McKelvie's Restaurant

We had dinner at McKelvie’s during our trip to Halifax. Overall, the experience was just okay. The kale salad was the highlight—fresh, well-seasoned, and honestly the best part of the meal. We also ordered the lobster, but it was underwhelming. It lacked flavour and didn’t really stand out, especially compared to other seafood we had on this trip. The jambalaya was another letdown—it didn’t have much depth or spice, and the dish felt a bit flat. The service was fine and the setting was nice, but the food didn’t leave much of an impression. Nothing was terrible, but nothing was particularly memorable either. It felt like one of those places that’s okay if you’re nearby and hungry, but not one I’d go out of my way to recommend. I’d give it a 3 out of 5 stars. Not bad, not great—just average.

Visited Halifax for the first time and I was dying to try a fresh lobster dinner. <Myth - lobster is cheaper closer to the source where it's caught. It's not.> I ordered the 1lb lobster dinner and this is what it came with. The lobster was sweet and tasty but there's not much of it after the carapace and shell are removed. I was not full when I left. The service was average, the server did not ask me if I wanted anything else over and above water. This 1lb dinner as shown cost $60+taxes and tip. I did not leave feeling like I had the most amazing lobster dinner or experience. I was hoping to be wowed and this restaurant fell short. I suspect there are better places to try.

Absolutely delicious apps and mains. Had scallops, chowder, lobster rolls, truffle fries, and donair dip! Great location and lots of seating. Lovely, attentive service.

Food is ok, but ambiance, service and presentation aren’t worth the prices. The not generous lobster roll comes in a simple hotdog bread (not in a nice bakery bread for example) with fries on half of the plate, which is quite ordinary for a $33 plate. We went there because most of the restaurants were closed for the Holidays, but we should have eaten in a cafe instead of wasting money and time in that tourist trap. That place should improve the presentation of their plates and make their customer service better, or lower the prices.

Decent Spot for Drinks & Apps, but Didn’t Quite Wow Us We originally planned to have dinner at McKelvie’s, but after getting a few local recommendations, we decided to head elsewhere for the main meal. That said, we still stopped in later that night for a couple of drinks and some appetizers, just to check it out. There’s a solid selection of craft beers and cocktails, and the service was friendly. The atmosphere, though, felt a bit underwhelming—not quite as lively or unique as many of the other Halifax spots we visited during our trip. We tried a couple of appetizers: the cornbread with chipotle butter and the burrata. I actually thought the cornbread was pretty tasty, but my wife wasn’t a fan of the flavour combo with the chipotle butter. The burrata was just okay—not bad, but nothing memorable. Even the locals weren’t praising it. Feels like a chain restaurant. There’s plenty of better options around in our opinion. Overall, it was a decent stop for some light fare and drinks, but compared to the other amazing restaurants in Halifax, McKelvie’s didn’t really stand out for us.

I brought my fiancé here for his birthday dinner because he wanted lobster with butter. And this was the perfect lobster dinner. They even showed us the lobsters in the tank including a crazy 5lb one! Our waitress was amazing and explained how to tackle eating the lobster. Very tasty food and a great choice for the lobster.

This was our favorite restaurant while visiting Halifax. We ended up going 2 nights in a row. The food and service were amazing. We both had the sea food chowder on both nights because it's that good. I had the maple pecan salmon the first evening, and the fish fry the second. We will definitely go back the next time we visit Halifax. The restaurant is also decorated beautifully.

Came here for lunch after landing in Halifax. First time having a lobster roll and have to say I was blown away they did not skimp on the lobster! It was sweet and tender and very satisfying, the local beer pairs extremely well with it! I will be coming back for this!

Our family of four had a great dinner at McKelvie's. We arrived for an early supper and the ambiance was great - we were happy it wasn't too busy. The service was excellent and the server let me try a few samples of beer before ordering. We had the lobster roll, lobster chowder and steaks with fries/veggies. The food was excellent and arrived quickly. Overall an excellent experience!

I came a long ways for good whole lobster. The service by Ashley was quick and I immediately had a nice table and a glass of Keith's India Pale Ale. My lobster was steamed and delish! That was all that I wanted. Five Stars for the lobster and service in a nice bar and restaurant. The ambiance was nice.

Great atmosphere! No loud music. Great menu, great drink offering and great food!! Our table got the surf and turf, fresh oysters, fish fry and seafood chowder, salmon deviled eggs, bacon wrapped dingy scallops and a crab cake. Not a word was spoken while eating. It was delicious! Service was ok, it was busy and I understood that. Definitely a good time and good food!

