The Sole Proprietor

The Sole Proprietor was filled to the rafter, the reviews were good so I was surprised by pretty mediocre food. The service was excellent, attentive and prompt but we left quite a bit of the food unfinished because it was not good . It started well with a nice selection of oysters. The bisque chowder was oversalted, and my husband agreed to swap for his chowder. I liked it better, but it was not great. Very thick, not a lot of clams, but at least not oversalted. My main entre was the scallops. There was so much salt on them that in crunched on my teeth. The risotto the scallops were resting on was a pool of butter. The name did say buttery scallops so maybe it was supposed to be that way, but I did not like it. One other note is that the lady's room does not have enough capacity. There was always a line and people knocking on the stall door once you managed to get in.

Had a reservation at 4:30 for a birthday we were seated promptly . Drinks order was taken and we looked at food menu. The birthday boy wanted muscles so we started with those . Lobster risotto and salmon were both delicious . Tiramisu for desert was very good.

They had a good selection of oysters and the chowder and bisque were very filling and pretty good. For my main course I had the crab stuffed sole. I didn't enjoy it, the sole was mushy and the crab stuffing wasn't good.

Wow. First time . We got the reservation through resy.com and had added a comment for birthday celebration. And every order was made to perfection. When asked what sauce would go best with salmon , I was recommended lemon butter and it was amazing combination. Already suggested this hidden gem to many of our friends. I feel we got rushed towards the bill payment and were not asked the dessert menu but may be there was some genuine confusion and we totally get it. A unique menu. Definitely going back to try out the other items.

Oceanside Seafood meets Worcester. It was delicious, hot, tasty and perfectly cooked! Awesome oysters, well cooked pasta, the calamari was tender and a little spicy, it was all really a delight!

The best seafood in Worcester! The Sole Proprietor is a restaurant that's week established with more than 30 years in business. No question that they know seafood. Great ambiance, easy parking, amazing waitstaff, no wait, high quality of food, a great experience from start to finish. Looking for a great seafood dish, look no further!!!! I will be going back.

This is the first restaurant in Worcester that I have been to that I would say is a must go to in the area. In short: The service is great, the food is fresh, and the prices are fair. I had the three course special for 33$ which is a steal for restaurant week. The bread came out warm and delicious and the shrimp cocktail was good with the huge kick of horseradish in the cocktail sauce. The sangria was good but I probably won't get it again, it looked better than it tasted. The texture of the clams in the clam chowder was excellent and you could tell they are using high quality ingredients. I got a little sand in some bites but that is how you know it didn't come from a can. The scallops were good but a very similar in flavor to the clam chowder. If I were to go again I would try something else. With all that said all of the ingredients on all of my dishes were of very high quality and were prepared very well. Will be back if I am in the area.

I started off with the crab rangoon then happily moved on to the brown butter scallops, yummy. The service was amazing both ladies that worked my table were fantastic.

Once again, The Sole is the #1 dining spot in Worcester. When you directly compare seafood quality, service and restaurant atmosphere this is the standard that others strive for but is not easy to attain. At most places today the wait staff are over worked and it drags down your experience. At The Sole there are always 2 high level team members making sure that you are satisfied with every detail. Tonight we went from Goat Cheese Crostini to Caesar Salad with Grilled Shrimp to Sushi. All items were well prepared, well presented and delicious. Top notch!!

The food was wonderful! Thaddeus and Cyndi were our servers, and they exemplified the meaning of service. No... I don't know them personally, but I travel a lot, and service is key in this burainess. 10/10 for both service and food!

A Worcester classic! Have eaten here since it opened. Never once a bad meal. Service is above and beyond yet not intrusive. Always busy.

Absolutely a gem in Worcester! The vibes were cozy and the servers (Brandon specifically!) were amazing. The food came out quick and was delicious. Would totally recommend and can't wait to go again.

Everything was excellent. Parking was easy to find in their free lot. We got a table for 5 with no wait on a weekday afternoon. The server was very attentive & efficient. The crab cakes were the best I've ever had. Everyone at the table got something different & we all thoroughly enjoyed our meal! We will be back!

This is a really cool and cozy spot in the heart of Worcester. The food is top notch and the servers are very friendly. My top pick would be the clam chowder, but you should never come to the Sole without also ordering some of their oysters. It's a great elevated option for delicious seafood in the city.

Soooo impressed! Great selections! Servers are friendly and attentive! Ambiance was fun and lively! Place was packed. Parking is easy! Reservation is a plus! Little pricey but worth it esp for Special Occasions!

