The Harp On Church

It's not really fair to judge an Irish pub by a single visit on Saint Patrick's Day, but I had a good time and I'm happy to pass along the joy.

It's not a big place, and it sure was full when I arrived to hear a friend's band play. We stood for a bit, and then a couple invited us to take their table as they were on their way out - we were very grateful.

They were serving a limited menu for the holiday, featuring corned beef, of course. My daughter polished off the entire corned beef and cabbage dinner, somewhat to my surprise (there was a lot of it), and I had no difficulty with my Reuben. Our waitress was positively effervescent, even in the midst of the crowd.

All this, plus a solid tap list, wins them three stars. They get the fourth for the good musical taste to invite my friend's band to play for them on Saint Patrick's Day. And at some point, I'd like to go back to see what else the kitchen can do.

we love harp on church, first we love it turned an ole time local restaurant into a new place, but we all feel the love of buds!!! we enjoy the shepherds pie and the guiness stew.......excellent lil addition!!!

We're new to Yelp so we're going to try to avoid defaulting to "excellent" ratings for places we really like but we do love the Harp. We've been about a dozen times since they opened a few months ago and have been really impressed. For starters they have taken an old greasy spoon location and turned it into one of the most comfortable and convivial places in the area. On our first visit it felt like we had been going there for years. It's a family run place and they seem to be enjoying themselves which contributes to the overall vibe. The service is friendly and casual but professional and timely. The owner/chef is a Johnson and Wales (Providence) grad and this guy can cook. The menu is limited (sandwiches, salads, stews) but they do two or three specials on the weekend that are more in line with entrees you would see elsewhere. We usually go on weekends and order the specials and have never been disappointed. Fish and chips, surf and turf, lobster or shrimp risotto (killer), swordfish, mussels (with perfectly grilled homemade toast) and salmon are just some of dishes we've enjoyed. The preparation shows through in individual attention to each plate without being too fancy. Tasty but not heavy handed. Good sized portions and reasonable prices. Reservations on weekends are a good idea and if there are only two of you, don't hog the big booths, seating is limited. There's also a horseshoe bar that's pretty lively.