Ugly Duckling Restaurant & Bar

As we walked in the door, my friend immediately remarked that the restaurant «smells like stale beer & cigarettes.», the place smelled funky, .
The service was nothing short of atrocious., it took at least 15 minutes for our server to come by to take a drink order. The drinks were so slow to come that we would routinely order our next round while the current round was being delivered. Even then, we often had no drink in front of us.
The food took forever! By the time our entrees came, everyone had 4 empty glasses in front of them, with no effort made to clear them at all. the server simply disappeared. Nowhere to be found.
It was at least a half an hour after everyone finished eating, before anyone came by to clear the table. It was another 10 minutes before our waitress finally showed up again (about an hour after we had last seen her) to ask if we wanted dessert.
As we were leaving the restaurant, there was a thuggish looking guy at the entrance whom my friend said was the owner. He just stood there glaring. Didn’t thank us for coming or anything.
In short, Ugly Duckling lives up to it’s name… it’s Ugly… the food, service & atmosphere is uggggleeee! I have to say even the owner is ugly… his deportment says it all — ‘just pay your bill & go’ –doesn’t seem to care. So, we won’t be going there again.

I went here last night with my boyfriend. AWESOME food! We got the little necks as an app and it was great — nice flavor, spicy. For dinner i got the Portuguese shrimp dinner and he got the Portuguese steak dinner. I love Portuguese food and honestly had low expectations as this is more of a bar than a restaurant. The food came out and we both loved it. There is a lot of garlic and spice to the sauce /​broth, but it didn’t bother us.
The menu is pretty elaborate so there are lots of options to choose from. There were a lot of apps and sandwiches — cant wait to try some of the other items.

Where do I begin? We Walked in and there was no hostess or even a sign to just say seat yourself. That alone creates suck awkwardness. All the bar seats were taken. The lone bartender had to help serve food with the waitress so we waited at the bar for drinks, due to them not coming back as promptly (5−10mins) as anyone would expect, we sat down. The waitress saw us and said she would bring menus. She showed back up to our table 15mins later! This isn’t a huge spot. There aren’t that many tables. Two people providing service isn’t enough. The people who had food across from us had re-​ordered drinks but she came to our table (that 15mins later) empty handed. This spot may do better on a weeknight but weekend nights with not enough staff, won’t ever work. I hope things will change, I love hole in the wall restaurants, I want to support small businesses, and I was hoping it would be one of those places I could rely on going to. This simply isn’t it.

Stopped into this place because they had trivia. Was really surprised by the décor, quaintness, cleanliness and food. It really was excellent. It’s small, but really worth the trip. Great bar scene, good food and the staff is wonderful.

Yuck!!! This is NOT a restaurant and bar. …this is a bar that serves food. Let’s start with the fact that the noise level was off the charts. The man wanted Portuguese and wanted local so we thought we’d try this. Service was horrid. …food was just so so. My boyfriend got a Portuguese steak: there was so much raw garlic and hot sauce that he couldn’t finish it… and he loves garlic. The waitress was also helping tend a full bar so she was not attentive to things like an empty beer. I got stuffed mushrooms that were average and then a Greek pizza that was burnt. Cross this one off your list.

I have to say I am pretty damn disappointed in this establishment. I read the mixed reviews on Unilocal and decided to give it a try. I was in the mood for some Portuguese comfort food. My spouse was craving a plate of fish and chips. So I ordered to go a chicken Mozambique and a fish and chip. The total 29.96 so lets say 30.00 for two plates of food I was hoping this would be tasty. I was mislead. The only pleasant thing about this place was the waitress that took my order. That’s the only reason it got 1 star. We don’t live but a few miles away and when we got home immediately wanted to eat our food. I opened the chicken first and the to go container was barely filled with anything. It was sad looking really. The 1 tiny peice of chicken in there wasn’t even bigger then my hand and it was pounced flat to a pulp. It was so tough and fatty it was inedible. The fries were soaked in grease and the rice was loaded with hunks of garlic. Now I love garlic. I’m italian it’s in our blood and I use it in everything. But this was raw garlic. Hard and huge. It was awful. My spouses fish and chips weren’t much better. Like I said for the money you pay you expect to at least get what you pay for. He had two small flattened pieces of something. I don’t think you can even call it fish. It was like someone skinned it with a knife and fried up a cutlet. It was hard and overdone. No flaky white plump haddock we were expecting. It was a crime to serve that. I would get more out of a Vandecamps frozen fish filet. It probably would taste better too. He bread was stale. I mean come on! I’m appauled and insulted. This is not acceptable and if you want customers to return for something other then your booze the hire someone who can cook and get better product. Also actually feed people what they paid for. If not don’t insult then by charging them 30.00 for two plates of rubbish. I normally don’t get this upset but i literally feel like I’ve been robbed. What a horrible experience. Not recommending this place to anyone and not coming back.