My husband and I had dinner at McKelvies and we loved it. My husband saw online on their website that they have a Daily Special from 4-6pm where you can get an appetizer, main and dessert (you chose from a set list of options) for $30. We looked at the menu online and it looked great, so we decided to go. When we arrived, shortly before 5pm, on a Monday, we were only given the regular menus. We inquired about the special listed on their website and our server said "that menu is not usually offered in the summer" (it was August), but it was actively on their website at the time of our visit, so it was honoured. I got the fish cakes, Crunchy Haddock with salad, and the Ovation pie. My husband also got the fish cakes and Crunchy Haddock with salad, but he got the Coconut Cream pie instead. (Note that you also have the option of getting just an appetizer and main with no dessert for $24). Service was efficient. I advised the server of my sesame seed and poppy seed allergy and the kitchen was able to accommodate. The only modification they had to make was to omit the sauce from my fish cakes as the sauce had sesame seeds in it. I also asked for the dressing on the side for my salad, and it arrived as requested. The fish cakes were fantastic. They were full of fish and potatoes. Very tasty. The star of the night for us was definitely the Crunchy Haddock. I don't know how they make the breading so crunchy, but it was so delicious. The fish was tender and flakey. It was easily the best crusted fish I've ever had. The sauce that came with the fish was a mildly spicy curry sauce. It was great. The accompanying salad was a real spring mix, no cheapie iceberg lettuce. It had radishes, carrots, tomatoes, red cabbage, and cucumbers too. The dressing was sweet and creamy. I would definitely order this again. My Ovation pie was a mint and chocolate ice cream pie with an Oreo crust and chocolate drizzle. It came with a generous dollop of whipped cream. It was rich and decadent. My husband loved his coconut cream pie. It had so much whipped cream! Lol. I had a taste and it was good, but I'm not a huge coconut cream pie fan. My husband is, and this one was an A+ in his books. We ate on the patio and it's lovely on the patio. It's in between two tall buildings, so it's nice and shaded and wasn't too hot. You do hear the cars racing by though, sometimes with loud sound systems, lol. McKelvies might have to be on the ever-growing list of places to return to the next time we are in Halifax ;) Street parking only.

This place was recommended to me by a friend who had lived in Halifax for years! The service was pretty quick and we were seated right away with plenty of seating available (about 2pm on a Monday). My partner and I shared the seafood chowder, lobster roll with fries, and the chocolate mousse cake. I loveddddd the chowder- absolutely delicious! Creamy and full of seafood pieces, I could've ordered another just to my self! The fries and chocolate mousse cake were fantastic as well. The mousse came with a base that was sort of a crunchy wafer- like a ferrero rocher The only thing I wasn't thrilled with was the lobster roll, but disclaimer*, this was the first one I ever had so I had nothing to compare it to/know exactly what to expect. The lobster was cold, the bun was a bit too small for the amount of toppings and I just didn't love it *shrug* The inside wasn't anything glamorous, but it was quaint and had beautiful windows facing the street. After we paid, we overheard someone ordering the chowder with the lobster roll (instead of the fries/salad option on the menu) which was annoying because the server didn't offer it to us when we ordered. (We wouldn't have got the fries if we had known).

I've always like this mainstay of Halifax downtown. When trendy new restaurants continue to pop up all around it, and others continue to close, McKelvie's continues to provide great food and service in its own way. I met my family for an early dinner. On a beautiful hot afternoon, we sat on a cozy patio, enjoyed friendly service, cold beer, and some pretty good seafood. While they serve several meat dishes, their specialty is definitely seafood. From lobster to Acadian Jambalaya, their menu is broad but not too complicated. They also have a well priced early bird set menu for my parents or anyone else who likes to eat dinner at 4:30 pm. Add a good local beer menu and a wine list, what could be better.

We came from a cruise ship and walked about 25 minutes to get to McKelvies for lunch. It was a Thursday at opening time, so the place was pretty empty. We were seated promptly and there was an outside seating area with shade. Service: Our waitress was quick to put together a table for 10 and got our orders immediately. Food: There was a good deal on lobster roll and soup dish. You can either get seafood chowder or crab bisque. They were both delicious and flavorful. Asides from all the dishes, one of our friends ordered a caesar salad and there was hair in it. They brought back and new salad with chicken included.