Food: we tried there three course meal for restaurant week. Started off with the tuna pokey which consist of wonton and a bit of tuna, and avocado. So sometimes we're a little bit still, and I wish they had a little bit more proportion with the tuna, I think the quality of the tuna was a tad bit okay. Next was the clam chowder, which was smaller than I thought, but it was a delicious comfort meal. You can barely know the difference, but there is bacon in there. Then we got the scallop salmon shrimp entrée, which was actually kind of underwhelming, the sauce on top of it was rather bland. Everything is slightly grilled but it's nothing special. Service: the service was great. They made sure that our food was sent out appropriately, and they even made sure that we got to split our entrée. Ambiance: you can smell the place like it's a fresh ocean. You can tell that they care about the quality of their seafood, and I highly recommend for anyone that is visiting if they're interested in getting oysters or others. Location accommodation: they have a rather big size parking lot, but it gets full rather quickly after 5 PM so reservations are highly recommended

Delicious. The menu has a little bit of everything and we all loved our entrees. I was impressed by the kids menu options as well. The giant crab on the restaurant was an added bonus. Definitely coming back here. 10/10

In a time where good service seems to be hard to find they are never lacking! Every single time we come the service is top notch and friendly too. The waiters are always able to provide recommendations and they always accommodate any changes you want to make to a dish especially for kids. We have never had one bad thing or something cooked wrong. The fish is always cooked perfect and never dry, the drinks are heavy handed and the sushi is very good. Honestly the actual food and sushi is so good here I would suggest having more and skipping dessert my 6 yr old daughter loves their mixed greens salad - yes 6 yr olds - that is how good it is. They have a very large private lot but it gets packed quickly. Their prices are what most consider on the pricey side but once you factor in the service and amazing food they are definitely worth it. I love that they remember our birthdays and anniversaries when we come in with reservations. I know it is their computer system but it's those little touches that put it a step above other places.

Great experience at Sole. I came here to celebrate a school event in which we were able to make a reservation for greater than 5 people with ease. Our server was incredibly kind and funny throughout the meal. He was really attentive and provided us with amazing recommendations. We got a variety of appetizers and meals. The restaurant was fairly busy for lunch time as it can be difficult finding a lunch reservation in Worcester, but it was not particularly loud or I also like how there is a dedicated parking lot. I got the haddock which seemed like a lunch portion nevertheless still very good and flakey. I'm looking forward to going back. I believe the lunch dishes were between 10-30 and the appetizers were a little cheaper.

I had dinner with my best friend. We started with steamed clams as an appetizer. Plenty for 2 people. We then both had a bowl of clam chowder. He had the surf and turf, I had the baked scallops with asparagus and fingerling potatoes. The food as always with the Sole Proprietor was awesome. The service was excellent as well. Team approach, Katerina, Susanne and Gardenier I believe. We ate there on a Friday evening. It was PACKED. We didn't have a reservation and honestly didn't think we would get seated, we ended up with a table. Despite the restaurant being full we could have a conversation. The ambiance was fine. I couldn't finish my meal. More for tomorrow, LOL! Strongly recommending the Sole is a disservice. JUST GO!

Came into town a couple days ago on business and gave this place a try....Needless to say we came back here again before heading to the next city. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

Absolutely amazing seafood, no question! The shrimp appetizer is awesome, and the Scollops are super fresh.

Went with my friends Frank and Bruce, for a quick meal. Immediately met by Mark the bartender who treated me like i was a long lost relative. Wow, so impressed with the service, decor a+. Made me think I was in Boston, as nothing in this city is that upscale like "the Big" city. Overwhelmed with the menu selections available, and the bartender was much like the tv series cheers. So friendly, and Johhny on the spot for your drinks. Upscale, and you're going to find "McDonalds" prices, but when you leave, you will not feel like you just ate at Mickey D's either.

Went there for the first time today. Wonderful service from the bartenders Mark and Erin. Oysters were out of this world and the drinks were very good. Great atmosphere. Will definitely go back there again.

The food here is always good. Their restaurant week menu did not disappoint! Lobster bisque is a mainstay favorite. Service is fast and multiple checks on you as well. Ambiance is a bit noisy on a Friday evening, but that is to be expected as this place is packed because of its excellent food and service. Had the squid ink pasta with tons of seafood (scallops, lobsters, etc.)

The Sole has been a Worcester staple for decades. It's the upscale, go to place for business lunches, after work gatherings, and weekend dining. The food quality has remained very good to excellent over the years and I usually can count on a solid dining experience. It is usually busy (good sign) and parking can be hit or miss. However they get the food out quickly and typically have experienced and helpful staff working there. Very good drink selection. Overall, I'm glad to say I can still recommend this place.