Went for dinner this evening, service was good — food was terribly salty, again!!! No consistency in food quality. Figured we’d give them another chance but «no luck»! We had one good meal at the ugly duckling and the other two were just NOT GOOD! Again, no consistency– that’s why recipes are so important in restaurants! If you have more than one chef preparing your menu they should be trained to prepare all the items on your menu equal in quality! Everyday!!!

I have to admit, I was skeptical by the appearance outside but was pleasantly surprised as soon as I walked in. Nice and very clean. The food was out of this world. Had the bar pizzas and the geek salad. Finished off with the fried Oreos. Incredible specials during the week. Drinks were on point. Can’t wait to come back. Highly recommend.

I usually LOVE this place. Never had bad service or drinks… Until Saturday night. Walked in with a friend, maybe 5 – 6 people at the end of the bar, with two other people sitting at the bar. The bartender was talking to the group, clearly friends. We waited a good 3 mins not even being acknowledged. In restaurant time… WAY to long. Not even a, I’ll be right with you. Her back was turned to us the whole time. I’ve worked in service all my life and could not believe the blatant not even caring about customers. I will never go back on a weekend night, even rethinking going back all together. Needless to say, we walked out and went to another bar that waited on us promptly. AND they had 10x more people in their restaurant.

This is a tough one. We went once last week and I think one of the owners waited on us. It was empty except for about 4 other people. The food was very good and the service equaled it. I liked it enough to go back with a friend and some of the kids this week.
Well, it was packed except for a table just our size. The waitresses looked at us multiple times without acknowledgement until we sat ourselves. We spend 25 minutes before she talked to us and gave us menus, then other 15 for drink orders, she was overwhelmed but not the only on shift, but appeared to be the only one working. Then I stopped her to order apps. It took forever, when they came out, they were terrible compared to the prior week. The deviled eggs were great though but the calamari was just little bits of breading, like they poured the remainders from the frozen bag in the fryer or just scooped out the little bits that were left over in the fryer. The buffalo cheese fries were GROSS, we couldn’t eat them. Needless to say we waited and waited and waited and finally again I had to grab her to order our dinner. Did I mention it was freezing in there. So we ordered and waited. Finally, my dinner and my friend’s came out, same as last week, porto steak. The eggs were burned, there were burned bits everywhere and they weren’t marianted just has marinade poured over them. We couldn’t eat them but then a few minutes later the next order came out and it was the same and just as bad.
Finally, we sat waiting for the last two dinners. She apologized for the wait and told us the kitchen was small and really busy and that she put our order and the table next to us in at the same time and they were cooking both together. Weird, since we had been seated over 30 minutes before they came in.
At this point she noticed all the uneaten food, though she missed that uneaten apps, did I mention we bused our own table of dirty dishes because she never did, and I told her they were horrible and so were the apps and that if the kids meals weren’t out in the next couple of minutes we were leaving and I wasn’t paying for them. She asked me to recount everything I was unhappy with and I did from dirst order to last. She went away and still didn’t have there dinners but told us our meal was comped. I asked for her to charge me for something so I could at least tip her.
She came back with a container for the leftovers and I told her we didn’t want them and that she could wrap the kids orders that still hadn’t come out. Then she came back and told me they were only comping some of the meal and they were charging us for the drinks and gross apps.
When she came back with the last of the food in a bag ready to go I told her to keep it. I wasn’t paying for them anyway so why should i have them. I paid them the $ 32 for the disgusting apps, left her a $ 12 tip and we left.
The other table that had ordered at the same time we did still didn’t have all there food but they were so drunk and spilling full drinks for her to clean up instead of waiting on tables I don’t think they realized it.
I never complain, ever, see my other reviews. This is a first but I was really angry. The kitchen did a horrible job, ownership didn’t step up an OWN it and our waitress was condescending and disingenuous.
In the end we were there for over 2 hours, hadn’t eaten and left to go to Devito’s that has never let us down ever. I am sad as I had hoped this would be a nice alternative but until they hire better people and learn how to manage a restaurant I cannot recommend it.

My new favorite place. The food is fresh and delicious… You have to try the mediterranean wings… YUM. The staff is great, so friendly and the drinks are the best. Put a quarter in the music box and hang out at the bar!

Went only a handful of times amd got drinks only at the bar. Cozy spot. Not too busy so of u want a quiet moment its a decent place to try.

My first and last time there. The place was a ghost town. The peer had some friends there that she spent a her time with. It was impossible I get a drink and when we asked she seemed mad that we bothered her. I wouldn’t mind but the place was empty with the exception of her friends. Just another dive bar.

