Mudville Pub

By: Cayte Burdick
Posted In: The Island Dish

How does a mud dog sound? Or how about a mud pie? These may not sound very appetizing, but at the Mudville Pub, they are the specialties.

If you order the mud dog, you will be getting not one, but two enormous spicy hot dogs in buns covered with cheese. Bring a big appetite if you order this dish because it is quite the challenge to finish. But for under $10 a meal, Mudville serves very good food at very affordable prices.

The Pub definitely seems to be an Irish pub, with a green exterior that carries into the inside with green paper placemats and other decorations. The interior is mainly wooden, with booths, tables, and a bar. The table settings are nothing special, with paper napkins. If you get refills on your soda, they may start coming in plastic cups if it’s a busy night.

They keep up with the latest technology: throughout the pub there are several HD flat screen televisions on the sports channels. The rest of the place looks old, but the young service does a good job keeping up with the customers. On a Sunday evening, it does not begin to get crowded until around 7 p.m.

All sorts of people come to Mudville, from groups of senior citizens to families with young children. This place definitely has a small hometown feel.

Customers discuss the impressive looking desserts with other tables, and ask the waitress why there is a red Red Sox light but a green Yankees light. “The Red Sox are on fire,” the waitress explains, giving an answer that is more than satisfactory to the Red Sox fans. There just so happened to be a game on that night starring the two teams. Places like the Mudville Pub are the place to be on nights like this.

There is also baseball being played right behind the pub on Cardines Field. If there is a game going on, customers can opt to eat outside in a fenced-in patio right on the edge of the field.

There is a wide selection of beers on tap, including Killians, which not many restaurants have. Of course they also have non-alcoholic drinks such as Root Beer, which is very flavorful.

For appetizers, the homemade clam chowder is probably the best choice. It is amazingly delicious and a great way to start a meal. The Mudville Pub also has onion rings, which are chock full of the vegetable.

Mudville is known for its burgers. Their basic cheeseburger is the Handcrafted 8 ounce Sirloin Charbroiled Cheese Burger, served with fries for $7.50. The name does not lie: it is charred on the outside, but has a nice, juice inside. A bun, cheese, and your choice of vegetables complete the burger, making is a very delicious meal. There is also a choice of other condiments in the center of the table in a round rotating carrier.

The french fries are also yummy and don’t taste like the typical restaurant fries. They are like fries at a town fair: a little bit sweet, soft and greasy, and completely finger-licking good.

Then of course, there is dessert. The mud pie is a complete chocolate pie for any chocolate lover. There is also an apple crisp, which is only satisfactory, and has a bit of a pumpkin flavor.

And then there is the brownie sundae, which is not the best brownie sundae ever. The brownies are more of a cake texture than a fudge brownie. There is also way more whipped cream than ice cream, something that one would expect more of with a sundae. If you still have room for dessert, go for it, but if not, you’d probably be better off finding dessert elsewhere after you’ve had a chance to let all that delicious dinner digest.

Overall the service was quite good, but there were a few issues. The oven was broken, so nothing on the menu that has to be oven-cooked could be served.

When the meals were brought out, one was not correct, but the waitress noticed before the customer did and only took a few minutes to bring out the right meal. Also, a request for a condiment not on the table was forgotten.

A few mishaps are not enough to not eat at the Mudville Pub. The friendly service and relaxed atmosphere make it a great place to get a bite to eat with some friends. And with the cheap prices for some great food, there aren’t many other places in the area that can compare.

Mudville Pub, 8 W. Marlborough St., Newport, (401) 849-1408. Open 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 12 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Sundays. American Express, Visa, and MasterCard accepted.