Kettle-Ho Restaurant & Tavern

Oh gurrrl, the lobster roll you don't even KNOW!

Minimal expectations for a local with 90% of the clee-ahn-tell perched around the bar drinking domestic longnecks. They knew each other, and not us - the five pack of sailors who caught a mooring and were looking to quell thirsts and sate appetites.

Foods you'd expect on a license plated, NCAA flag-bearing brew pub with one minor twist: the lobster roll (a special at $22) is outrageously delicious!

And bountiful? The toasted buttered split top bun didn't stand a chance against what had to be four claws worth of the of bug, steamed proper and practically unbroken, tossed in a bit of mayo and strewn across a lettuce leaf moisture barrier. Tender, well-seasoned and undeniably fresh, the plate had me in silent awe. Physically. Because my mouth was full.

Free refills on soft drinks, and the servers are sweeter than a molasses flood (too soon?). Adequate fries and a mild slaw played their part, but by golly, did that roll rock! Interrobang.

Around 7:00p on a summer Friday night, we happened on a spot on the curb in front, which translated to a table for 4 in about 20 minutes.  Lucky for me, there is a playground around the corner that kept the toddler engaged while the gentlemen took advantage of the local brews on tap.  

Once seated, we started with onion rings.  Our local expert explained the pride that New Englanders take in their onion rings, and it was clear in the  large plate piled high of perfectly golden rings.  Rather than the heavily floured batter that easily separates from the onion itself that I've seen too much of lately, these lightly-battered rings were crisp and tasty - not too greasy and not separating.

While I'd heard good things about the burger, I couldn't miss the seafood this close to the coast.  I had the fish and chips.  Again, I appreciated the ratio of batter to fish, and that it was crispy, not soggy.  The fries were decent, nothing special.  My main disappointment was that they didn't have malt vinegar, only the tartar sauce that is served with the dish.  I'm not a fan of coleslaw in general, and the accompanying coleslaw did nothing to remedy that.  I got a bite of fried shrimp and fried calamari.  The batter on all of it tasted about the same and had a good amount of crispiness.

My phone was dying, but our server was kind enough to plug it in and keep an eye on it near the bar.

The place was quite busy, so while the server didn't rush us, we hurried out the door to give our spot to others who were waiting.

Great local place that was welcoming for tourists as well!

Great burger! Owners and waitstaff always welcoming. Lots of local color- comfortable  low key socializing for all ages-what more could you ask for in a hyper local pub?