Orleans Public House

What a great place. Atmosphere was fun on the outdoor deck. Everyone was welcoming and went out of the way to insure a great experience
The bartender was knowledgeable about pairing wine with entrée. Our waiter was very professional and suggested great specials. The evening ended with a fresh cup of coffee and outstanding blueberry cheese cake. We will definitely be back again

Unfortunately, unimpressed. Decided to go here, based on other Unilocal reviews, with my wife and six-​year-​old son after an almost 4 hr drive to the Cape. Although friendly enough, the service was haphazard, or perhaps more accurately, out of sync between each of us and between servings.
Regarding food and beverage, my wife ordered a Mohito, which is her favorite drink. For the first time since discovering Mohito’s over 10 years ago, she had to send it back. As a native of the Boston area, I looked forward to my order of cod cakes and Boston baked beans. It tasted bland at best. My son had a hamburger and fries, which were fine.
Although it was on a Saturday night, it was also near the beginning of the tourist season. Perhaps they were not at their best. However, there are so many good restaurants in the Orleans/​Wellfleet area, there’s no reason for us to return there.

okay, we were there three years ago when the restaurant was brand new; went back on saturday night. wish i could say something good about this place, but it was just awful. awful, awful, awful.
place is decorated very nicely. bar and restaurant area is very cute.
however, that’s where the compliments end.
wait staff is like «dear in the headlights». very nice and sweet, but totally clueless. took 20 minutes to get water, then bread came out after we had ordered drinks (30 minutes). sorry, but the menu was just so plain.
next, the quality of the food was just bad. the fisherman’s stew had a sauce that literally was like hunts tomato sauce out of a can. i asked my wife and daughter to try it to make sure i wasn’t nuts; consensus was the same. no excuse on that one.
my daughter ordered some fancy mohito. like other reviewers, we found it to be undrinkable. i love mohitos and tried it after she couldn’t drink it, and i almost gagged. finally, my wife ordered medium rare burger; it was raw in the middle. not rare, raw.
all up, horrible service, menu is plain and awful, and chef or cook staff are in over their heads. this place is just not good. can not recommend at all. sorry.
sorry OPH, but you need to get your act together before expecting any positive reviews.
jw

My favorite in this part of the Cape.
The food is well prepared and doesn’t try to pretend to be anything else.
The casual atmosphere is nice for a pub and its always service with a smile.
But I must disagree with another reviewer — this is not a place for little kids.

I was here last summer. It was busy, and the service showed it. Tried it again. Service was much improved. Food was good last year, and good again. Interesting menu… Changes seasonal adds. Not nearly as crowded, so service was quite good. This (and most cape places) are great when its not super busy. Go and enjoy.

The service was very slow, but I felt that the quality of the food made up for that. We were in a larger group of 9 so that might have had something to do with it. Much of the staff did not speak English well, so expect to be bounced between employees when you have a question. Friendly enough, though. Seems to fill up very fast. I’d definitely call ahead if you have a big party like we did.
They had a nice, wide selection of drinks on the menu. I appreciated some of the less common items, like ginger beer and hard lemon and apple ciders. The food was spectacular all around. If money is your concern, this might not be the best choice, but the lobster mac n’ cheese was AWESOME. If you tell your server that you are sharing an entrée, they will accommodate you with an extra bowl/​plate, and split the meal in the kitchen. For example, they cut the lobster tail in half the long way for my shared dish.
Definitely on the nicer side for attire. Parking at the restaurant is very limited, but there is a larger lot across the street for overflow. All in all, I’d go back for special occasions, but not sure if I’d take a family with young kids there. One neighboring table had a screaming toddler that received more dirty looks than they deserved from other patrons.

My cod sliders were ok but not great. The rolls were dry and the sauce was scarce. The cod cakes didn’t taste homemade so i felt like I was eating something that had been frozen. We chose to eat at the bar so the service was less than attentive. They did have a great craft beer and wine selection so I’d probably recommend it more for a drink than to eat.

The five stars are well-​deserved. Service was flawless and the cuisine excellent. We shared the fried calamari, the best we’ve ever had. The steak/​frites and lobster mac and cheese (the latter unfortunately only on the soon-​ending summer menu) were equally excellent! We are locals who will definitely come back to sample the fall menu.

This is a mixed review. Spice rub tuna was excellent. Also ordered steak & frites medium. The problem was the steak was overcooked. No pink at all. We attempted to get our server Desi attention, waited about 5min for her to check get to us (room was ½ full). I told her my steak was over done. She said looked medium. Was to tired to argue about it. She seemed sweet, just totally untrained. She didn’t offer to get me another. Which was too bad cuz it put bad spin on what would have been a great casual meal. I could tell it was a good piece of meat, as was tender but not cooked to my request.
Food good, service leaves to be desired.

