Finbar’s Pub & Grill

I’m not at all surprised they’ve closed. A few years ago, a small group of us came for dinner on a night when the restaurant was quiet and empty. Our dinner, from start to finish, took over two hours. While the food was good, the service was mediocre. I also wrote a review about it and the owner fired back a very rude response, bragged about how well they were doing, then had my review removed somehow.
No surprise in the least that they sank.

On a very crowded Saturday night we lucked into a table for 2 right away when everywhere else had a huge wait (1.45 for Henlopen Oyster!). Our server was very nice and on the ball. Even for a jam packed Sat night, it wasn’t too loud to hear yourselves talk. Crab dip was creamy and delicious, with just a hint of Old Bay kick to it. My friend’s chicken quesadilla was meh and my oyster po’ boy was too. Just not a lot of flavor. Also, it wasn’t «dressed», there was just lettuce, tomato and some kind of mayo sauce. This review is more of a 3.5 stars and I would give a 4 if the food had been on par with the rest of our experience.

This place was bought by Dogfish Head Brewery and they will expand in to this space hopefully by summer.

Seriously one of the best crab cake sandwiches I’ve ever had. I hold all others to it. The clams were delicious too, amazing broth.
Great selection of beers, and wines.
Gorgeous bar area. Seriously. They must have put an enormous amount of work into the place!
Definitely will be going back when I’m in the area!!!

A decent option when the waits are long at Dogfish head and you’re hungry now. It was pretty dead at 2:30 pm on a Sunday, but the service was friendly and fast. Our party got 3 crab chowders (more like a crab tomato soup), the crab dip (delish! Get this!), and crab cake sandwiches and salads. Clearly, we were in a crab kind of mood. The crab cakes were decent, a bit dry and a little small, but with plenty of lump crab meat. The menu said they were served on a baguette, which is just a terrible idea, so I requested it on the brioche bun used for the burgers. Do this. They toasted the bun nicely and it had just the right soft fluffiness for the crabcake. Fries were a bit cold by the time they got to the table and tasted a little fishy. Need to change the oil, guys. The waiter brought us a whole pitcher of unsweetened iced tea since that’s what we were all drinking. On a hot day like that one, it was a welcome amenity.
Nothing fancy, but decent food and a clean establishment.

You have to figure that for a place to survive with the much vaunted Dogfish Head nearby, they have to be half decent. While not particularly brilliant, they were able to accommodate a group of 8 coming in on a Friday night when we couldn’t even get in the door the night before.
We packed the bar, and it was half hour wait which was, admittedly, long. But once we were seated service ticked right along. While it was unpretentious irish pub fare, it was decently priced and they had a pretty decent beer list, which was also fairly priced. It makes a solid alternative on a weekend.

We went with a group of about 15 on a weeknight. Everything was great, the food came out fast and fresh.
The best part is the bendaroos they give the kids instead of crayons. There is even a bendaroo wall with art that people have made with the little sticks.
kid tip: excellent kids menu, even comes with a scoop of ice cream!

When I went, I was with a large group, about 8 of us. They hey were able to seat us after Dogfish had an hour wait. Let me just say that we know why there wasn’t a wait. We were seated in a back room and the temperature must have been like 85 degrees. We put our orders in and then we were forgotten about for like 30 minutes. When the food came everyone got their food except one person whom they forgot to even cook the food for. Another 20 minutes and their meal showed up. It was not the best experience and I doubt if I will ever go back.

We were at
at the same time as AJ F. see that review. service was terrible and we got one dessert free — not our drinks :(The poor waitress was left hanging by her manager. Made excuses for her not helping her.

Pretty slow service on a sunday night. The place was dead and it took us 25 minutes for drinks and appetizers. We skipped ordering dinner and grabbed desert instead from somewhere else. When asked about the status of our food, waitress asked if we were in a hurry!!!

Pretty decent dinner out with my friends last night. I had not been to Finbar’s in ages, so I was curious to check it out again. Their beer selection is quite large, which is why we went to Finbar’s after we found out Dogfish Head had a half hour wait. We walked in and were seated right away.
For dinner, one of my friends got the peaches and chicken special; it was absolutely delicious. Her only complaint was that the chefs did not permit substitutions (she’s not a fan of squash). As an appetizer, the table got a plate of calamari and banana peppers. The calamari was good, but, once again, the chefs did not permit marinara sauce to be served.
Other than prohibiting substitutions and marinara sauce, Finbar’s is a decent choice for an easy dinner out in Rehoboth.

