Topside Bistro

Speedy service and great food! We enjoyed the crispy, plump fried clams. The clam chowder had a smooth and creamy consistency, not too thick. The lobster roll had a nice mix of large to small lump lobster meat, and it was so fresh. The haddock sandwich was fried well — crispy, but not dry.

Now under new ownership, the new Topside Bistro is great. We checked it out for the first time and were impressed with the cocktails, the food and the service. And the pricing seemed very reasonable, especially these days. I had an excellent Anejo Old Fashioned, and my wife loved the “Hope Feels French” cocktail. Rave reviews for the California Burger and I had the Osso Buco which was superb and beautify presented. We had the Carajillo for “liquid dessert”, a combo of espresso, Licor 43, orange and cinnamon. Killer good!
Overall, we loved the happy vibe of the place and its new owners. They are off to a great start and we will certainly be back.

We asked a local where to eat and were led in the right direction to Topside Grill! The clam chowder was rich and flavorful which paired nicely with the flounder being light and delicate. French fries = crispy without being heavily fried. Watermelon margarita = so refreshing. Absolutely loved our experience here!

We had a very nice lunch. The outdoor seating was all filled up but plenty of seats inside.
There is a parking lot for the restaurant. The kids were happy with the kids menu (but does not come with any fruit or vegetables).
The fish was very fresh! Our server Zuri was great. Will definitely come back again - forgot to order the mussels so will have to try those next time!

My husband and I were staying in Rockport last night, and picked the Topside Grill over our usual Gloucester House and I'm so glad we did. The food was wonderful! The scallops wrapped in bacon were amazing! I had the sirloin which was so tender you could cut it with a butter knife. My husband had the clam chowder for starters, he said it was the best he ever had ( and we travel alot!) . His lobster was cooked to perfection as well. The service was excellent, we did get there early just before 5 beating the rush. I highly recommend this restaurant, we will definitely be back.

Great experience. Any restaurant might make an error in service. After we were seated nobody came by for 20 minutes to take a drink order. We flagged someone… turned out to be Chef Sal checking on FOH… he asked if anyone had come by, they hadn’t. Server appears immediately. Kind, apologetic. Sal brought our lobster ravioli appetizer to the table, complementary upgrade to dinner size. DELICIOUS, highly recommend you won’t be disappointed. Steak frites perfectly cooked. Husband had the scallop risotto, he said it was best he’s ever had. Crispy finish on the scallops. Large scallops. 6 of them. Consistency of the risotto was perfect, so flavorful and every bite a little different. The tomatoes had this incredible snap and then explosion of flavor. Our server was on point and Sal visited the table a few more times. This is what turning an homes mistake into an opportunity to delight a guest looks like! We will be back! Oh, and a desert on the house. Crème brulée was phenomenal. Food = 10/10. Service 11/10. Next time you pass by, stop and you won’t be disappointed. I wanna add a photo of the risotto.

My wife and I ordered the Strawberry Avocado Salad with Blueberry Vanilla Goat Cheese and Haddock some type of cheese sause with rice pilaf. My wife's salad was the best she ever had. She wished their was a little more Goat Cheese. My dish was pretty good but that rice pilaf was freaking good.

Please give this place a chance! Complete different owners and kitchen staff that are actually talented and competent. Every dish I have tired from this place was very tasty, definitely would recommend to anyone!

A great little restaurant to hit after a trip to the beach or hike at Halibut State Park. The lobster roll was to die for and the ginger beer was downright delicious. The clam chowder is also quite tasty! Our server, Jamie H. was incredibly accommodating of our dogs, moving an umbrella for us and bringing them a bowl of water.

Everything they served up was fresh and tasted great. We got salads and a few appetizers - they did a really good job. Waitress was well trained and exceptionally happy to help us.

My lasagna was so good and my husband said his fettuccine was delicious! Very nice staff. My husband had the buffalo chicken soup and he said it was very good!

I have lived in Gloucester for a little over 3 years and love being surrounded by gorgeous scenery, endless fun events, and some of the best restaurants you can find. A few weeks ago, my friend and I checked out the Topside Bistro for the first time and we were so thrilled that we did! We sat at the bar and were served some great drinks and immediately got into conversations with the bartender and other wait staff. They were very welcoming and pleasant to us as well as the other patrons at the bar. Before our California burgers came out, we tried the raviolis with lobster in lemon sauce. This dish was outstanding, and I found myself trying to scoop up as much of the lemon sauce on the plate as I could! The burgers were also such a great surprise, stacked with so many delicious flavors in every huge bite. The basket of fries were delicious, a perfect side to these huge burgers. The entire meal was so good, they were the best burgers I have had in town. We were taken exceptionally good care of by this friendly staff. Before we left, we even got a chance to have a chat with the manager Nick, who was also very cheerful and friendly. The atmosphere felt warm, familiar, and inviting. We will certainly be going back and making this a go to dinner spot. Keep up the good work, see you soon!

Dinner was delicious! Staff was great. The Mandarin Mule with homemade citrus ginger beer was great. It was our best meal in our 10 day trip. I highly recommend the shrimp pizza or haddock and cheese casserole. Lobster bisque was delicious. Great atmosphere.

Me and my group loved the food & the service. I personally got the chicken pot pie & mash potatoes. They gravy came in the cutest little gravy boat too! Loved it. Give this place a try.

This spot is a million times better under the new ownership. Amazing food, cocktails, and bartenders. Highly recommend 👌

A bit on the pricey side w some things but definitely worth it. The staff is very friendly and the food is really good!!!

Always enjoy ourselves and never had any issues / complaints.

Chicken Parmesan is in the picture.

Went here with a group while on Retreat at Eastern Point in Gloucester. It was a wonderful experience. Our server was Chloe, she was patient ( there were a lot of us), professional and very helpful. The food was excellent. Best baked Haddock and French Onion soup I’ve had . Shiloh another member of the staff was also very sweet and stopped by our table, made us feel most welcome. Many of us were from other countries and left with a very good impression of the hospitality here in the U.S.

I’ve shared a picture of an empty plate because that’s how good the food was here. I ordered a burger because I’m not the biggest fan of seafood, and this restaurant did not disappoint. The Buffalo shrimp appetizer was fantastic as well. If you are looking for a place that suits everyone’s needs, look no further! From sandwiches to salad to seafood to Italian meatballs, they do it all so well!

Wow, I Had to give Teddy over at Topside credit for his homemade Bloody Mary mix. Nailed it! Simple meal, clams casino, Bloody Mary, and cookie skillet to finish. Love the new Topside!

We really liked this place. It's got a nice atmosphere. Firstly, our server Dawn was an absolute diamond. She looked after us more than I knew a server could. Our drinks never went empty. The lemonade was especially good. The food was really tasty, especially the eggplant parmesan . The desserts were delicious. I was very happy with my lobster roll too.