Harpoon Willy’s

5 starts for the view and the affordable drinks!
I did not eat here, but came about ²⁄₃ times on my recent vacation. The view is awesome and a great place to hang out on a summer night.
I also really liked their playlist, lots of indie music.
drinks are cheap and they make a good margarita

THAT VIEW THOUGH. I love that this place is tucked away on the pier by the water. The location and fresh seafood menu make this a regular funday stop for us every time we’re in Portsmouth.

This is our favorite summer drinking spot in Portsmouth. We come here with friend who is a local chef. Right on the water… cheap drinks, salt air, tug boats, foggy sunsets. Perfect summer evening. Haven’t tried the food.

Went here for lunch with my Dad and cousin and was happy that we chose it.
First, the view was spectacular as we sat on the deck overlooking the Piscataqua River. I chose one of my go-​to foods when I’m on the east coast: Haddock. In this case, a Haddock sandwich. The fish was fresh, flaky and delicious and its accompanying bun was good too.
Overall, this place awesome. Only four stars because I found the stool uncomfortable. I hope that’s not too petty.

My wife and I stopped for some chowder. We both thought it lacked flavor and was a bit too watery.
Outside view from deck looking on river and the atmosphere were cool.

Folks reviewing need to know what to expect… And it’s one of the most relaxing and fun places to have drinks outside in town. Great views, great bartenders. I have never eaten the food but always enjoy the views and drinks. It’s a hole in a wall that is a great stop on any summer night.

Has the hole in the wall vibe to it which I love and the drink prices were pretty good. The haddock sandwich with their homemade tarter sauce was great, can’t go wrong with it!

loud outdoor bar on the water — lots of smokers though which is a major turnoff for me

I feel bad about this rating because for years I have told people that this is the best place in Portsmouth. But I left there tonight thinking I won’t be back for one reason: SMOKING. You could not be anywhere without being overwhelmed by smoke. I guess this is legal on a deck, but none of the other places allow it. I really am sad about it, but I won’t be back. This also seems to draw a different crowd, and not really a good one.

We had such a blast here! Aaron the bartender was great, and even the other customers were awesome! The clam basket was amazing and reasonably priced. They could use a few more beers on the menu, but we were happy! Great spot on a hot day!

Small place right on the water … Perfect for an afternoon cocktail on a lovely fall day. Service was friendly and cool. Not a place I would go for fine dining but brews and some seafood sure… count me in …

This the most popular deck to hang out on in Portsmouth and have drinks in the summer. It gets so packed you may feel like a sardine. The reason is that the locals love to sit on the water and be able to drink and smoke cigarettes at the same time.
They do have a food menu, I have once last summer at a friend’s urging and had the Boneless Buffalo Wings and they weren’t too bad.

Nice dive bar: the last at the end of the pier. I only had drinks.

Very casual atmosphere, we went for lunch and drinks in July and also a couple more times in the fall. Perfect for a sandwich and drinks while sitting on the deck watching the tuggies go by in the hahhbah.
We’ve also been to the place next door and I found them to be a bit «trying too hard» for a little place on the water. I will, for sure, go back to Harpoon Willys.

Locals place? Not where I would go. Nice staff but over priced food, they even charge for refills of soda. Fries were done in old oil, the onion rings were good though. Food was ok, over priced tourist trap, what’s a view worth?

I’ve recieved a few comments about my review and the food at Harpoons. My answer is «yes». To this I mean that Harpoons does have a menu (grilled hot dogs are a safe bet), but its nothing to write home about. Its decent of you’re enjoying the abmiance and drinks.
Note…Harpoons, because it is outside, still allows smoking. Be forewarned. No bottles or glass either. If its beer, its in a can. Drafts are in plastic cups. Sit at the bar for better service. The tables can get iffy.
Welcome back for another season Buell, Leader of the Pink Ponies

At Harpoon Willy’s Corona is served in can with a lime wedged in the top, while you sit on a weathered dock. Enough said.
Very casual. Wicked awesome. You can always get in when all of the other portsmouth decks have lines out the door.
By Far the best of the «decks.»

We had planned on going to Harpoon Willy’s for lunch because we’d never been there and because another reviewer had said that this is where the real locals go. Since we live within walking distance, we wanted to check it out. We showed up at lunchtime on the first sunny, 70 degree Friday of the season. There was nobody eating lunch, 5 or 6 locals drinking, and a waitress (apparently) that was confused to see someone drop by for lunch. There were specials on the wall, but no one was eating so we decided against it. I guess we could have stayed for a drink but we were hungry. The fact that all the other decks were full of diners and this one didn’t have any told us all we needed to know. We moved on but I can’t say that the food was bad. 3 stars because I can’t say anything good or bad about the food or service.
Update (4÷25÷08): An article in
said that after Harpoon Willy’s opened, it was closed because «it had failed to address concerns in a letter from the city health officer at the close of last season.» Maybe that’s why no one was eating. Here’s the article:
Once they’re open, it means that everything was fixed and the inspector’s happy. I’m not trying to scare anyone away and for all I know, the food could be really good.

What can I say, Harpoon Willy’s is cool. Wouldn’t eat there. But it’s a great place in summer to watch sunset over those three wonderful tugboats. Throw on jeans and a sweatshirt, have a cocktail on the deck.
Strong drinks so watch out. Loud classic-​rock music. This is good New Hampshire authenticity. It’s messy hair, spilled ketchup, and fresh air in summertime. Good fun.