This place is awful! The host was totally unprofessional. They had our party of 8 race down to the restaurant at 5:15 so that we could be seated (so they said) only to arrive to be told they gave our table away in the 10 minutes it took to get there. They said it would be an hour and a half wait. With elderly parents and two kids, that was not going to work. The restaurant was nearly empty, so I’m not sure what the deal was but suspect this guy likes to screw around with tourists. When I asked why he told us to come down he had no answer and was totally unapologetic. Alls well that ends well as we went to the Captain Linnell House and had one of the most memorable meals we’ve had in a long while. It made the cheesy, slightly shabby Orleans Public House (a converted bungalow or something) look bush league.

Although I have to strongly disagree that this place is «good for kids» they were accommodating to our family and we had a nice meal. We were underdressed, which is tough on the Cape, but we were also, thankfully, on the early side. There is an inside and outside. We ended up inside due to some confusion and although I didn’t see the deck, I’ve got to imagine we’d have been better off outside with our kids.
The food was good and the service was good. We had the heirloom tomato salad which was good, not amazing. We also had the lettuce wraps which were also good, not amazing. The kids all had pasta, which was typical and plain and expensive.
The ambiance of this place was nice and the menu was refreshingly different for the Cape but we were out of place with our kids. I don’t think I’d go out of my way to go again but if you’re local to Orleans it’s a nice change from standard fish and chips you get everywhere.

Just had a wonderful last dinner here on the Cape. They were very accommodating when we came in and we were able to sit down at a lovely booth within a few minutes. Everything we ordered was delicious from the gazpacho to the steak/​frites to the Veal Ragout. It really exceeded our expectations. Atmosphere was nice but casual without being fancy at all. Just what we were in the mood for — not a clam shack but not a fancy meal. Would highly recommend. Good value too.

Love this place great for kids and amazing chowder. World class Gazpacho and the grill salmon crusted with sesame seeds was perfect. Great value great place.

This was honestly one of the best American meals I have ever had. This restaurant is not extremely popular, but it attracts a large crowd. Location is great, a little bit off Main St., with a large parking lot. I love their indoor and outdoor seating. The ambiance was lovely, romantic, yet casual. This place is perfect for couples, small families, or social gatherings. The service was fantastic, extremely attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and making us feel as if we made the right decision to eat here and not elsewhere. The menu is a modern spin on bar food, with an array of appetizers, salads, a handful of sandwiches and burgers, and a selection of entrees, such as salmon, steak, lobster Mac and cheese, etc. Their seafood selection was quite large and all of it was very fresh. We started off with their cod cakes. They were amazing. The cod wasn’t fishy smelling, with light and crisp, and was excellently seasoned. It was served with sweet corn in a light sauce, herbs, and something really yummy that reminded me of a syrup, but I couldn’t decide what it was. We had their Public Burger, which was large and cooked perfectly medium. The burger itself was fantastic, but the sauces were crazy good. Their BBQ sauce was terrific and the garlic aioli was one of the best dipping sauces I have ever had. Their fries were fresh and crisp. I ordered the lobster sliders (they were $ 17 but the price changes.) They meal came with three sliders and a large amount of fries. The lobster sliders were very good, although there was a pretty strong taste of lemon or some kind of citrus. The lobster itself was perfect, with large chunks of meat in it. They were cute and the dish was really delicious. The best dish of the night was the sesame encrusted salmon with jasmine rice and bok choi, playing on an Asian dish. The salmon was perfectly cooked, fresh, and was a generous sized fish portion. It was also seasoned well and the sesame seeds were a nice touch. The rice was amazing, infused with some sort of herb or spice. The bok choi, surprisingly, was the star of the dish. It was cooked in a saltwater base as opposed to the usual sink water. They were the rice consistency, were quite large, and lacked that bitter taste most bok choi have. Overall, this place is a must for people who are sick of fried seafood and want it seafood and American food presented in an elevated way.

