Fresh haddock, steak tips, homemade mozzarella sticks, and a full bakery give The Red Blazer more range than the average neighborhood pub. The longtime Concord restaurant combines a broad comfort-food menu with cakes, cheesecakes, cupcakes, and other desserts made through its own bakery operation.
The menu moves from onion soup and burgers to seafood, pasta, chicken, and steaks, with several dishes prepared in-house. The restaurant also serves fresh broiled haddock, seafood-stuffed haddock, dry sea scallops, and a 12-ounce New York sirloin cut in house.
Add the large dining space and bakery counter, and this is considerably more than a basic pub stop. It is the kind of place where choosing dessert can become almost as involved as choosing dinner.
A Manchester Street Address With a Lot of History Behind It
The Red Blazer Restaurant and Pub sits at 72 Manchester Street, Concord, NH 03301, and the building itself has more chapters than most people realize. Long before the current owners arrived, this property hosted a clam bar and a bakery, cycling through identities the way New England cycles through seasons.
An earlier restaurant actually carried the Red Blazer name from 1982 to 1995, so the brand itself has deep roots in this community. The current owners took over and brought the name back in March of 2000, and what followed was a steady expansion that eventually doubled the size of the original space.
That growth added an in-house bakery, a butcher shop, and several private dining rooms, turning a simple pub into a full-scale dining destination. The address on Manchester Street is easy to find, parking is plentiful, and the building carries a quiet confidence that comes from over two decades of consistent community presence.
The history here is baked right into the walls.
The Fireplace Room That Stops You Cold the Moment You Walk In
The main dining room at the Red Blazer was originally constructed in 1972, and its centerpiece is a two-story stone fireplace that commands the entire space. Vaulted ceilings stretch overhead, supported by rustic hand-hewn beams that give the room a warmth that no amount of interior design school could manufacture.
Recent renovations added a beautiful slate tile floor, expanded deck seating, and new windows that flood the room with natural light during the day. The overall effect is a space that feels both grand and genuinely cozy at the same time, which is a difficult balance to strike.
Fairy lights are tucked throughout the dark wood decor, adding a soft glow that makes evening meals feel a little more special than they might anywhere else. The family restaurant atmosphere is present but never overwhelming.
This is a room that invites you to slow down, order something hearty, and stay longer than you planned. And you probably will.
Award-Winning Mozzarella Sticks and the Appetizer Menu Worth Exploring
Few appetizers carry the weight of being called award-winning, but the homemade mozzarella sticks at the Red Blazer have earned that title and seem to live up to it every single time they leave the kitchen. The cheese pull is real, the breading is crisp, and they arrive at the table hot enough to require a moment of patience.
Beyond the mozzarella sticks, the starter menu is surprisingly deep. Homemade onion rings arrive hand-battered with a light, crispy coating.
Loaded nachos piled with pulled chicken are generous enough to feed four people without breaking a sweat.
Maple wings have developed a devoted following, frequently described as some of the best wings in the state. Bacon-wrapped scallops, artichoke dip pastry bites, and potato skins round out a list that could honestly serve as a full meal on its own.
The French onion soup deserves its own paragraph, but it gets its moment later. Start with the mozzarella sticks and thank yourself afterward.
The French Onion Soup That Reviewers Cannot Stop Talking About
Some dishes at a restaurant become so associated with the place that they take on a life of their own, and the French onion soup at the Red Blazer has reached exactly that status. Described repeatedly as second to none, it shows up in reviews with a regularity that suggests this is not an accident.
The broth is deep and rich, the onions are properly caramelized, and the cheese on top arrives bubbling and golden from the oven. It is the kind of soup that makes a cold New Hampshire afternoon feel entirely manageable.
Clam chowder also appears on the menu for those who prefer their comfort in a cream-based form, and it holds its own as a satisfying bowl. The homemade soup rotation keeps things interesting for regulars who visit frequently.
What stands out most is that neither soup feels like an afterthought. They are treated with the same care as the entrees, which says a lot about the kitchen’s priorities and attention to detail.
Burgers and Sandwiches Built for Serious Appetites
The burger and sandwich section of the Red Blazer menu is not playing around. The Peanut Pub Burger alone is a half-pound patty seasoned with steak seasoning, topped with sharp cheddar, bacon BBQ sauce, and cajun onion rings, which is the kind of burger that makes you reconsider ordering anything else.
The Red Fox Burger offers a different flavor profile for those who want variety, while the Fabulous Reuben brings together corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing on grilled marble rye in a way that hits every note a Reuben should hit. A Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and a Fresh Fried Haddock sandwich keep the seafood and spice lovers happy.
Lighter options like the Chicken Salad Wrap and the Blazer Steak Tip Wrap round out a list that genuinely has something for everyone. The Blazer Burger is the classic choice, and a Vegan Burger is available for those who prefer a plant-based option.
Portion sizes are solid across the board.
Steak Tips, Haddock, and the Entrees That Keep People Coming Back
The house steak tips at the Red Blazer have developed a reputation that extends well beyond Concord. They arrive smothered in sauteed onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers, all finished in a garlic Madeira sauce and served over a generous pile of mashed potatoes.