Fun and lively atmosphere. Wait staff was attentive and helpful. Soups were fantastic as well as the mussels. My husband had the breaded haddock and was a bit disappointed in the thinness of the fish. Because it was so thin it was a bit dry. He loves the BBQ dipping sauce that came with it

Fresh Oysters, live music, tasty beer....what else do you need? A short walk to the water if you need a change of view. Love this place

Very fresh salad. Fries were very good Ordered lobster rolls and they were tasty. Good amount of lobster and good sauce. Lobster was fresh. I like it a bit spicier but I am from Texas! Roll bread was soft and had some nice grill marks. I would recommend highly.

'Just so you know ... chickens have veins.' It was our last night in Halifax and we were so excited for nice seafood. Our appetizers were underwhelming, good thing for salt and pepper. Time for main courses, two diners had 'roasted' chicken, which bled when cut into. Upon reporting this, we were met with a response 'oh, okay' and the plates were taken away. Several minutes later after watching a lengthy discussion in the kitchen we were informed that chicken have veins, we can cook it longer but it may come back the same way. We were also told the Chicken was steamed for 3 hours, then deep fried, so it was obviously cooked. Not sure how this is 'roasted' It felt argumentative and was unfortunate and nobody really wanted to finish their meals. The prices here were more than bicycle thief, which we ate at earlier that day and was OUTSTANDING. Save your money. Skip it. Anatomy lesson not required.

McKelvie's has been around forever - and there is a reason - good food and friendly service. I was there recently for a family dinner, one of our party had some gluten sensitivities and the server was very helpful in helping to determine good choices. We tried a good cross section of the menu it was all delicious but we especially enjoyed the crab bisque and lobster roles and there is an appetizer that is a combo of fish cakes and bacon wrapped scallops - so you can try a bit of everything

Service was good, decor badly needs an update. The other food we had was decent but our first Halifax lobster was disappointing. We paid almost 70.00 and it was small and not meaty. I wouldn't mind paying that amount if it match the ambiance of the restaurant. It wasn't a fancy place. 2 days later we went to another restaurant and paid 35.00 for a better and meaty lobster that came with a soup and desert.

Had a superb seafood meal with my wife. Food was all fresh and properly prepared. This restaurant has been at this location a long time and is a neighborhood gem.

Came into Halifax from a cruise ship and was on our Hop on Hop off portion of the tour. The group I was part of decided to get off at the stop McKelvie's was at. We decided on McKelvies's to eat for lunch and we weren't disappointed! We were seated promptly, our waitress Rebecca came by to introduce herself to us and provided excellent service throughout. She was fantastic!! We tried out the local beer for drinks, I recommend the Red, and was very happy with our choices. Water was provided for everyone and a bottle was left to refill as needed. A variety of food was chosen to have and everybody enjoyed their food. Most of us went with the Lobster Roll with a side. The Restaruant was clean as were the restrooms & everybody was very nice. If I lived in the city, I would definitely be back again!!!

We were so excited to eat lobster and fish at this restaurant after reading the good reviews. We were really disappointed. The lobster was rubbery and so was the fish. It was either overcooked or not fresh.

Went there with a group of 5 and we could immediately be seated. We got: oysters (4/5), mussels (3.7/5), lox appetizer (4/5) though portion is small, and the lobster roll (3.9/5). Definitely not the cheapest place but the seafood was decent. Looks like it can use a bit of an update.

This was a great choice, all of the restaurants closer to our hotel were booked for dinner so we took a walk and found this place had lots of open tables and the food was excellent, we had a group of 5 and everyone was very happy with their dinner. Definitely will be on our list next time we visit Halifax.

The crab stuffed mushrooms are my favourite. This has become a go-to dinner place every time my parents visit from Ontario. The Ovation Pie is also delicious, I wish they had a bigger dessert menu though. The decor is a bit dated but the staff are always lovely. Definitely recommend going on a quieter evening as service can be slow when they're bustling, but absolutely worth checking out if you like seafood!

First time attending. Good service from newly hired young man. He gave good service and was friendly. Reason for my lower rated review is because I ordered a Caesar and it was most like worst one I ever had. Again this is not why you gave a low rating but when I returned my Caesar and stated I was not feeling it and would like something else. Bartender asked why and I gave polite but honest answer. "It's not a good Caesar and can't drink it" To which he rolled his eyes and turned his back to me. Obviously A lifer in the service industry and burnt out. I returned to table paid for cheque and left. Likely to never return because someone could not take a small hit to their ego.