Not impressed. I ordered mussels and fries. The mussels were okay, but half of them weren’t even open. The fries on the other hand were actually really good. I definitely wouldn’t go back here for the food. The beer selection is huge though.

I’m giving 4 rather than 5 stars only because I’ve just been here once. But, my experience was fantastic. Aesthetically, the restaurant is beautiful. We sat in a parlor-​type room which was cozy in size and luxurious in décor. It feels like an upscale, but authentic, Irish pub.
I ordered the Finbar’s filet mignon (19.99 as the Sunday special, $ 24.99 regularly), which is $ 1 more than the regular filet because it has a delicious Irish whisky sauce. The waitress recommended I order it medium, and she was right — the filet was beautifully cooked and melted in my mouth. I got the mashed potatoes and veggies du jour (asparagus and carrots) and both were tasty and great companions to my steak.
My husband ordered one of the very few vegetarian options: the mushroom risotto cakes ($ 17.00), with red pepper coulis and veggies du jour. The cakes were substantial in size and very flavorful (I tried a bite).
I’d like to go back and try the Irish stew and one of their many beer selections. They have a great variety of beer, spirits, and cocktails. Given their location, it’s not a surprise that they have plenty of Dogfish Head beers to choose from. You’ll find the meals you’d expect from an Irish public, along with seafood twists which are appropriate since this restaurant is at the beach.
Parking is probably sparse during the beach season, but you’ll have no problem in the off-​season. Bathrooms are plain, but clean. Definitely give this spot a try when you’re in the mood for hearty, Irish fare. It’s a great place for date night, but casual families won’t feel out of place.

«Great food, great beers, very friendly bartender! It doesn’t get much better than this!!!»

Good beer selection but food was just OK. Kids got burgers ($ 13) and said McDonalds is better. Service was slow due to a large group in another room. Crabcakes were very good.
Noticed about half of the tables were empty when we left at 8:30 on a Friday although they were still waiting for tables at Summer House.

Love Finbar. Great place for Happy Hour… appetizers are all half off, love the wings. Food is good. Nightly specials are great. Enjoyed a fantastic fillet there the other night, cooked exactly how I asked for it. I also love the fish and chips.
Great place for big groups, family friendly, seperate dining rooms for privacy.
The restaurant/​bar area is beatifully done with all wood from an old city bar, very comfortable.
Bartenders are great, very attentive!
I hate to see the bad reviews and hope that people will give them a try. they have been through many changes over the past year and seem to only be getting better and better.
Should post pictures of your beautiful bar area and comfortable seating…
I agree with Matthieu… Support your local restaurants!

The only positive comment I can make is that they pour some good beers; though they were out of our first two choices. Food was entirely forgettable. Onion soup was blah — not bad; just bland. Cheese unidentifiable and the broth tasted like it was born in a can.
Main course was «cottage pie» — sort of like a shepherd’s pie. Once again there was a remarkable absence of any discernible flavor. Dumping salt and tons of pepper was necessary and very sad.
Wifey had buffalo chicken salad with blue cheese. She expected a little heat, but again. tragically wrong– no heat, no spice and the salad was right out of a bag.
Maybe tourists can’t be trusted to handle a lot of flavor, but we expected better from a $ 50 meal.
Would not come back.

Service here is 5 star of 1 star … totally hit or miss.
Food is good … for a pub.
Beer selection is great, really.
It’s NOT a chain restaurant …
DogFish nextdoor is full of snooty yuppies 24×7 and the lines are outrageous.
Support your local restaurants!

Slow service. Waiter less than enthused to be at work. Has plenty of excuses why food is taking so long. After 50 minutes the food arrived and it was not what I ordered. When the food finally came it was just ok. Presentation was sloppy.
I asked to see the manager and was told he was busy did I still want to see him. I said yes but he never came.
Waiter came back and said he hoped I wasn’t, t mad at him. He got a 10% tip and we left. I won’t be back and I recommend you wait it out at DogFishHead.
There’s a reason FinBar is not busy and it, s likely the staff.

They try to keep this quiet, but the door to Finbar’s is actually a portal that instantly transports you from Rehoboth Beach, DE to Topeka, KS. Or so I must surmise from the poor service induced by my male companion’s eyeshadow.
Look outside, Finbar’s! I’m afraid you are not in Kansas anymore.