Rita Mae’s

A curious little diner tucked away on the West side of the Merrimack River: A truly neighborhood restaurant, completely without pretension and patronized exclusively by locals (I found the place completely by accident and wanted to get out of the July heat). Not listed in any of the travel guides or local tourist brochures, but it sure should be! It was the first time I had poutine (cheese curds and french fries drenched in gravy), so, I have no frame of reference, but it was certainly tasty. The local accents in Manchester are interesting due to the mixture of French-​Canadians, English, Scots-​Irish, Greeks, Poles, Lithuanians, etc. and this is the place to experience that, but the menu appears to be tilted heavily French-​Canadian. The atmosphere is warm, friendly and possibly stuck in a more relaxed era. I think that’s a good thing.

Maybe breakfasts are good, but do yourself a favor and skip dinner on Friday, unless you like greasy onion rings, small portions and SLOOOWWW service.
Seafood combo portions were about enought for a 10 year old child… for $ 16.95, I expected an adult sized portion.
No wonder they only open one evening for dinner!
I doubt I will waste the effort to try them for breakfast… too many other good options around.

A hidden gem. If you blink, you’ll drive by it and miss it. The breakfast here is consistently excellent. We’ve been going there for years and have never once had a bad breakfast. They are only open one night (Fridays) for dinner and they are known for their fresh fish on that night. The staff is so friendly and know us by name and what we order. One of the waitresses will even sit and talk to us if it’s not busy and we catch up on what’s been happening since the last time we were there. the prices are extremely reasonable, probably the cheapest around, and the portion sizes are very generous. They decorate and dress up for holidays and if you ring their doorbell, it will usually play something relative to the season or holiday.

Breakfast — nothing special. Not bad. Not great. Price okay.
Service — slow and laid back but not bad.
I’d stop by again if I was in the area but would not go out of my way.
Charming atmosphere.

Pretty good breakfast. This is a hardcore local place, where everyone seems to know everyone else and will holler at them across several tables. They don’t serve homefries, they serve ‘skillet fries.’ Same thing, right?
Our waitress forgot to take our order after bringing the coffee. I couldn’t get too mad, though, as she was like one of those typical Yankee grandmas.
They also have a full bar there, which is so weird at a diner. Hey, it’s New Hampshire. Live Free or Die!

Everytime I am in the area and they are open I tend to get the Poutine, one of the best in the area and I never can get enough sometimes I have to order some to take home with me.

The interior was kitschy and windowless. I was a bit put off by the wrinkled clear plastic table covers, then I recalled that New Hampshire has some serious winters, and that is a good time to hole up in a kitschy color cave for some hot grub.
Service was friendly, food was hot, and my egg-​and-​cheese sandwich was hot and tasty. Very hot. Did I say they have winter in New Hampshire? This seems like a fine place to hole up for some good hot comfort food.

Just had my second visit to Rita Mae’s. Last time it was for lunch (very good) and this time for breakfast (very good as well).
Great retro décor — always something to look at and the wait staff is very friendly. Old school waitresses.
Food was fresh, no frills and very reasonably priced.
Would definitely recommend.

I do not know which I preferred better, the décor, or the food.
I believe the décor… an kitschy American mix of urban pop, to 50’s Doo wop.
I LOVED Herb Ritt’s poster of Madonna «True Blue 1984″!!»
The food is not bad either. Sassy waitress and surley serivce.
Sunday AM on the TV was AMC– Movie Classics. Cool!

The «soon to be famous» Rita Mae’s is a great place to stop for breakfast, lunch or brunch. Dinner served on Fridays until 8PM.
As soon as you enter the place, you’ll see lifesize Betty Boop cut-​out & Rita Mae (similar to Marilyn Monroe) figure and in the dining room, the tables have classic comic strips under the dining surface. Full service bar available.
The food we’ve had here is very tasty. The breakfast menu served all day offers egg dishes, omelettes, pancakes, French toast, corned beef hash, has browns, pan fries, and sides. The regular menu offers soups, chili, salads, appetizers, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, comfort entrees, pasta, seafood (F.F.F. –Fresh Fish Fridays), and desserts (pies, cakes, puddings). The prices are reasonable, most items in the $ 4.99-$ 9.99 range. Kids choices (under 12 yo) are offered.
The Pork Pie ($ 7.89) served with mashed potatoes & smothered in a rich gravy is pretty good and filling, taste on the salty side. The service is friendly and efficient at this fun neighborhood eatery.
NOTES: Seating for up to 40 people, no personal checks accepted, credit cards accepted ($ 10 minimum)
HOURS: Sat:-Thurs: 6AM-​2PM; Fri: 6AM-​8PM

I love Rita Mae’s! We drive into Manchester (about 40 minutes) every 2 weeks or so just to have brunch at Rita Mae’s. They have a full menu, but I can only comment on the breakfast/​brunch foods. Being a brunch addict myself, I’m always on the lookout for a good place with reasonable prices. A friend of ours recommended them just after they opened and we’ve been going back ever since.
Along with the great food, they have a nice «neighborhood» feel, with a retro diner look. Service is good. I recommend trying it out.