The beet apple salad was incredible- highly Recommend and decent value. The crab cake was good- but very expensive for the size. The seafood chowder was good but truthfully liked the chowder from the grab and go Arthur's up the road better. This chowder was very creamy, lots of fish but too creamy and rich for my taste.

We visited this location in August 2018. Starter: Nova Scotia seafood chowder For the main: Acadiana jambalaya gulf shrimp, grilled chicken, fennel sausage, creole tomatoes, savoury rice and corn bread. The service was prompt and attentive. The waitress brought us bread and butter and offered us water with our drink order. The chowder was served and we took our time savouring it with bread and butter. The main was the highlight with the gulf shrimp, chicken and fennel sausage. This was quite savoury and filling and we truly enjoyed our meal. We were stuffed by the end of and decided to skip dessert and coffee. We recommend you try this for lunch.

Pretty good for Seafood, and the mile high coconut creampie is a must order!! Came here with a group of 4 and I would say I have mixed feelings about this place. The service was excellent, the beer was cold, and the food overall was pretty good if you're looking for Seafood For a table of four, we ordered: Calamari appetizer: skip this.. it was shockingly tiny with a small pile of calimari for something like $14. Between the 4 of us, we each got 3 small morsels crab stuffed Mushroom appetizer: this was pretty good. Very cheesy and lots of crab Full lobster plate: I enjoyed this. The lobster was fresh and juicy, and not over-cooked. It came with a side of veg and mashed potatoes and was market price (I think about $50) Everyone also seemed to enjoy their mains. Lastly, dessert.. I ordered the coconut creampie per many positive reviews here, and it definitely did not disappoint! A good crust with a coconut custard filling topped with fresh whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes. Delish! Others at the table ordered the mint chocolate icecream cake and the cheesecake... They were both ok having taken bites... But the best was definitely the cream pie! Overall it was pretty good for Seafood.. but definitely not the cheapest place

Halifax is one of those places you can go and get great seafood because its location on the water. So, it is somewhat disappointing when the food does not live up to the region's reputation. That would be my experience at McKelvie's. The seafood was nothing to write home about. We had the seafood chowder to start...and it was ok; nothing great. The broth was tasteless but had fresh seafood thrown in. The sweet potatoe fries were crispy and hot and definately were the best part of the meal. The halibut was the daily special...but was underwhelming. It was a small piece and not very flavorful. Broccoli was lifeless. The desserts are made in house at their bakery downstairs so, the mile high coconut creme pie is definatley a must try. Perhaps I will try them again, as McKelvies has been around for quite some time so they may be just going through a phase.

2nd visit would give a 3.5. Stopped in for lunch on an overcast Tuesday in July 2020 and there were two tables taken when we arrived at noon. I think two more maybe were filled in the next hour, which is fine during covid times. Anyway, friendly service again. I tried the lobster roll with artisan salad (21.99). The roll was great! Noting original or unique about it, but good sized chunks of lobster, the bun was soft, overall tasty flavor and I'd get it again. My friend read my last review of his fish & chips and at that time, felt it average, but decided to order it again. This time he found it better, a bit greasy, but the fish itself was cooked to perfection inside the batter with a nice light taste. We were both too full from our meals and a beer each to consider dessert. I'd like to come back here at night some time over the summer.

Second time visiting. We were seated right away and there was a good crowd. Ordered the lobster roll and it was great, lots of lobster no filler. Tasted fresh and very delicious. The service was a little off this visit. Our server wasn't that attentive and provide basic non-personalized service. The star of the visit was the lobster roll and for that I'd be happy to visit again.

First time having a lobster roll and it was fantastic! Great flavor with perfectly toasted bread. The accompanying salad had a light sauce which was not overpowering and quite delicious. We were the only people there for lunch on a Monday. Service was fast and the atmosphere was very costal. Great place for lunch!

