Blue Buffalo Tavern — Restaurant in Newport

We had high hopes for Blue Buffalo Tavern based on the glowing reviews, but unfortunately, our experience didn’t match the hype.

First red flag was calling ahead to make a reservation. No answer, just repeated trips to voicemail.

When we arrived, we stood at the entrance for a few minutes before someone acknowledged us. A man in a tavern shirt approached but didn’t say anything at first, just stared at us. Eventually, he asked if we had a reservation. I explained we had tried calling but couldn’t get through. He then seated us near the bar.

It took quite a while before anyone returned to take an appetizer order. We got the pretzel, which was tasty and the cheese dip was solid, but the portion was shockingly small. Basically, two little logs.

For the main course, three of us ordered burgers: one rare, one medium rare, and one medium. All three arrived well done and unfortunately lacked flavor.

Appalachian Brewing Company was offering a few beers onsite. We tried a couple lagers that were okay, but nothing special.

Pricing felt steep for what we received. The food and service didn’t reflect what you'd expect at those price points. With all the five-star reviews, we were expecting something much better. Sadly, that wasn’t the case for our party of four.

We don’t plan on returning. The concept and ambiance might aim for upscale tavern dining, but the execution was lacking...

We heard this was a great new restaurant and like to support local but it was a big disappointment. The scallops wrapped in bacon were very good There was a special of Salisbury steak with a baked potato, and my husband said it was very, very salty. Fettuccine Alfredo was nothing special. The Alfredo tasted like it came out of a jar. I definitely needed pepper because it was pretty bland. And the salad with scallops on top with blush pears was a disaster. The salad greens were nice, but the scallops pears and blueberries were a pile of mush, just sitting on top of the greens. The side salads look nice, although they were very small, but they also looked like they had been sitting on top of each other inside of the refrigerator. On a positive note the fries, Wings and chicken fingers were good. My son said the catfish was good, but the portion was small

Our waitress, barely keep up with the tables she had so the kitchen staff ended up, bringing our...

Nice relaxing atmosphere. Food was so good. When first glancing the menu, prices seemed a bit high. However, after the relaxed service, quality of food, friendly staff, and addition of music as well, it was well worth the price. Steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The mushroom appetizer was so simple, but delicious. Wings were spot on. Crispy, juicy, and the buffalo sauce - yum! Also tried the caramelized squash medley and roasted Brussels sprouts, both delicious. Live entertainment on the patio was a nice addition. Can’t wait to...