Right in the heart of downtown Manchester, New Hampshire, Hooked Seafood Restaurant is the kind of intimate, locally-owned seafood gem that quietly earns a legendary reputation — one bowl of cioppino at a time. 🦞
This independently owned downtown Manchester seafood spot has been voted Best Seafood in Manchester by Union Leader readers, and once you dig into the menu, it’s not hard to understand why.
Fresh ingredients, a chef cooking practically right beside you, and a menu built around bold, honest seafood flavors — this place simply delivers.
How Hooked Seafood Restaurant Won Manchester’s Hearts
When Ann Masterson and Melissa Cruz took over the helm of Hooked Seafood in April 2014, they inherited a restaurant with solid bones and transformed it into something the city of Manchester would truly call its own. 🌊
From the very beginning, the new ownership made a clear statement: fresh seafood, prepared with skill and soul, would always be the priority — and the regulars noticed immediately.
The Seafood Cioppino — a colossal bowl of shrimp, sea scallops, haddock, mussels, and clams stewed in a rich tomato broth — became the dish that put Hooked on the map, drawing diners back again and again with its depth of flavor and sheer generosity of ingredients.
The raw bar quickly became a local anchor, drawing oyster lovers and tuna tartare fans who needed a reliable, fresh-forward Manchester, NH seafood restaurant they could count on week after week.
What makes Hooked truly special is the feeling that you’re being cooked for — not just fed. Diners consistently describe watching the chef work just steps from the bar, seasoning dishes with precision and chatting openly about what’s on the menu. 👨🍳
It’s the kind of place where a solo traveler in town for business becomes a devoted fan who plans their next business trip around a return visit, where out-of-state diners linger over martinis and vow to come back on their next trip through New England.
Ann and Melissa built something rare — a hidden gem seafood restaurant in New Hampshire that locals fiercely protect as one of the city’s crown jewels, while visitors lucky enough to stumble in can’t stop talking about it for weeks afterward.
In a city with no shortage of great food, Hooked earned its place at the top through consistency, freshness, and the kind of genuine hospitality that only a truly owner-driven restaurant can sustain. ❤️
Food Highlights
- Lobster Mac & Cheese: Generously loaded with fresh lobster meat in a rich, creamy cheese sauce.
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Seafood Cioppino: Colossal shrimp, sea scallops, haddock, mussels, and clams stewed in a rich tomato broth, served with a toasted baguette.
- Grilled Swordfish: Topped with fresh lobster meat and avocado salad, drizzled with a balsamic glaze, and served over basmati rice with bok choy.
- Kahuna Tuna: Seared Ahi tuna strips on a wonton surfboard with baby spinach, pickled ginger, and wasabi sauce.
- Costa Rican Fish Tacos: Three soft tacos stuffed with fried Mahi Mahi, greens, pico de gallo, and a creole tartar sauce — available grilled, blackened, or fried. 🌮
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Blackened Salmon: Pan-seared salmon served over roasted fingerling potatoes and grilled asparagus, finished with a roasted red pepper coulis. 🍽️
- British Fish & Chips: Deep-fried tender, battered haddock and French fries served with tartar sauce and coleslaw. 🐟
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Pan Seared Sea Scallops: Jumbo sea scallops served over a vegetable risotto and finished with a touch of soy reduction. 🍤
- Seafood Mixed Grille: Citrus-grilled colossal shrimp, sea scallops, and salmon served with rice pilaf and sautéed asparagus finished with a chili-lime butter.
Atmosphere
Hooked Seafood is small, intimate, and electric — a snug dining room with a warm nautical personality that makes every table feel like the best seat in the house. 🌊
Live music, outdoor sidewalk café seating, and a full bar round out the experience, making Hooked as much a neighborhood gathering place as it is a destination restaurant. 🎶
Bottom Line
Hooked Seafood is Manchester’s best-kept secret, hiding in plain sight — voted Best Seafood in the city, driven by passionate ownership, and serving dishes worth planning a trip around. 🦞
Address:
110 Hanover St, Manchester, NH 03101
🕔 Mon–Fri: 2:00 PM–9:30 PM | Sat: 12:00 PM–9:30 PM | Sun: 12:00 PM–7:00 PM