Ambiance is always nice at the restaurant. Food was good. The oysters were awesome. A good place to go to for a special occasion.

The Sole Proprietor is THE spot for fresh seafood in the Worcester area. I've been coming here for years and each time, the food and service have been top notch. We went out this evening for New Year's Eve and had a delightful time. Our server Yuri was attentive, personable, and offered great suggestions. One of the best servers we've ever had. Love Yuri!!!! We started with some amazing cocktails, sushi, and an appetizer that knocked our socks off: the goat cheese crostini. Crunchy bread topped with goat cheese, an incredible apple and jalapeño salsa, strawberry compote and honey. Perfectly balanced and incredibly tasty...it was so good we ordered a second DURING our meal! For dinner we had the sole meunière and the short ribs. Both were to die for. Dessert was their homemade cheesecake which was creamy and a generous portion to be split by 2. Amazing service, incredible food, and worth every penny. The people complaining on Yelp that it's too expensive are the people who like to go to Applebee's for (frozen) chicken and fries for $11.99. Don't be like these people! Go to the Sole!!

the service was acceptable, and the food was great. The Wait staff was friendly and pleasant to talk to, I would highly recommend eating here

Pretty much tried everything on the menu. YUM I have not stumped them yet. Everything cooked perfectly Good strong drinks Great atmosphere Top quality. Hands-down best seafood Worcester county

Excellent food! We ordered mussels, clams, oysters as appetizers then lobster roll, shrimp with pasta, crab cake & with a bottle of white wine. The servers were good. I love the atmosphere of this place.

Some restaurants deserve the hype they get and this is definitely one. Excellent service- we were taken care of by Katie and Whitney who were extremely personable and funny. They were so attentive and made great recommendations. In my opinion the quality beats out most places you will find up and down the coast, and the servings are generous. It was our second time here and we were even more impressed than the first. I don't write reviews much but this place deserves it- I highly recommend.

Sorry but this place is just not a very good restaurant ... Worcester has precious few decent restaurants, so anything above an Applebees may as well be considered fine dining. The atmosphere here is what's the worst ... it's noisy and crowded and has all the charm of a busy bus station. They redid the lighting inside and now it's incredibly bright with white fluorescent lighting that has all the ambiance of a gas station. We were seated in the bar area in a booth. We asked if there were seats in the main restaurant, even though the atmosphere was similar, but we wanted to avoid the table of 9 college kids next to our booth. 'No.' was the answer. That would be our seat for the evening. The bar area is loud ... the ceiling bounces little bits of conversations everywhere and its like being in a constant loud airport. The bar is crowded, just as the rest of the restaurant and you are pretty much staring out into the other tables. The crowd here are a bit rough ... lots of diners wearing sweatpants, hats and ripped jeans. There was a girl at the table next to us in ripped jean shorts that were almost obscene ... which matched her screaming the 'F-word' two or three times per minute. In terms of a special occasion restaurant where you want to dress up and go out on the town ... this ain't it anymore! The lighting is also so bright and harsh, it's almost impossible to relax. The food is mediocre. The chowder comes in a tiny, little cup and is okay. The grilled fish is bland and just blah. Really small portions. I had the grilled shrimp, which was okay ... hard to fuck that dish up ... the odd thing was that every shrimp was a different size from small to large. Everything came with predictable 'wedding food' sides ... roasted fingerling potatoes and tiny, thin asparagus stems only, which was odd. Prices here are fairly crazy. The best deal is the three course pre-fixe dinner but the options are very limited. There was nothing on the menu that really stood out as something I couldn't wait to order, which is why I ended up with the boring grilled shrimp. Most seafood dishes are $30+ unless you want lobster, in which case you are looking at $50+. The king crab legs were $99/lb. I never have seen prices that high ... even in NYC. Overall, it was a regrettable, average meal in a terrible atmosphere. I'd rather have cooked at home. Everyone who went with us was let down by both their food and the overall vibe. Rarely will I leave a 1 or 2 star review but for this place, I will.

If you crave the freshest seafood, this is the place for you. I have had cherrystones and oysters all over the cape and RI and The Soles are the best! Many fresh options to choose from and great, fun atmosphere. Recommend reservations as there's limited space to wait for a table, bar is usually full.

