how we enjoyed our dinner. The problem? We hadn't yet eaten it, and our reservation was for 5:30. Saw another party walk out. That said, the soft shelled crab was delicious.

Karen A.

Yelp
It's been a long time since I've had such horrible service. 15 minutes to get a first drink. 20 minutes for the second. I went to the bar myself to order our next drinks. Lots of staff milling about. We were finally served dinner after being there for 2 hours. $48 beef tenderloin arrived lukewarm with cold potatoes. It was surprising to learn Barbara was there and didn't walk around to the 12 tables. The decor is cool and the Greek salad was excellent.