Hemenway’s

Great food and service. Beautiful view of the river with gondolas. Our water was super nice and the food was delicious.

The Clams Casino and Oysters Hemenway for starters were both scrumptious. My 17 year son enjoyed the Clams Casino because of the piece of crispy bacon atop each clam. I liked them both! Oysters on the half shell were fresh and delicious. Noteworthy, the three gentleman working the Raw Bar treated my son and I like special guests. We’re a couple of mid-​westerners just looking for a good seafood restaurant, and Hemenway’s was highly recommended by the ladies working the front desk of the Hampton Inn and it didn’t disappoint. Oh! Did I mention the fresh pile of lump crab was to die for?

If you like seafood, this is the place to go. If you like drinks, this is the place to go. If you want a fancy date night spot, definitely the place to go. If you are vegetarian, may not be your best bet.
The food here is phenomenal. Definitely try some of the appetizers. Among the apps surprisingly my least favorite that I have had so far is the calamari. I think it’s flavor is quite bland whereas many of the other dishes are great. I recommend their platters that way you get a little bit of everything.
In terms of actual dishes the fan favorite is the stuffed lobster. They serve it as 1, 2, or 5lbs. I would say most boys can eat the two lbs by themselves whereas an average girl could be happy with the single lb if you have had appetizers. I personally love the duck duo and recently I tried the bluefish special which was great. I would have preferred a little more sauce on top of the latter but when I asked for a side of it they without hesitancy served it.
Wait time isn’t too bad either for dishes so that’s always nice. My favorite cocktail is by far the cucumber mojito. If you like fruity flavors I promise you won’t go wrong. I thought I would like the mezcalita but it wasn’t my cup of tee.
Overall it’s definitely one of the restaurants that gives providence the reputation as a food hub.

2014÷10÷29, family dinner with Idris and William Zheng for great seafood. Nice Boston lobster. Good service.

First, let me say that I carefully researched seafood restaurants in order to go to a great local seafood place on my last night in Providence. Everyone loves this place! So I can only guess I got the off night chef. Service was wonderful, very helpful. Blood orange martini was also quite good and refreshing.
Lobster bisque which I really was excited to order, was tasteless. He added sherry and pepper at the table, so it should have had some flavor, and it had some lobster in it, but it also had a ring of oiliness and some kind of thick and sticky substance; maybe the whole soup hadn’t been stirred enough?
The mussels were good and huge, but the sauce tasted neither of garlic nor wine.
The whole fish just wasn’t my cup of tea; again, it was supposed to be a simple olive oil, lemon roasting, but it didn’t even have much flavor at all. The crispy roasted cauliflower was tasty but not crispy.
For the price, I can’t in good conscious give this more than 3 stars. Flavored and textures were definitely off tonight.

I had the lobster ravioli and it was okay. I also had an iced coffee and it was super diluted.

Overrated.
In Providence on a business trip and my colleagues and I wanted to try the flavor of the city. Hemenways was highly rated, so we made reservations (glad we did because it was packed on a Tuesday night).
Service was prompt and their cocktail menu was good. I had a blood orange martini that was tasty and the bartender was not shy about the pour. We ordered the lobster bisque first since it was all the rage. We questioned our server on her favorites and, interestingly enough, they all coincided to the most expensive dishes on the menu.
A couple of us opted to eat the lobster and crab cakes as our meal and she insisted that two isn’t enough — three makes a meal, so we went with it. I had brussel sprouts with chestnuts as my side and my colleague went with the broccoli rabe.
The soup came and it was really tasty — creamy and full of lobster. I’ll give that 4 stars.
Our meals came and the cakes are really good size. I couldn’t get through two. The brussel sprouts were soggy and flavorless — with a tragic color. The broccoli rabe is merely steamed broccoli, so don’t get excited. The cakes are delicious with a spicy aioli, but I was already put off by the waitress insisting we get three (I hate to see the food go to waste and we didn’t have refrigerators in our hotel rooms).
We opted for dessert. We got the flourless chocolate cake and the goat cheese cheesecake. All were fine, nothing to have a meltdown over. It took me a few bites to get passed the goatiness of the cheesecake, but overall it was good.
The parking attendants at the valet were very sweet and happily took our leftovers, so I felt a little better. If you go, make reservations and opt for a couple of appetizers to share to get a feel for their menu. Portions are good size and they have multiple daily specials. You can’t go wrong with the lobster bisque and the bread is fresh and warm.