Great food Yuri and Ernie around bar are the best waiters around Spectacular food and service

My parents and I visited this place while exploring this town and we all unanimously agreed that this was the BEST seafood we have ever eaten. The biggest highlight of the dinner had to be the 1.25lb Lobster and the Tiramisu. Both were to die for. Our servers were also very friendly and the service was very quick which was a welcome surprise for how busy the restaurant was. While the dinner came out to be rather expensive, it was definitely worth the price. I would 100% recommend eating here.

This place is Uber popular! I went on a Tuesday for lunch and, if I didn't know any better, I would have thought it was Friday evening. A busy thriving restaurant is always a good sign. Overall, they didn't disappoint. The red sangria was almost as good to drink as it was to look at. My feeling about the (crab) stuffed sole with sautéed spinach and jasmine rice is the same. They clearly spend quite a bit of time perfecting the presentation because everything looked delicious. My only gripe is that both the sangria and the fish were not bursting with flavor. The sangria had a light and punch-like flavor that was good but not fully satisfying. The fish seemed to have very little seasoning on it such that I did the cardinal sin: I used the salt and pepper on the table to spruce it up a bit. If they could dare to experiment more with the flavor like they do with the appearance, this would definitely be 5-stars. But it was still good and I will certainly be back.

This was our first time here and WOW....What a fantastic evening! The servers were wonderful and attentive with a fun and outgoing personality! The atmosphere is nice with a darker colored theme, but still very welcoming and enjoyable! Our food was the star of the show with wonderful plating and amazing flavors!! I am GF and they had a fairly good variety of GF options for me! I was able to have lobster bisque and it was delectable! It had huge pieces of lobster and at least 2 full claws!! A truly rare treat for a GF person! I got the sole for my main course and it was just perfect! My entire party had a marvelous evening and we look forward to coming back again!! Thank you!!

When in Worcester you just have to stop in at The Sole Proprietor. The service staff is fantastic and the food is fresh, consistent and always prepared perfectly. The bartender knows how to make a great drink. Put it all together along with a great price and have an awesome dining experience.

The Sole is a really special place for my husband and I as we got engaged here 5 years ago. We are in town visiting family, and celebrated our anniversary here last night. What a spectacular experience, yet again. Beth and Stephanie are absolutely phenomenal servers. Kind, patient and made our special night really fun. We started with the Welfleet oysters and the crab rangoons, and of course a bottle of Veuve to wash down the oysters! My husband was very happy with his dish of Tuna Sashimi and I was also delighted with my swordfish! We ended the night with an espresso martini made with Godiva liquor! Absolutely recommend the sole for any special occasion or just a fun night out! Reservations are recommended!

The lobster was out of this world! It was humongous and was the first time ever that i couldn't finish a lobster! Nice cocktails to sip on with dinner. The bar area is busy and bartenders are friendly. The food staff were very kind and quick to serve. The restaurant is clean and nice atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Went for dinner on Saturday evening. We were seated on time. The wait staff was friendly and prompt - no problem. I ordered the baked haddock - 29.99. The haddock had little to no flavor, and there was too much water on the plate which would indicate that the haddock was prepared from frozen and not fresh. For a restaurant specializing in seafood and boasting of its exceptional food, it was disappointing. I've had better haddock in other Worcester restaurants for a much lesser price, and fresh. Ambiance was good for a busy night, but I doubt I'll be back for the haddock or other baked fish. Overall, I'd have to give the Sole a "C"

I love all of the ambiance that have . The service is fast. And the food is delicious and wonderful platters .

The food at the Sol proprietor is always fantastic! My favorite lunch is the lobster roll and fries in the summer. My husband and son loved the sushi. I also like the Baked Seafood platter with lobster, clams, and haddock, crab cake and stuffed jumbo shrimp. Service is quick and attentive. Personally, I far prefer the restaurant area toward the back. The only time I didn't have a good experience I sat in the front and it was too loud near the bar to have a conversation with the people in my booth.

Went here for my husband's birthday. The lobster bisque was out of this world good. It had sherry in it and a lot of sweet and delicious lobster chunks. The bang bang shrimp were definitely banging; crispy and tasty. The bread could have been better. A bit over cooked. I like mine lighter and softer. I had the salmon for my entree and it was cooked to perfection. I would have just added a little seasoning other than salt and pepper. The garlic spinach was nice and garlicky just like I like it. We enjoyed the shrimp fried rice as well. My husband had a seafood grill platter... it had stuffed shrimp, lobster tail, haddock and crab cake. He was able to substitute something that came on there for more shrimp. But I don't think they substituted it, they just omitted it because he only had two shrimp on the plate. But he enjoyed the meal. The restaurant is cute and the staff are extremely nice. They make you feel welcome. They gave my hubby some ice-cream and wrote happy birthday on the plate and put a candle in it. It was a nice touch. He was so full he didn't want dessert but he tasted the ice cream and loved how creamy it was. It was from a local place. It took us an hour and twenty minutes to get there from CT each way but it was worth the drive. We will return with family and friends.

