Hi,
We%26#39;re going to be in Newport next week, and I was wondering if anyone can tell me about The Red Parrot. I%26#39;ve heard some good things about it...anyone been there lately?
We have reservations at 22 Bowens, and will only be there for 3 nights. Looking for a nice place to have dinner, doesn%26#39;t need to be
';romantic';, just good food in a good atmosphere.
The Red Parrot
The Red Parot is one of my favorite restaurants in Newport . The menu is huge , the prices fair , and the food good .( And you can buy a nice souvenir t-shirt ! ) Some people claim the decor reminds them of a TGIF . But the reason TGIF copied this style is because it is pleasing and works well ( brick walls , brass railings , hanging lamps ,plastic coated menus with photos , etc.) .
We have friends who are in Newport this week who love Bowens 22 . Personally I find it pretentious . But if you do a mansion tour they usually give you a ticket for a free apeitizer at Bowens 22 .
We enjoy all four restaurants on Restaurant Row in Jamestown as well as the two restaurants at the Bay Voyage in Jamestown. One of the Bay Voyage restaurants ( The Tap Room ? ) has a romantic Dinner for 2 that includes a bottle of wine . And it is very resonably priced ! Also The Coast Guard House ( right on the water , similar decor to Bowens 22 ) in Narragansette is excellent for Lunch or Dinner ( I would choose this over Bowens 22 ! - and it%26#39;s less expensive ). Both areas are a short rides away .
The Asterix on Thames St. usually has a nice Jazz/ vocal standards band with late dinner on Sundays . Food is Excellent . The Italian restaurant ( Can%26#39;t remember the name !) in Jamestown might have similar entertainment on Sat. night .
The Red Parrot
Yes, Red Parrot is a TGIF type place. 22 Bowen is a typical steak house. You can compare this to Ruth Chris on Long Island. If you want a fancier type of place I would recommend Castle Hill or White Horse Tavern. Castle Hill is a dining experience. Great location, on the water, great service and very good food. White Horse is in a 300+ year old tavern. Colonial atmosphere. Very nice. If you like seafood I would recommend Scales and Shells. Very casual, cash only, attracts many locals. For Italian I would recommend Mamma Luisa’s. Food is very good my only complaint would be the bread they serve on the table. Not appropriate for this type of fare but not bad. Black Pearl or Clark Cooke have a rear “Newport” feel. Black Pearl is nice for lunch for a bowl of “chowda.” I have had excellent meals at Clarke Cooke and so-so meals at Clark Cooke. The Lobster dish is excellent. Have fun! It is a great town!
wow, thanks! I think my problem is, that we%26#39;re only going to be there for 3 nights, and there are so many restaurants to choose from!
I didn%26#39;t realize The Red Parrot was like TGIF. I pulled up the menu and it looks pretty good. I don%26#39;t think I%26#39;m looking for a place like Castle Hill. Although I%26#39;m sure it%26#39;s fantastic, we%26#39;re looking for this to be a relaxing break from the kids and not worry about dressing up necessarily for dinner. I think we%26#39;re going for more relaxed, casual places, that looks a little more ';stuffy';.
Oh, I%26#39;ve also read good things about Puerini%26#39;s...any comments?
If you buy an Entertainment Book there is a free entree coupon for Mama Luisa%26#39;s ( and other spots ) in Newport . The food here is good . You might need reservations .
The food at the Red Parrot is much better than TGIF . Try the three pepper%26#39;s chicken if you like spicey . They also have a good steak , and burgers .
Castle Hill and White horse are very dressy ( Jackets / tie required )and pricey .
The Black Pearl is a long time tourist draw . But it is tiny with the tables very close together . I have heard from several sources thet the clam chowder is canned . The Chowder at The Quohog accross Thames St. from Bowens Wharf , is excellent . But I think the BEST is at the Coast Guard House .
Right next to Bowens 22 is The Landings . We have had lunch there several times . The view from upstairs is nice by a window . It is more casual than Bowens 22 and less expensive . I reccomend the seafood .
Bowens 22 does have more seafood specialties than Ruth%26#39;s Chris Steakhouse .
PS if you are looking to avoid ';stuffy'; : Avoid White Horse , Castle Hill, Bowens 22 , Vincents , Bay Voyage Room ( not Tap Room) . In that order . Everywhere else you will be fine . Coast Guard House and Asterix are both just on the safe side of ';stuffy'; lol .
I think the restaurants in Jamestown would be good to try at least once . There is great little seafood house there on Restaurant row . ( It has a funny name - can%26#39;t think of it at the moment ! ) .
Certainly try Red Parrot and buy a t-shirt . They have great specialty drinks .
For a slightly dressier night out try the Asterix ,Mama Luisa%26#39;s , or the Coast Guard House ( OR try this for lunch ! You will get a great view , great N.E. Clam Chowder and you can share a huge specialty sandwhich . They have a triple decker with rost beef , turkey , ham,cheese, cole slaw and dressing , served with fries . They have interesting photos and a high water mark showing where the station was under water during the huricane .
Thanks. I think we%26#39;ll definitely try the Red Parrot. I%26#39;ll look into the Entertainment Book.
Puerini%26#39;s has excellent food and a casual atmosphere. More high end than Red Parrot.
Too many choices and too little time!!
There is a difference between eating a meal, and dining for pleasure.
Many restaurants will give you enough food to satisfy your appetite, including the Red Parrot. It isn%26#39;t fine dining, however. Some of the posters to this question are apparently satisfied with this type of establishment, and that%26#39;s fine. Different strokes for different folks etc.
However, to label most of the fine dining establishments in Newport as ';stuffy'; or ';pretentious'; as one poster appears to have done is more of a commentary on that person%26#39;s dining preferences than a legitimate commentary on the quality of those restaurants. Lighten up, just because it is not your preferred style of dining isn%26#39;t a reason to slam them.
If you are into fine dining, then Castle Hill, The White Horse Tavern (both of which DO NOT require ties or jackets), The Commodore Room of The Black Pearl, 22 Bowen%26#39;s, and the new Mooring Seafood Kitchen and Bar, Bouchard%26#39;s, and a few others are worth the time and money.
If you want a TGIF type meal then the Red Parrot is about as close as you will get to it in downtown Newport. Nothing wrong with that, but don%26#39;t suggest it is among the best that Newport has to offer.
Sorry if I sound annoyed, but criticizing restaurants for being too good is ignorant.
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