Black Trumpet - Portsmouth, NH

“The Black Trumpet was fantastic. The staff was welcoming, and the menu options were great. Shout out to Nick in the kitchen for his hospitality and delicious cooking!”

“We dined at Black Trumpet for the first time and were blown away. The atmosphere is quintessential Portsmouth—historic, intimate, and warm. We sat on the second floor, which offered a fantastic view of the harbor and the tugboats. We started with the house-made spread and bread, which was the perfect opening act, followed by the Chef’s Meze Plate. The variety of flavors on that platter was incredible. For the main course, the Seafood Paella was a standout—fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The wine selection was excellent, but what truly tied it all together was the outstanding service. The wait staff was professional and welcoming from start to finish. Everything was delicious; we highly recommend this spot for anyone looking for a memorable meal in town!”

“This was my second time dining at Black Trumpet. The service has always been great and consistent. The dining spaces are beautiful. I can appreciate the diversity and creativity in the menu. I personally just did not think the food tasted like much and for the price, you expect more. I would have rather eaten at home. I give it four stars because of the service and atmosphere.”

“Enjoyed dining on the first floor as we both enjoyed the ambiance. Wife totally loved her fin fish halibut on the menu as it arrived steaming hot. I ordered the duck breast which was good but needed a chain saw to slice. Drinks and deserts were reasonable but I wasn't happy with the 3% service charge added to the bill. Never advised upfront that this would happen so I always tip 3% less. Not fair to the waiters who were very good so I may have shortchanged him. I will go back and adjust the tip based on my final bill. Just increase your menu priced by 3% and suffer the consequences.”

“The third time was not a charm. First visited a few years ago and had a good experience. Returned to celebrate an anniversary and specifically tried to reserve the same nice upstairs window table we first had, only to be placed near the busy front door. We returned this third time because we had a gift certificate. Having some dietary restrictions, some of our party of 4 had looked at the website menu and pre-decided on items, only to find a different menu. The switches included the one vegetarian entree. We went at 5:30 on a weekday, it wasn't busy. Nevertheless, appetizers we ordered to share were forgotten. Two of us ordered first courses which arrived before the appetizers. To be polite, we held off on eating them until the other couple got the appetizers. But then our entrees started arriving. We mentioned the missing items and received a half-hearted “sorry about that" with the explanation being “a printer problem". The appetizers became our side dishes. At such a pricey high end restaurant, one might expect the apps or at least a drink or two to be comped due to that omission. To their credit, all food was very good. But portions were noticeably small, especially the salad and the gnocchi entree. The Trumpet is often at the top of lists of Portsmouth restaurants. Although the food quality is deserving, the service and attention to detail, at least in our repeated experience, are certainly not.”