I've been living out of state for years now but, when I'm home, a visit to The Sole never disappoints! We had a party of 10 on a Friday night which can be a tall order and still our server was so friendly and efficient. The seafood was prepared very well and is priced fairly. My crab stuffed shrimp over spinach and rice has my mouth watering as I type this. The atmosphere is also charming and homey while maintaining its classiness. Any chance you guys will be opening a location in Colorado sometime soon? :)

I haven't been to The Sole in many years. Today was the first Saturday they opened for lunch, and they had a good showing. Took my son. The Oysters Rockefeller and Spanish Octopus were amazing! So was the Sushi (we stayed on the lighter side for lunch). Our Server was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable (explaining the various oysters to us. My wife had to work, but we will go there for dinner very soon, and hopefully often!

I have been a resident of Worcester for over 40 years and have been a customer for years I recently was given a gift card of $100 by a client. I went to the restaurant with a colleague and presented the gift card at the end of the meal. I was advised that the card had a zero balance I showed the waiter the receipt and the envelope. The card receipt clearly demonstrating this was a $100 gift card that had been paid , the manager came over and stated that there must be a mistake on my part since this card must've been used since there is no balance. I said this was not possible, but was totally embarrassed how I was treated. A number of years ago, I had a Questionable experience where I was charged twice on my American Express card For the same dinner complaining to American Express I was able to get a receipt for the overcharge. This was totally embarrassing, and despite being a long-term customer, I will encourage my contacts not to go to this restaurant

We had reservations for 7 on Saturday night. There was a small crowd waiting by the host stand, but we were seated immediately away from the noisy bar area. The soft shell crab appetizer consisted of 2 very small sautéed crabs for $17. They were tiny but tasty. The fried clam appetizer for $27 was not as satisfying as those from a clam shack. These had an odd batter that hurt crunchiness. My husband liked his chowder and crab cake/lobster tail entree. The 3-scoop blood orange sorbet dessert would have been improved with a small cookie. Many patrons are casually dressed: Jean shorts, message t-shirts, flip-flops, trucker hats, so it didn't feel like a special place. The service was attentive.

Absolutely delicious seafood. Great service and beautiful ambiance. Half pound lobster roll was nothing short of amazing

Clean atmosphere my waitress was very nice but we all have a good and bad days. The food was fantastic too very fresh. I found it a little expensive but I guess when you want good food you're gonna pay for it and at the end of the day I felt it was worth it, if you want Highland Street in Worcester mass, I recommend you try it

Great service, atmosphere and food on a very busy Friday night. Everything was perfect.

Good cocktails, good service, fresh seafood, well-prepared. Overpriced, but not insanely so. If I found myself in Worcester again, I'd hit the Botnton across the street.

Great Experience! We had a reservation which I recommend. We were seated right away. Drink selection was good, I had a great Chardonnay and my wife had a a nice Riesling. We ordered appetizers, calamari and muscles and my son ordered his fish and chips. Everything was tasty, hot and abundant. Next we ordered the clam chowder and it was very nice, meaty and thick. By that time we were realizing that neither of us could eat an entire entree. Rather than wasting food (we couldn't take leftovers to our hotel) we split an order of risotto with lobster. It was done perfectly with nice chunks of lobster meat. Finishing was enough that the dessert was a no-go but my son had the flourless chocolate cake and he loved it. Overall great experience. This on is on our list of places to return. We will also be going to the sister restaurants in Mass. Big fan of this place!

Got food poisoning from their oysters before. It's a nice seafood restaurant though. The staff are nice and the inside of the restaurant has a very nice atmosphere. They do have good service. Parking can be a bit crowded if you come on a day that is busy. I do like when they add the giant crab on top of the building. I think it makes the outside of the building fun

We went for restaurant week, got the seafood pizza and salmon dish. The pizza was good and filled with seafood. Salmon dish was well seasoned. We also go the sangria for 2, was in one large fishbowl. Didn't fit the ambience and on the sweeter side. Ambiance was nice. Service was good, got waited on my multiple different servers.

Absolutely delicious food. Highly recommended. Parking is tough but worth it for sure. Live music is played sometimes so consider that it may not be a quiet sit down dinner.