Reservations recommended. We went on a Tuesday night and the place was packed. People were dressed for a party. The room is very pretty. Nice bar. High ceiling with large windows. Dinner took two hours. Started with glasses of Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc, mussels and ceviche that had bite size pieces of fish – delightful. Wonderful entrees included red fish, swordfish, filet mignon, and seafood casserole. We shared dessert – Baked Alaska – perfect!

Awesome dinner. Started with oyster platter and calamari. The taste was perfection. Then moved in with the steamed lobster.
I highly recommend this place.
Back again in April 2016. This place hasn’t missed a beat. I recommend trying.

OMG one of the all-​time best meals I ever had.
The service was impeccable, our waiter was very friendly and helpful, providing information that assisted in my meal selection. We had the raw seafood sampler as an appetizer and it was perfect. The meal of scallops was sweet and tender. Then to end it all the perfect crème brûlée. We were able to take our time, never feeling rushed. We actually ended up moving to bar and the bartenter also was very friendly.
I had been here years ago and figured it might not be as good given the time that had past, but it was better than I remembered. Can wait to got back.

I wish my pallet would expand and diverse a bit more so I could truly enjoy the sea-​dishes that Hemenway’s has to offer. If you enjoy a great fish-​dish, with exceptional service in a beautiful atmosphere, Hemenway’s is an absolute must stop. However, fair warning that for those land-​lovers out there (like myself), the menu may be a bit challenging!

GREAT service and staff, the food was just ok, and for the price just ok is a little disappointing. The atmosphere is a little loud and doesn’t seem to know if it wants to be a sports bar or upscale seafood restaurant.
We were seated a half hour earlier than our reservations and it was nice to be offered darker napkins. That, and the hot towel after the dinner was extremely thoughtful. As I said, the service staff were amazing.
For our starters, we had the ceviche and lobster/​crab cake. The ceviche tasted and looked fresh but I would have loved more citrus. The lobster and crab cakes seemed to have a little too much breading for my taste.
The entrees we ordered were the lobster Mac and cheese and the paella. The lobster Mac and cheese tasted great (my wife made a great choice)! However there was a pile of sautéed spinach on the plate that seemed to just be an after thought and not go together with the main dish. The paella was ok, the saffron rice was undercooked and I got a few mouthfuls of sand with my mussels. But the flavor of the entire dish tasted well.
For dessert we had the vanilla bean crème’ brûlée; easily the best part of our meal! It wasn’t too sweet and tasted just right! However it was a little too rich and the texture seemed a little thick.
I hate sounding critical, but I feel with the prices that are paid, the food should’ve been better than ok. Maybe I ordered the wrong things, but again to end with a positive, the staff were amazing! My wife and I enjoyed ourselves because of them!

We had Martha’s vineyard oysters from the raw bar. It was yummy, mild flavor and extremely fresh. The seafood we had. and french wine vouvray was great pairings
Lobster bisque and chilled seafood salad was extremely delish!

4.5 stars for a great experience but not the best I’ve had. The staff was wonderful and deserves ⁵⁄₅ stars. The ambiance was louder than I expected since it was a big room with high ceilings. Dress was business casual or dressy, just no T shirts or flip flops type of place. Food quality overall was great.
1) 2 lbs Lobster — Great amount of meat on this one and the presentation was beautiful. The lobster was tender and juicy. The butter sauce didn’t add much to the flavor of it. I had it with truffle fries which they gave me about 5 thick sliced pieces and were delicious.
2) Lobster bisque — Added sherry to this one and the taste was amazing. There’s chunks of lobster in it and if you dip bread or add crackers, it’s amazing!
3) Martha’s Vineyard Oysters — Smooth, medium brine and medium saltiness. It was very smooth and flavorful and I enjoyed it.
Overall, I recommend this place for a casual date but it’s not too romantic because of its loud ambiance. They can accomodate small parties of 2 up to bigger parties of 6 – 10. I recommend coming in the daytime to see the beautiful setting outside its glass windows. Food quality was superb as well but get ready to pay top dollar for it.

Kudos to Hemenway’s once again! We arrived early for a customer dinner and took a seat at the raw bar and enjoyed some wine and shrimp cocktail. The rawbartenders were fantastic at knowing when to engage in conversation and when to let us chat.
We sat at our table along the window shortly after and our server was quick to come and take our drink, appetizer and dinner order. The food came out perfectly and in the appropriate time. Again, our server was there when we needed her but not intrusive.
The experience was wonderful and we all agreed that the night couldn’t have been better.
Great job again, Hemenway’s!