As a visitor to Halifax, McKelvie's is conveniently located near the wharf and in a great area to walk around and explore. The interior of the restaurant is cute - colourful painted murals on the wall, comfortable seating, and lots of space. They have an outdoor patio that looks cute as well (we didn't sit there though.) I visited in a group of four with very different food preferences: one vegetarian, one extreme foodie (me), one carnivore, and an 82-year old grandmother with a *somewhat* adventurous palate. We all managed to find what we were looking for (though our vegetarian didn't have many options.) We ordered one lobster roll, one seafood chowder, one order of crab cakes with side salad, one order of bacon wrapped scallops, oysters ($2 on Friday!) and vegetarian spring rolls. The lobster roll was excellent! The portion was on the smaller side but paired with the seafood chowder (a pairing I would highly recommend) it hit the spot. There was a hefty amount of lobster meat in the roll so I definitely feel it was worth it. The seafood chowder was creamy, chunky, and delicious. In every single spoonful I found a generous amount of seafood. It wasn't over salted, which I find can sometimes be an issue with chowders. I didn't personally have the crab cakes, side salad, and bacon wrapped scallops but I was told they were very good. The crab cakes in particular got rave reviews from my table. The oysters were fresh and delicious. Not much to report on those. The spring rolls were.... okay. They were really the only vegetarian option, and it was alright. I would really be hard pressed to say a vegetarian would be thrilled with this restaurant. Honestly, it's a seafood place. If you're looking for a great vegetarian meal, you've ended up at the wrong place. However, our very friendly server suggested some vegetarian restaurants in the area to try. Overall I'm very happy with my experience here. It ticked all of the boxes in what I was looking for for a casual seafood experience in Halifax.

Great staff but the food was disappointing. Very expensive for the portion. Lobster roll and chowder was good with lots of flavour but the portion for the price was not a good ratio. The seafood fettuccine had no flavour other than tomato we some lemon. Not impressed

Amazing Food, Delicious so good you'll want to lick your plate clean- but you'll want to eat before you go here or you'll spend a pretty penny. Halibut steak was cooked Perfectly, The Mashed potatoes were flavourful and amazing! Highly recommended.

Having only had 3 dinners in Halifax so far hardly qualifies me as an expert - an addict maybe. Each night I've considered looking for the place where I'll say, "I had THE seafood dinner of my stay here." All to often (i.e., every night), I've been tempted by something else interesting on that night's menu somewhere. So we made an effort to look for someplace that had an emphasis on seafood, and specifically not fried. As of this writing, the honor for THE seafood dinner goes to McKelvie's. Service was fine, no problems at all. But in this case, dinner is what it's all about. There were way too many options on the menu for me to make a quick decision. However the seafood combo option was just what I was looking for, i.e., a little of everything. Even better they had their summer special going - for $39 you got a choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert, and for an extra $10, you could substitute the seafood combo as your entree. Problem solved! That's what we all ordered. The "bisque" flavor of the crab bisque was not quite as strong, and slightly cheesier, than other bisques I have had. But that also allowed the taste of the fresh crab to come through more prominently. The seafood platter was lobster thermidor, a stuffed salmon filet, and seared shrimp and scallops in a bed of salsa, accompanied by red mashed potatoes, asparagus and broccoli. Everything was great, but for me the combination of the seared scallops in the salsa was the best. We deviated when it came to dessert. I got the lemon and blueberry tart, which was a small tart with a lemon cream and fresh blueberries. The mile-high coconut cream pie, while also delicious, didn't live up to its height. I've worked at other restaurants where the mile-high coconut cream pie was significantly higher. Maybe they should have called it the kilometer-high coconut cream pie. After all, it's supposed to be metric here, right?

Delicious seafood in Halifax. We had a very early dinner (right after they opened at 4 pm) so I can't say what the service might be like during regular meal hours. But our waitress was knowledgeable and attentive. I started with a cocktail - a Dark and Stormy, dark rum and ginger beer. I didn't really care for it, but that's on me, not the restaurant. My friend had a regular monitor, which she enjoyed. We shared fried calamari - very good but a very small portion - and the shrimp in butter and garlic - plump, sweet, garlicky and great. I had the crunchy halibut, a specialty of the house, and it was yummy. My friend had butter poached halibut, firm and flaky and delicious. We both ordered lobster mashed potatoes as a side but I'd skip them next time - nothing special and not very lobster-y. As a nice surprise, the waitress divided our entire bill for us - split the price of the apps, charged us each for our own mains.

Came here on a Tuesday around 2pm. Ordered the lobster roll with seafood chowder. The lobster roll was delicious, large chunks of fresh sweet lobster. The seafood chowder had a nice texture however it was a bit on the salty side (it was still quite good). It had a mixture of salmon, scallop, shrimp and potato. I would come back for the lobster roll again and try the crab bisque.