The only thing that could make Ugly better is if it were to get some taps.
I’ve never had a bad drink here. The bartenders are always friendly, and if you’re there often enough they remember your drink and suggest food.
As far as Taunton goes this is the best food you’ll find downtown– or in town at all. Linguica sandwiches, empanadas, steak and cheese pizza– the list goes on. Their menu is huge, and I’m pretty sure you can’t go wrong with anything.
The place gets pretty busy and loud on Friday and Saturdays night. I much prefer the weeknights– where you feel like you’ve found the best secret Taunton holds.

this my spot when Im in T-​town visiting my folks. friendly vibe especially for T-​town. everybody is on good behavior. Food is really good. The Portuguese chicken sandwich is awesome. the bartenders are always nice. Jamie always knows to pour me a Meyers on the rocks. even if Im indecisive she always pours it. and shes right its what I wanted anyway. definately the best bar in Taunton no doubt about it. wish they had more craft beer. or some taps. and would love live music… other than that keep doin what your doin

Quaint little place that has delicious offerings! Fresh ingredients and something for everyone on the menu. The best antipasto I’ve ever enjoyed! It’s loaded with salami, prosciutto, sun dried tomatoes soaked with olive oil, roasted red peppers, pickled red onions, artichoke hearts, roasted garlic, olives, and provolone cheese. Finished with a balsamic vinegar reduction. …delicious!!! Also had the Portuguese little necks which also hit the spot. Try the specials… I had a thai chicken wrap that was incredible! I’ll definitely be back to visit this hidden jewel!

Good drinks and food, great staff, make this a good place to go to if you’re in town. Only bad thing is the parking situation on certain nights can be crazy!

Stopped by for dinner and were very disappointed. Had been there many times just for drinks. We ordered Portuguese steak with rice and fries dinner to go. Sent it back as it was a sandwich, and it was replaced. When we got home the dinner was a plain piece of cube steak with no sauce whatsoever. Dry and awful. We wondered if it was punishment for sending it back, although it was actually the bartender who noticed the order was wrong and sent it back.
We also had an order of mixed appetizers that was quite good.

A couple of my friends and I wound up here for dinner on a Friday night. First off, it’s a seat yourself kind of place. My friend and I walked in and stood around for about a minute before the waitress came by and told us to sit wherever we like. The patrons are nice though — someone must’ve thought we wanted to sit at the bar, because they were going to give up their seat.
Second, go hungry… especially if you’re ordering a pizza or a salad. They give you pretty good sized portions. My favorite dish of the night though was the seafood empanadas.
Finally, go early. When we got there around 7:30pm, there were tables available, but by the time 8pm rolled around, most of the tables around us were gone. It gets a little loud too, but the atmosphere’s nice.

Finding an enjoyable restaurant in an area of downtown Taunton that isn’t overrun with transients, prostitutes and drug addicts has been a perennial problem for diners in recent years. So it came as a bit of a surprise to find this friendly eatery in a vicinity historically associated with nefarious types. Maybe the restaurant is improving the neighborhood.
I hear some of the tenants even pay their own rent.
My girlfriend and I arrived around sixish last night and pulled up a few stools at the bar. The bartender was very friendly and invited us to make some drink selections while offering us menus. A patron selected a song on a nearby jukebox and the atmosphere could have been described as festive if there had been more people around — it was a monsoon of a night.
The dining area, bathroom and bar all appeared clean and well kept — a fact worth mentioning for a restaurant in this neck of the woods. The dining area was dimly lit and while seated at the bar with our backs to it, we couldn’t help but feel a certain sense of foreboding.
The beer offerings appeared to be of the bottled variety — no draft service was made apparent. An appetizer was placed for linguiça empanadas. I ordered a Narragansett Lager while she opted for a mixed drink which arrived watery. Her second brought no improvement.
The arrival of freshly baked empanadas stymied our hasty departure. In hindsight, I’m glad it did. I’ve had far worse at bona fide Mexican restaurants that brag about the quality and authenticity of their plates. The Ugly Duckling’s empanadas were first and foremost delicious — warm and tasty with excellent flavor. They tempted me to break etiquette and devour more than my fair share.
Our entrées were of the bread, meat and cheese variety. Mine was a linguiça, pepper and onion sandwich while hers was a steak, onion and cheese sandwich. They were both served with customary French fries of intermediate quality. My meal was tasty enough, but a painful stomachache on the ride home forced me to reconsider such an indulgence in the future. Being from Pittsburgh, she is a steak and cheese snob, but managed to give her highest accolade yet of the New England version: «It’s the best I’ve had in the area so far.»
Take it for what it’s worth.
Overall, The Ugly Duckling did not compel me to return. I’d give it four stars, but the fourth would be entirely out of pity and the third is halfway there. The location is terrific if you’re in the mood for some pizza or comfort food to compliment your deck of choice. The service was stellar and our food was globally above average in taste. But for all the hard work the owners have clearly put into this restaurant, it just doesn’t seem to have any lasting pizzazz.
You’ll receive it in doses here, but it’s fleeting at best.