I found this restaurant from Unilocal reviews. And it was phenomenal!!! The ambiance was very nice and relaxing, in which I sat with a view of the water. It was beautiful to watch the sun set as I ate. And, the waiter was so nice and helpful! I got the tuna salad and my dad got the seafood pasta. Both were amazing and truly delectable. They even has gluten free bread rolls which was super amazing because I can never eat bread at restaurants due to my celiac disease. Overall great ambiance, delicious food, and great service

We went to Hemingways before opening night of Pippin at PPAC. We had our reservations for 6 and show time was 7. We happened to mention this in conversation with the most wonderful waitress in history. Don’t ya know she notified the kitchen and had our meal out on the table faster and more efficient than any place we have ever dined. Nancy is definitely the best at what she does. She went over each menu piece we questions on, gave her suggestions and took it upon herself to accommodate our tight schedule. It was so very much appreciated and because of her service we certainly will be back! She even came over to give us a time check and signed us up for the frequent diner card so now we have other wonderful restaurants to try! Thank you Nancy and Hemingways for a meal to remember!

Updated review from my most recent visit. The food is so good! Went with a big party and they did a great job of dealing with our group of 12. The seating was a bit tight on the bench — a table would have been better, so ask for that if you have a big group. The seafood tower was delicious. The crab cakes were good. I think Hemenways has the best calamari in Rhode Island! I ordered the scallops — they cooked them just how I asked. I started with the RI chowder, which is hard to come by (RI chowder is clear, not white). I have had their white chided many times (and love it) but decided to try this — excellent! The drinks were very good. I had a cucumber mojito. They were so good that as soon as others tasted it they all ordered them too! It isn’t too sweet and has a splash of pomegranate. Yum! The other cocktails were also great. Excellent wine too. The service was very nice — we never wanted for anything — they were always eager to accommodate! Great place!

Fantastic as always. The scallops were cooked perfectly and the Asian cauliflower appis worth the trip alone. Thw wife and I both enjoyed our meals immensely.

Hemenway’s is always, ALWAYS on top of their game. Their New England clam chowder is so delicious… rich in taste, creamy, and filled with fresh seafood. I particularly love their ‘lobster salad’ salad, which I requested to be specially made recently as it is no longer on their menu. The freshness of their seafood is always apparent in taste and texture. Their dessert is also delicious – not too sweet, but refined and definitely flavorful (we’ve had their three-​layered chocolate mousse cake, and a raspberry white chocolate Valentine’s dessert).

Hemenway’s is a prime example of why Providence is an excellent dining city. Five stars for sure.
The menu is a seafood lover’s heaven — we started with a variety of oysters, the bacon-​wrapped scallops, and the seared tuna. As my entrée, I had the lobster stuffed with scallops, shrimp, and crabmeat (the turducken of lobster) — and it so delicious that I ate every bite. A one-​pounder was sufficient to satisfy me but not put me in a food coma. My side was the roasted cauliflower in some sort of sweet chili sauce — also delicious!
The ambiance was great — the restaurant has clean/​crisp/​modern décor, and it wasn’t loud. Already dreaming about the next time I’ll be back!

Awesome I am New in town. Had Rhode Island chowder calamari lobster bisque
Mac &cheese in lobster & clam roll
Pedmount Pier for lunch
Our server Mari was excellent She recommended local oysters to sample.
Been searching for something like it since

Hemenway’s is one of my go-​tos for business lunches. The service is top notch and lunch is reasonable at under $ 25 excluding drinks, tax and tip. Get the rewards card and you’ll also earn points that reward you at the end of the year! The valet parking in the basement is only $ 6 and keeps you dry if the weather is inclement. But it’s also a short walk from anywhere in downtown. One of the best deals is the Power Lunch, with starter, entrée and coffee/​dessert for $ 22 (I think).

This place was so wonderful! My boyfriend and I came here as part of Providence restaurant week, and the prix fixe menu had a little bit of everything on offer. Surf for him, turf for me, plus a great dessert (HIGHLY recommend the crème brûlée) for a surprisingly low price. Add the great bottle of one (half off on the day we came!) and it was a marvelous dining experience.
Top it all off with an amazing waiter, who was so courteous, and really made the experience over the top. Definitely a great place to go, and a lovely atmosphere.

Wow, Mahi Mahi Sandwich with a FRIED EGG on top does not sound appetizing, but the culinary geniuses at Hemenway’s scored a Home Run with this sandwich — SOOOOOO GOOD and AMAZING!
Fish wasn’t over cooked, egg was not greasy on top, the thin cut carrot and veggies in the sandwich gave it a little crispiness… Fantastic! The only feedback I would give to Hemenways is that the French bun is just not absorbing enough of the goodness that you created inside, so it does get a little messy… but OH SO WORTH IT!

