Duffy’s Tavern

Is there an option for zero stars? Tried to have lunch here on Memorial Day. The waitress said there would be a wait. for a waitress. There were about 15 open tables and one waitress waiting on 5 tables on a holiday. Absolutely ridiculous. A woman came over to us and said not to bother waiting. She has been there for an hour and never got food so she was leaving. We followed her out the door. It looks like the place is closing for good.

Nice friendly neighborhood restaurant. The lobster was great with really good prices.

Food is fine, not the issue.
Literally the rudest locals around. I’ve lived in South County my entire life and upon entering you get stared down by everyone in the place, especially the old folks sitting at the bar. «If you want food today you’re not gonna find any here. you’ll have to go somewhere else!!!» Thanks, patron, who I didn’t ask but is likely the Duffys ambassador as they all have the same stupid local attitude.
All we wanted was a drink knowing that they only serve peel and eat shrimp that day but one of the patrons literally put their jacket down at a seat to make it look like it was taken. The bartender didn’t acknowledge us.
On the two previous occasions where I actually sat down and ate the food was fine but again, you look up and there’s the local Duffys gestapo watching your every move.
I guess if you’re not super old and crotchety and don’t go to Duffys every day of you life your money is not good there. I’ll take my 30 year old ass elsewhere. Plenty of good restaurants in South County, only went to that
hole because it was close but never again.

Mellisa was wonderful, she took the time to explain the dishes we were considering and provided us with excellent service! Good food and friendly service.
Grumpy Santa’s Friend
No coal in your stocking!

I ate there last week, The place is ‘old-​school’ and filled with many locals. I had the special, two 1″ pork chops for 10.95. Pork was cooked perfect and they were delicious! Cannot beat the price and the laid back atmosphere.

Fabulous new menu with all the local favorites and some new ones too.
Macy was the best mixologist. Way friendly and easy on The eyes too.
BOGO on Tuesday Dinners. What a gem of a place… Since 1920’s … Ping it well and doing it right .!

One word… SUCKS! Used to be one of my favorite seafood spots in the summer but now it’s lost it’s mojo and I won’t be back. They’ve increased the cost of the single cull lobster from 12.95 to 16.95 and it was small and horrible… and wasn’t single cull and didn’t even seem legal. The chowders were terrible and it seemed as if they ran out of red chowder and added clear to what was left in the bottom of the pan. The lobster pie was ordered by two people at my table and both were disappointed saying it was soupy and inedible. The calamari was heavy and terrible and the breeding fell off the second it made contact with marinara.
This used to be a summer favorite but it’s now written off. Don’t waste your time. I’d rather spend more for a quality meal.

Duffy’s is a tavern made up of a labyrinth of several additions to the original building with a bar in each section. It has a local homey feel, and is rarely busy, with some of the sections seemingly closed off permanently, and a skeleton staff. I visited the place tonight with two daughters 12 and 14 for diner. We were seated promptly, ordered drinks and food, and because we were eating later than usual, my daughter asked me for permission to get popcorn from the popping machine in the bar section next to us. Soon after she sat down at our table with a bowl of popcorn, a man from the bar area came to the table and without introduction or addressing me, started scolding my daughter about eating the popcorn (apparently there is a small hand written sign: «no popcorn beyond this point»). He instructed that she was not allowed to eat it, and «needed to throw it in the trash». We put the popcorn aside while we waited for the food to arrive. Later I related the episode to the server, and offered to pay for the popcorn which I knew as complementary, and she revealed that the man was not employed by the restaurant but was married to someone who worked there.
Upon paying for the meal, I asked to have a word with the manager. Certainly, I figured, he would be interested in knowing that one of his regulars was being rude to families coming to visit.
Again, a surly looking man approaches the table and without introduction starts going into a long explanation that they can’t have popcorn in the dining area because it falls on the carpet (same place were boiled lobsters and cracked at the table by customers of all ages). So, I introduce myself, he simply replies «Stu», and goes on to say that he knows that my daughter was not spilling popcorn but he has to «keep the place nice».
The server once more apologized on behalf of the rude customer, and surly owner — I hope she finds the wisdom to seek employment where the atmosphere and management is better aligned with her higher customer service standards.
I shall not visit Duffy’s again, the food and ambiance are very average, and quite easily replaced by a number of establishments with the same driving distance from my house, and better customer service.
I’m a local who has been visiting the place on and off for over 20 years, but can’t say there will be anything about the place I will miss. If you are visiting RI, do yourself a favor, drive 2 extra miles and find a place that cares about representing the people of RI.

Used to be on the favorites list but since my party and I just got up and walked out the door. We were a party of six and we sat there for over 10 minutes before we were acknowledged only to be told she would be with us soon. Again we waited more than we should have. We will miss the food but there are too many restaurants in RI that will have good food and good service to match.

Had my first whole lobster today here. I’ve only ever eaten tails before. I’ve had whole king crab, but never a whole lobster.
It’s a lot of work but so worth it. I had a 2 pounder and there was so much good meat in it.
The other thing I had for the first time were Steamers. Also, really good. I might have even liked them more than the lobster.
Had a stuffed quahog clam, another first, and that was also very good.

