Alberto’s Riverside & The Barn Tavern

The Barn Tavern is CLOSED and has been replace by The Farm Bar and Grille.
The Barn was pretty good but a little overpriced. But, the deck had one of the best views in Dover — you’re out of town, so you see more open space and less old mill bricks. The Farm already has a stable of reviews on Unilocal and has been trying to get their name out there through things like participating in Dover Restaurant Week.

Got a really great meal here the other night. Sat on the screened in porch (why don’t more restaurants have this? It’s genius!). The place is situated right over the river, so it has a great serene vibe. The atmosphere is somewhere between a fancy restaurant and your parents cabin in the woods.
The bread here warmed not only my mouth but also my soul– it was so mouthwateringly perfect. The cinnamon butter I wasn’t such a fan of. Maybe for dessert. But the rolls were amazing dry.
I got the grilled salmon with saffron risotto and asparagus. My husband got the Asian salad. Mine was impeccable– grilled to perfection, seasoned perfectly, and the risotto was cooked flawlessly. Even the asparagus, which let’s face it is everyone’s least favorite veggie, was very tasty.
The Asian salad was not so much a salad as a bowl of spaghetti. That is a critique I can guarantee I have never used before. But when someone says salad, personally I think lettuce, carrots, maybe some cucumber or tomato… the lovely people here at the Barn Tavern think «cold noodles!»… so it’s a large bowl full of cold noodles, seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil, with 5 pieces of broccoli and some cut up leaves of cabbage. It kind of tasted like a stir fry that had been left in a fridge overnight.
Don’t get me wrong– we cleaned our plates. Waiters that weren’t even serving us came over and commented about how quickly we had eaten every last item. His noodles, however strange, were completely delicious.
The prices were a bit high for a kind of out-​of-​the-​way restaurant in a small town in NH, but I would gladly come back here. The quality and taste rivaled some of the better restaurants I have eaten at in New York City. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it…

Nice small plates and a fun deck for outside dinning. Not a very good beer selection, OK if you don’t want a bud.

I’ve always liked going to The Barn Tavern. Great, typically, year round. Patio windows are great.
Food is pretty good. Service is OK. Range of food is OK, I guess — its a very relaxed environment.
Good for Dover. A must eat! u

A good restaurant for Dover with a nice setting, but it could be better. I’ve been a few times, and I’ve liked it each time except for my most recent visit. Overall the food was overcooked, and under seasoned. We showed up near closing time so I think that could have had something to do with it…
Three stars won’t be my permanent review, because I’m going to give the them another shot in the future.

I just had an awful experience at this restaurant. I went with my husband and brother for an early dinner. We were the only people in the restaurant.
We ordered off the bar menu, because it was half-​price between 3−6PM. When we got the bill, we were charged full price for our food. We asked our waiter, who said it didn’t apply to us because we weren’t sitting in the designated «bar area.» The waiter agreed it was a silly rule, and he went to see if he could do something about it. Several minutes later, the owner came over, and in a very confrontational voice, said «What’s the problem?» We explained that we were confused about the rule, WHICH IS NOT STATED ANYWHERE ON THE MENU OR IN THE RESTAURANT, and he proceeded to belittle us, and tell us we should have known better. No apologies, no further explanation, and he didn’t offer to give us half prices. Had we been sitting at a table 3 feet away, we could have gotten the discount, but he refused to budge.
This owner needs a serious lesson in customer service. I’ll be sure to never step foot in this establishment again — and I’m making it a point to tell everyone I know the same.
By the way, the food sucks for the prices they charge.

Not cheap, but delicious!
We went on a hot day in late June, sat in the more casual section (the tavern) and were refreshed with excellent margaritas while we waited for the fourth member of our party. We had the mussels appetizer, which was served with a great broth. When we asked for bread to soak it up, we had to wait a few minutes until it was out of the oven, but the bread was worth the wait.
I ordered the seared tuna, which was perfectly done (read: barely cooked) as I’d requested. The spicy salsa topping was way too spicy for me, but it was easy enough to push to the side. Alongside was a roughly onigiri-​style rice cake that was deliciously toasted on the sides. Flavors were well-​balanced and the tuna was excellent.
My dining companions had a salmon special, a steak dish, and the mussels again, and all were happy and satisfied.
Prices seemed high compared to other Dover eateries, but the quality of the food, service and presentation was also a notch higher, accordingly.
Note: like some kind of Brigadoon, this place is very difficult to find. We went with some regulars who admitted that even though they come here a lot and know where it is, they drive right past it 3 out of 5 times. Maybe they need a bigger sign. But I sort of like being in on the secret of this place.

Located directly behind The Schooner House Inn, Alberto’s Riverside & The Barn Tavern offers two great menus in a charmingly restored carriage house.
The Barn Tavern offers great «pub» food while Alberto’s Riverside (which overlooks the Cocheco River) offers a little more gourmet selection (when I say «pub» food, its of a higher level than «chicken fingers in a basket».
Food and service has always been excellent (the standout being the always welcoming host who once offered to get us drinks while we waited).
Prices are reasonable and the place is well maintained. I recommend calling for reservations.
Note: this is not the old Barn Tavern.