June 28 was our 35^th wedding anniversary, but I had been batting an illness, so we decided to postpone our «real» dinner and eat at the local pub. However, that establishment was very crowded, so we walked over to Orleans Public House, where we had eaten tasty casual fare a couple times before. After this visit, I decided to write a review because we both agreed that this was one of the best dining experiences we’ve ever had. We’ve been summer visitors to the Cape for over 40 years, and are lucky to have moved here recently from Philadelphia, where we dine out regularly at the many wonderful restaurants the city has to offer.
From the décor, which is beautifully modern and eclectic (some leather booths, some stainless steel topped tables, some high bar tables, a lovely outdoor area, though it was a bit too chilly to go out), to the service, which was perfect — friendly, but not overly so, attentive, and knowledgeable, to the food, which was sublime, this was a 5 star experience. We ate from the Spring menu, which will soon be changed. We started with very generous portions of delicious soup — my husband the New England Clam Chowder and me, the Ginger Beet, a pureed soup made rich with coconut and scallions. For our main course, I had the pan-​seared scallops with cauliflower purée, heirloom carrots, English peas, and pancetta butter. I am a scallop lover and have eaten many, many scallop dishes on the Cape. This dish was imaginatively conceived, perfectly prepared, and beautifully presented. The heirloom carrots were so delicately flavored — and putting the dish over a cauliflower purée was inspired! My husband ordered the ricotta gnocchi with short rib ragout, sauteed mushrooms, peas, parmesan, and truffle essence. He hates peas, so the chef was kind enough to leave them out. He also usually finds gnocchi uninspiring, but he raved about this dish. We savored every bite. Although we had no room for dessert, the dessert menu offered looked suitably minimal and light.
So, we went to this restaurant as a second choice, and ended up feeling rewarded with a top ten dining experience, custom made for celebrating a long and loving marriage. PS I can’t believe another reviewer who was there taste same evening and seemed to enjoy his meal, gave the restaurant only 2 stars because it didn’t use a «traditional martini glass?» Yeesh!

This was our second visit to the restaurant and the first time this summer. The ambiance is clean and modern. (The space was nicely updated from the previous restaurant at this location.) We find it difficult to categorize a menu that offers a Pad Thai, Gnocchi, Po’ Boy, Poutine (I had to Google it) and Asian chicken to name a few. If your group has varied culinary requirements, you will find variety on this menu.
We both tried the Ribeye and were pleased with quality of the steak, the sauce, as well as the sides. The mashed potatoes were actually piped onto the plate. The food gets good marks.
The major shortfall for us though was the way the martini was served. It was served in what can be described as champagne glass or desert dish. And although a specific vodka was ordered, the taste of the martini was off the mark. Perhaps too much ice water remained in the cocktail shaker? Not sure. But it is hard to understand why a tavern that is trendy in many ways did not provide a traditional martini glass.
Will we go back? Not sure.

Not that OPH needs another 5-​star review… This is the real deal: creative, fresh, well prepared food.
–Chicken and rice croquettes in romesco sauce was delish. (next visit might have this app with a salad and it would make a very satisfying meal)
–pan roasted chicken breast with red bliss potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts, sauteed mushrooms, pancetta, and whole-​grain mustard cream sauce was excellent
–server warned me that some think the crispy fried shrimp in a red curry-​coconut sauce was too spicy, but I thought it was just the right amount of heat – served with jasmine rice, snap peas, carrot, bell pepper – and there was nothing left on that plate!
The wine pour was plentiful (rare these days).
The website states «Offering a Modern Take on Classic Pub Fare,» and while that may be true (ie. burgers, sandwiches), I’d say it’s way above pub grub.
Don’t think I’d brave traveling from P-​town on suicide 6 to Orleans in the summer, but thank goodness they’re open year round and will definitely return in the off seasons.

My husband and I are Orleans year rounders and love trying new places. We are foodies for sure! We have been meaning to try this place for quite some time and just haven’t gotten around to it. Well, we were very happy dining here. The food was excellent. The warm squash salad was absolutely delicious. Highly recommended. My Beet and root vegetable risotto was also outstanding. My husband had the pan seared chicken and it was heavenly. Cooked to perfection… moist and tender and flavorful. It was a very lively atmosphere and Josh the waiter was excellent. He had the right amount of attentiveness, and the other waitstaff help each other out if any one of them is «in the weeds» or too busy to get to a table.
The only thing we had trouble with was the noise level. Since the place was packed, we had a hard time hearing each other as it was very loud in the dining room. We suggest some type of sound absorbers as other restaurants plan this into their construction.
We plan to go back, for sure, and bring some of our friends who have yet to go here.
Kudos to the chef, owner and waitstaff!

I am born and raised Cape Codder. Living in NYC now I have a very refined taste for good food and ambiance. This place has it all. It brings local food to a whole new level. I come home to enjoy my roots, my family and my favorite foods from growing up. This place reminds me of all that, like I’m in my dad’s kitchen all over again.
I’m telling you this place is amazing, please come and enjoy the incredible food!

We bought a pay 10 get 20 off of Unilocal.Good deal. We arrived 7:30 to a packed house. Everything was streamlined and efficient. We had a cozy end booth which we appreciated. Our waitress was great in all regards. The menu is small which I prefer. My boyfriend and I shared the buffalo spring rolls which were good. My gf had chowder which I tasted and loved and her partner had a lovely roasted beet salad. The bread and dipping oil are both house made and delicious.
For dinner, I had the Po Boy sandwich which was very good. She had the Cajun Chicken sandwich which she liked as well. Her partner had the Southern Fried Chicken which he loved and my bf had the roasted cod which he too loved. My Margaritas were good. all cocktails and wine in fact were perfect. Our bill for two was 96.00. Very nice spot for sure. a welcome addition to the Orleans dining scene.