The food is good at Duffy’s. I love the fish and chips, the two or three times I’ve been here (and actually stayed to eat).
What’s incredibly bad is the service. Not so much the waitstaff once you’ve been seated at the table (though it is slow)… but we have had to leave the restaurant without ever being seated, not once, but TWICE now. And I don’t think I’ll ever go again.
The first time was Mother’s Day last year, and apparently all the staff had decided that, because the lunch shift was slow, that they could just leave for the day. And so there was a big rush at dinner time. We were put at the bar for a while before it became apparent that they had no intention of ever seating us. There was very little communication on their part – first they told us we could eat at the bar, and then they said we couldn’t.
The second time was recently. Again we were waiting at the door, COMPLETELY ignored for quite a while. Then a waitress came over, after 5 minutes of everyone ignoring us, seemingly to help, but then another waitress came over to HER, saying that it would be a long wait. There was no wait list, and nothing was actually communicated to us. It was just a conversation among themselves. Meanwhile we see empty tables. So weird. We left.

This place has the best shrimp, scallops, and corn chowder. It’s a local restaurant/​tavern, and the food is pretty good as well as very reasonably priced. There’s quite a selection of beer at Duffy’s.

Unfortunately this is where the review begins and ends because when we pulled into the restaurant we were greeted with «hope you don’t want any food». Apparently the chef had quit leaving the kitchen closed for doing business. Such a bummer as we were heckling out the venue for an upcoming fundraiser — it sounded too good to be true! Hoping they get their act together soon and a great reputation and following to come!

BAR: Locals watering hole. Mostly older 55+ crowd. Service seems to be better if they know you. A bit ‘divey’. Won’t plan on repeat.

Well… been here meny times… today had the whole belly clam roll and clam cakes… the clam roll was made with little clams seemed more like strips… and tasted like «old grease» same with the clam cakes… no taste too? Myvson had the fush sandwich witch was large in portion and bang for the buck. Im not sure whats been going on here lately? But its sliding down hill? On the fence to recommend?

I was craving seafood like I always do and never ever heard of this place. I decided to give it a try. When I first walked in the door the bar was completely packed. There was no sign anyway saying «take a seat» or «wait for an attendant» so I really didn’t know what to do. I finally just sat down and a waitress greeted me and provided me with a drink. I ordered the corn, shrimp, and scallop chowder it was tasty although I did have to add more salt and pepper (but I would rather it be that way). The soup came out immediately but my lobster salad roll with french fries and cucumber salad took awhile to come to me. The french fries were cold and I could tell were frozen-​almost like a freezer burned taste. The lobster roll however was amazing. It came overflowing with lobster – fresh lobster. Duffy’s is definitely a friendly dive bar and does certain dishes well. I would recommend this place if you want somewhat decent seafood at a cheap price.

This place is hilarious. A more appropriate name might be «The Booze n’ Seafood Barn». If you like townie bars, this will be right up your alley.
Coming here is like licking ocean salt off an ashtray. The years of boozehound Pall Mall smoke still clings to the dark walls. The locals are colorful and you can tell they’ve spent years at the bar sucking down Cutty Sarks and playing Keno.
Practically zero vegetarian options so I said screw it and got fish and chips. Because I am course and ill-​bred, I eat cod with ketchup on it. I haven’t had fish and chips since grammar school hot lunch and it tasted exactly how I remember it. Our server was really nice.

I’m a local and I’m pretty sure I’d consider this my favorite ‘dive’ in the area.
Granted, Duffy’s is by no means dirty, unkept or skeevy (like a typical dive bar), but it’s a classic type of place with a cool, old school style bar area that screams New England, which is where I usually like to post up and and get some really good seafood, have an adult beverage or two and listen the townies/​bartenders/​regulars catch up about what is going on around town and/​or RI.
I know they have that lobster special thing that people come in droves for and it’s well worth the visit, since there whole lobsters are money. I personally like coming for some grub, beverages and good chit-​chat. Haven’t tried anything bad on the menu yet either and the beer selection is pretty damn good!

If you enjoy waiting for a table, then seeing three cleared off and ready tables and having to ask te hostess to be seated, this is the place for you.
If you enjoy sitting for twenty minutes and the only acknowledgement you get is your waitress taking your salt and putting it on the table next to you, this place is for you.
Going to the bar after waiting twenty minutes for someone to talk to you to get your waters? Check
Ridiculously salty everything and barely warm? Check.
Would never return.

Craving some local seafood, we set out to Duffy’s, and I’m so glad we did.
As an appetizer, the husband and I shared the seafood chowder. It was creamy and laden with big chunks of clams and lobster… delicious! For dinner he had the fish and chips, which consisted of three large pieces of fish atop a heaping serving of French fries. All of it served hot and crispy! I had the grilled swordfish with Cajun seasoning. Its been a long time since I’ve had such great fish! It was well seasoned, not at all dry, and cooked perfectly! Served with pickled beets, and for $ 1 more the hand cut french fries (worth every penny, in my opinion)!
We will certainly return in the near future!