Made reservations here at 11:30am on a Monday for a business meeting. There’s metered parking on the street, or there’s a parking garage right next to the restaurant that costs $ 6 with validation.
I arrived 10 minutes before the reservation and they weren’t open yet but they still seated me which was a nice gesture.
Interior is spacious, has a high ceiling, nice views, and is comfortable.
I had the calamari, Jumbo Lump crab meat, Rhode Island clam chowder, and Caesar salad with crab meat.
Overall, the food was pretty good. Nothing really jumped out at me as being delicious. The calamari was breaded right and was good.
The jumbo lump crab meat was pretty tasty.
The Rhode Island clam chowder left me wanting a bit more. It was just clams, potatoes, and bacon in a clear broth. The flavor lacked some depth.
The Caesar salad with crab meat had very little crab meat added to it and was unimpressive presentation wise.
The service was excellent though, and I would be willing to give this place another try when I’m in town again.

I gotta give this place the 5 stars it deserves. My dad took me out to dinner here for some occasion and everything from the décor to the service to the food to the atmosphere was fabulous! Modern and vintage is mixed together with neon signs of fish and boats and wallpaper of blown up old maps. All keeping in the nautical theme of a seafood restaurant. I got a grilled shrimp salad and it was to die for. I also tried the crab and lobster cakes and the New England Clam Chowder and all were delectable. Clean and crisp tastes which really compliment rather than drown each other out. The seafood is incredible fresh and exquisitely prepared. It is a little higher end than I usually go for (both due to being an old hippie who sticks out like a sore thumb in a posh crowd and also the expenses of the meal) but the staff made us feel welcomed and as though we definitely belonged. The crowd didn’t come across as stuffy and everyone seemed to be having a good time. And their prices were reasonable considering the quality of food and care in preparation but definitely not cheap. You can pick your own lobster for dinner from their live tank in the middle of the floor. There’s a raw oyster bar if that’s your thing. They also bring you hot towels in between courses — fancy fancy! Well alright you crazy Unilocalers, get out there and go to this place. You won’t regret it! I’ll definitely be back the next time I’m in the mood to be a little fancy.

We knew as soon as we walked in that this place would be great. This is casual fine dining in a beautifully decorated and impeccably kept place with excellent service without a bit of pretension. A little pricey maybe but It just doesn’t get any better than this.
Oysters were great. Salads were great. Tuna was great. Crab and lobster cakes were great. You get the idea. If we could have stayed longer and eaten more we would have.
I would just about plan another trip to Providence (a 3 hour drive for us) just to eat here again.

So off the bat, I debated between 3 and 4 stars here. I’m giving it 4 stars because Dan, the server at the bar, was outstanding!
I visited Hemenway’s while on business in Providence. From Denver, my colleague and I were on the hunt for some fresh seafood and Hemenway’s had been suggested to us a few times.
We decided to sit at the bar which was very nice, think dark wood, low lights and brass finishings. Very classy. A great place to wind down with a glass of wine or martini after a day’s work.
My colleague and I started with drinks, chatting and looking over the menu. Initially our server at the bar was a female whose name escapes me now, but she was very friendly and didn’t put the pressure on to order food quickly.
When we finally decided to sop up the drinks with some food, I had the seafood pasta and my colleague had scallops. The food was really great, traditional dishes with really solid presentation.
We struck up a great conversation with Dan at the bar, he was a super nice guys and very accommodating (hence the decision to rate 4 stars). All in all, Hemenway’s was a really nice place with good food. Can’t go wrong.

Hemenway’s is the best seafood place in Providence that I have been so far. I’ve had the bacon wrapped scallions and the salmon, which both tasted pretty fresh. This is definitely not a place to come on a regular basis but for a nice dinner on a special occasion, this place is perfect. Expensive, but you are getting what you pay for.
The ceilings are really high which is nice for those who are claustrophobic, but for a place that seems to be high end, there are cheesy light up signs that makes the place seem more like a diner and less like fine dinning.

This is probably the 4^th or 5^th time I’ve been to Hemenways. I was having dinner with a customer that had never been to Hemenways before and was excited to turn her on to this gem!
I showed up about 20 minutes early and decided to have a few shrimp cocktails and a glass of whine. The female bartender couldn’t have been more friendly or attentive to my needs.
When my customer showed up we were quickly seated and our waiter, Eddy, came over and greeted me by name and asked my customer’s name also. The entire evening he addressed us by our names… nice touch! The food recommendations he made were completely on point! He was there when we needed him and invisible when we were deep in conversation. Eddie is somewhat of a serving ninja!
I will definitely return and hope that Eddy will be there to take care of us!

