Brown Dog Restaurant — Restaurant in Ipswich

Nestled in the picturesque town of Ipswich, Massachusetts, Brown Dog at 14 Central St. is an exemplar of the quintessential New England bar and restaurant. If you're looking to escape Boston's hustle and bustle for the day, perhaps after a scenic tour of Crane Castle, this venue provides a soulful culinary retreat.

Overall Service: 4.13/5 Foods: 4/5; Service: 4.5/5, Ambiance: 4/5, Cleanness: 4/5

If you're a seafood aficionado, you'll appreciate the quality that comes with locally-sourced produce. The award-winning clam chowder, for instance, is a revelation. The rich, velvety texture coupled with a robust blend of flavors makes it a must-try item on the menu.

For those who lean more towards the land than the sea, the pizzas come highly recommended. The pies offer that sublime combination of a crisp crust and oozy, well-seasoned toppings that will have you planning your next visit before you've even left.

The staff strikes the perfect balance between professionalism and local friendliness. Whether you're a seasoned regular or a first-time guest, you're made to feel as if you belong. Adding to the appeal is the charming interior. Pictures of dogs adorn the walls, a detail that particularly delighted me (I know I’m biased here), and local artwork is thoughtfully displayed, even available for purchase. The atmosphere is both inviting and comfortable, embodying the very essence of what a New England bar and restaurant should be.

Areas for Improvement: While the venue scores high across multiple categories, there are areas for fine-tuning. (2) The calamari, though featuring a thin and crispy batter, could benefit from using a larger size of squid. This would enhance the textural contrast between the batter and the meat, making for a more balanced and satisfied bite into the ocean treasure. (2) Another minor hiccup was the men's restroom door, which was in need of repair...

We stopped in here on our way home from the beach with friends, and while most of our experience was positive, one interaction left us feeling disappointed.

First, I'd like to commend most of the staff for their overall friendliness. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted by a very welcoming team member who went out of her way to accommodate our group of six. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch her name, but she made us feel right at home. Our server, Kelly, was also fantastic—attentive, friendly, and always checking in to make sure we had everything we needed.

However, our experience was dampened by another member of staff, who was not our server. While my wife was in the bathroom with our 2-year-old, I stayed at the table with our friends and their 2-year-old. Their child wasn’t being disruptive, but when the food was delivered, the staff member—a tall individual with long reddish/blonde hair—leaned over and snarkily said, "Shhh. There’s no need to shout. This is a restaurant." to the child.

We had chosen BrownDog thinking it was a family-friendly restaurant, especially since they have a kids' menu, but this comment felt unnecessary and condescending, as the child wasn’t causing a scene. The remark came across more like passive-aggressive parenting advice, which was both embarrassing and inappropriate. This same staff member also gave us unfriendly looks throughout the rest of the meal, which only added to the discomfort. To make matters worse, when we were leaving, the same staff member held the door for us and let it go as my pregnant wife was walking out, all but slamming it in her face.

I emailed the restaurant on Sunday, but I have yet to receive any response. Seemingly the manager or owner has little interest in addressing the issue or resolving the matter....

First time there. Owners son waited on us. Very nice and polite but you could tell that he was definitely new at the job. They seemed a little overwhelmed by the crowd. Lots of takeout and all outside seats taken. Ordered a wedge salad and a"fish" sandwich which was described as beer battered haddock. Waited about an hour for the food, which was explained to us as due to takeout. At that point, we asked for the salad first but both came out at that point. The poor kid, forgot our plates, dinnerware, napkin, dressing and tarter. He was so busy and distracted. We ate the fries and some salad with our fingers. Haha. The fries were great! The salad was ok. The sandwich was not so good. The batter was undercooked and rubbery on top but done on the bottom. The "fish" tasted either previously frozen or just wasn't right. We hadn't tasted it yet when asked how things were, due to lack of tarter sauce. I'm not sure if it actually was haddock but it just was disappointing. Could've just been an off night. Still tipped over 25%. We didn't have the chance to actually talk to anyone...