The tenderness is consistent, and the sauce is the kind you quietly mop up with whatever bread is nearby.
Baked stuffed haddock is another standout, appearing frequently in conversations about what to order on a first visit. The kitchen also offers baked sole with lobster and crab stuffing, sesame seared salmon, and fresh dry sea scallops finished with New Hampshire maple syrup, which is a combination that sounds unusual but works beautifully.
Pastry baked chicken, chicken parmesan, and fried chicken tenders with a gluten-free breading option ensure that the menu covers ground for diners with different preferences and dietary needs. A dedicated fryer for gluten-free items like fries and potato skins is a thoughtful touch that does not go unnoticed by those who need it.
The Dessert Case That Has Been Known to Change Dinner Plans
The reception area at the Red Blazer doubles as a bakery, and the dessert case positioned right at the entrance is either a brilliant design choice or a delicious form of psychological maneuvering. Either way, it works.
Guests walk past it on the way in and spend the entire meal planning their return trip to it on the way out.
The lineup changes but regularly features items like chocolate orange pistachio dome, carrot cake cheesecake, white chocolate cheesecake, tiramisu, chocolate chip creme brulee, peanut butter mousse cake, almond joy cake, and molten lava cakes. Mini whoopie pies and strawberry cake round out a selection that feels more like a specialty patisserie than a pub dessert menu.
Wedding cakes, custom celebration cakes, and cupcakes available in gluten-free options have made the bakery a destination in its own right. Many guests pick up boxed treats to take home even after finishing a full meal.
The bakery side of this business is serious, and the results speak for themselves in every bite.
Private Rooms, Big Events, and a Space for Every Occasion
Not every pub can host a baby shower, a wedding reception, and a corporate lunch all in the same week, but the Red Blazer manages it with apparent ease. The venue offers several distinct private spaces, each with its own character and capacity, which makes it unusually versatile for a neighborhood restaurant.
The Fox Den, added in 2002 and recently remodeled, accommodates up to 42 guests and comes equipped with Wi-Fi and Smart TVs for presentations or entertainment. It connects to a fixed buffet setup, making it practical for catered group events without a lot of logistical headaches.
The Highlands room on the second floor is the largest of the private spaces, holding up to 100 people and featuring its own full-service bar. The Blazer Room, recently overhauled, functions as a VIP lounge and doubles as the backdrop to the retail bakery area.
Baby showers hosted here have been described as beautifully set up with attentive staff and food that kept guests talking long after the event ended.
The Peanut Pub and One of New Hampshire’s Largest Draft Lists
Tucked within the Red Blazer complex is the Peanut Pub, a vibrant bar space that operates with its own distinct energy. It is known for housing one of the largest draft systems in the area, with 35 selections on tap at any given time, many of them from New Hampshire breweries that locals recognize and out-of-towners are happy to discover.
The draft list is backed up by an extensive selection of premium spirits and wines, which means the Peanut Pub functions as a genuine full-service bar rather than just a place to grab something cold before dinner. Crafted cocktails get mentioned frequently in reviews, with spicy margaritas and whiskey sours earning particular praise from guests who know their way around a well-made drink.
The bar atmosphere is lively without being overwhelming, and the staff behind the bar are generally described as knowledgeable and personable. The beer selection alone draws regulars who cycle through the tap list with the enthusiasm of people who take their craft brews seriously.
It is a solid bar by any measure.
An In-House Butcher Shop That Changes How Fresh Tastes
Most restaurants source their proteins from outside suppliers and hope for the best. The Red Blazer took a different approach by incorporating an in-house butcher shop into its operation, which gives the kitchen direct control over the quality and freshness of the meat and seafood that lands on every plate.
House-processed cuts mean the steak tips are trimmed and seasoned on-site, and the seafood is handled with the kind of attention that shows up clearly in the final dish. The baked stuffed haddock, the bacon-wrapped scallops, and the fresh dry sea scallops all benefit from this commitment to sourcing and preparation that starts well before anything hits a pan.
Paired with the in-house bakery, the butcher shop gives the Red Blazer a level of vertical integration that is rare for a pub of this size. It is the kind of detail that does not appear on a menu but absolutely shows up in the flavor of the food.
Fresh is not just a marketing word here. It is the actual standard.
Hours, Pricing, and Everything You Need to Plan Your Visit
Planning a visit to the Red Blazer is straightforward, and the hours are generous enough to accommodate both lunch cravings and dinner plans. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 9 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 10 PM, and Sunday from 11 AM to 8 PM.
Those are reliable hours for a full-service restaurant with this much going on.
Entree prices average around $18 and up for dinner, while the lunch menu typically starts around $12, which represents solid value given the portion sizes and the quality of ingredients coming out of an in-house butcher and bakery. Parking is plentiful and free, which is a detail that matters more in a busy city than people admit.
The venue is wheelchair accessible and offers Wi-Fi for guests. Reservations can be made by calling (603) 224-4101, which is recommended for larger groups or private event spaces.
The website at theredblazer.com also provides catering information for off-site events. Showing up without a reservation is usually fine for smaller parties, especially at lunch.
Share this story