oh my god. One of my girlfriends recommended Hemenway’s for a «treat yo self» kind of dinner to me. She has impeccable taste, so my ears were already perked and my appetite was already whetted. But what’s more, it was the first place my hotel recommended — and they had a coupon for $ 15 off an appetizer with an entrée. I was SO sold.
Upon arriving, they whisked me in with a lovely welcome, opening the inner door for me. My server was lovely and so helpful. I’m normally a raw oyster kind of girl, but something about the cooked oysters drew me in. And a Providence Pier cocktail played perfectly as a fun foil to the Oysters Hemenway (their take on Oysters Rockefeller). Some tangy citrus, some warm spices, and a whole lot of richness. What a way to start off a meal.
Then for my entrée, I ordered a classic: Alaskan king crab legs with drawn butter. I couldn’t pick a side so the server (and chef) indulged me with both buttery mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. Yeah, that’s right. Mmm. mm. mmmmm. And then when I was hoping for a glass of wine to round it all out, my server selected a house pinot grigio that paired brightly and beautifully with the crab.
Really, I didn’t do much. My server pretty much ordered my meal. I just ate it and delighted in the decadence. Thanks for your good taste and hospitality Hemenway’s. I get why it’s a local gem for sure. I mean, I haven’t written a review in several months. This meal moved me to finally log in to Unilocal and post one to match its enjoyment, word for word, sip for sip, bite for bite. And good service to boot… that’s like the trifecta right there.

Always a solid choice for a seafood dinner.
I’ve been here for several special occasions and when I have a hankering for seafood.
Our server, Catherine was lovely. Very attentive but not overbearing. When coming here, we often start with a seafood platter, but our party was craving oysters. For the evening, they had the Venus, Warren and Bernaise (I couldn’t really hear what the 3^rd ones were called — I totally butchered that). Venus were like the Poppasquash — meaty and slightly briny, while the Warren, smaller in size were more briny and the B oysters were almost sweet and the middle size between the other two. All were delicious.
Yellowfin tuna entrée — aka, a deconstructed sushi roll. Perfectly seared black and blue style with a sesame seed crust, mildly spicy Sriracha aioli (the spicy mayo), jasmine white rice, and a small side of wakami seaweed salad and a soy ginger dipping sauce. Everything on my plate complemented each other.
The hubby had the salmon that was perfectly cooked over a potato purée with quinoa and asparagus. He didn’t talk much because he was cleaning his plate!
My mom had the swordfish special (called Oscar) that came topped with sweet crab meat, asparagus and a sort of Hollendaise sauce. It also came with a side of wild rice. She said the fish was light and all the flavors balanced each other out. No doggie bag for her.
We then shared the crème brûlée which came in 3 flavors — toffee, salted caramel and mint. We all agree the toffee was the best (probably bc it was the sweetest), followed by the mint, where the flavor was nicely subtle and lastly the salted caramel, which was the basic one, but still good.
Took away a star for the following reasons:
Worn chairs — for a more upscale restaurant, they should have their chairs reupholstered… hmmm. That was the first thing we all saw when we were seated.
And no more soup or salad with the entrée anymore? I know previously we received a delicious New England clam chowder or a choice of Caesar or garden salad with that delicious honey curry dressing. Stinkers.
Complementary valet parking — just get your ticket validated.
Per usual though, solid seafood meal. A Providence staple.

I only got to come here once. I will be coming here as many times as possible. The beer selection was out of this world and while this may be a seafood place, I was finally able to find a REALLY great burger in Providence here. I hope to come back here sometime to try the salmon. I had really wanted to the time I went, however I was in search of a great burger in Providence. While I was more than happy with my burger, my only regret is I did not get the salmon when I had the chance.
I do have one complaint, besides the prices. I did try to stop by here a second time with the girlfriend and kid, while we were exploring the area. I wanted to just stop by and have a few drinks. I was told even for outside seating, we could not unless we got an appetizer. The appetizer prices and selection is not exactly, well, appetizing. We probably would have spent more in drinks, and obviously we cannot have a child at the bar. So this was disappointing. We had walked 20 minutes to get here, taking in the sites and parks along the way. I was so excited to get to try their beer selection again and was let down.
Someone missed the boat on economics on that subject. 90% of the outdoor seating was empty at the time, and like I said we would have spent plenty. Speaking of which, this place is set in a beautiful location, that screams for hanging out in their outdoor area.

I travel once a year to Providence and I come here everytime. I love it. They have the best raw oysters and raw clams I’ve ever had. Amazing food, service and atmosphere. It is a nicer place you want to dress up for. Nice jeans and a blazer would suffice or cute dress.
Order the trio brûlée, you won’t be disappointed.