Horrible service! We sat down for what we thought would be a quick bite to eat... man were we wrong! We were seated as a party of 11 which almost broke the hosts' mind. Our waiter took our water orders and then spent around 15minutes at her other tables. After taking our orders our waters were empty for about 25minutes and we had no bread which was complimentary with all meals. After around 40minutes she offered us 6 slices of bread for 11 people and minutes later rushed us with appetizers and entrees. The only saving grace of this place is that the bread tasted good and the jambalaya has great flavor. Overall horrible experience.

Thank you to Yelp for directing me to a winner (time and time again)! I recently went to Halifax for the weekend; I would only have a few meals in this city so I had to choose good restaurants. We went to McKelvie's for dinner on Saturday night. It was busy that night. Without a reservation, my mother and I thought that we wouldn't be able to dine here. Luckily, there was a table for two available. The bread that came out before our meal was pretty good - raisin in bread can never go wrong. I ordered the mushroom soup and mussels (in a lemon and garlic sauce). The soup was delicious - I think shrimp stock was used as I could taste seafood. Not too creamy, it was a delicious soup. The sauce that the mussels were in was fantastic. The garlic and lemon were equally present in the sauce - it was a great balance. My mother ordered the lobster. Portions were generous. Service was great; I was chugging water that night and our server came to fill my glass with water numerous times. Not sure when I'll be back in Halifax; however, if I'm back in town, I will definitely be dining here again.

We found McKelvies on Yelp and decided to check into it. We are glad we did. The restaurant is spacious and open. Serving staff were very friendly. And the food was amazing. Two of us had the crispy haddock which was by far the best "fish a d chips" we've had in the Maritimes. My husband had the seafood linguine and it was full of large scallops and shrimp and mussels. Desserts were delicious and worth every calorie. Would definitely recommend McKelvies.

Amazing food, Amazing service. James our waiter was honest and patient. My wife had the butter lemon poached halibut and I had the bacon wrapped scallops as well as the boiled lobster. My wife who has issues finding food that she can eat (allergies) in addition to food that she likes absolutely loved her halibut. My bacon wrapped scallops were excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed my lobster. Dinner was an absolute 10/10. After that we topped it off with dessert. My wife had the Sorbet and I had the Creme Brulee. We both enjoyed our dessert as well. Will definately stop here again in our future visits to Halifax.

We had lunch here: lobster roll and fish tacos. Sadly, I was quite disappointed with the lobster roll. The filling was definitely lobster but quite flavorless. I have to wonder....do they use frozen lobster? The fish tacos were fine. The salads had a nice mix of veg but they were quite wet so not very tasty with very watered down dressing. Service was quick and friendly. Quite expensive for a pretty mediocre lunch.

My husband and I were visiting from Ontario and we wanted a nice lobster dinner in Halifax. This place did not disappoint. We had a delicious lobster and steak. The vibe is relaxed but hip and the decor is eclectic and interesting. I would recommend this place! My steak was a bit under cooked but the waiter noticed and gave me a free piece of coconut cream pie (which was to DIE for)! Overall it was a great experience with a few small tweaks it could have been a 5 star.

Really as good as it gets. Arrived on a Tuesday at 3pm to an empty restaurant. Server cheerful and welcoming. The highlights, the exectional complimentary bannick bread with soft butter, the best seafood chowder I have ever had and a perfect lobster roll with a touch of sauce with green onions and lettuce is a great touch. The server so proud of their product offered us a photo of where their lobster came from on her cell phone. I love Halifax, I wish everyone in Canada are this friendly. Simply the best lunch. Will definitely come back to try the other menu items.

Small menu, but had a good selection. Seafood Chowder was great, oysters on the half shell were fresh. Lobster roll was good, but a little smaller then I'm used to. All in all a good experience.

Delicious lobster dinner! Very fresh! Good ambiance as well! Would definitely go again!

Firsts things first, If I could give this place a three and a half star review, I would. I came in at 8pm on the hunt for Halifax's famous lobster rolls, it was evidently hard to find any lobster rolls downtown at such an early time on a Friday night. My first choices were not open at this time so we came here as a backup plan. Reading the reviews on yelp, I expected to have a great lobster roll... what I got was a chunk of barren lobster on a cheap hot-dog bun. Considering I spent 24 Dollars on the roll I expected some type of hearty bun to hold up my meaty roll... however the cheap bun definitely did its job holding the below average amount of lobster. I was left hungry and dissatisfied. Overall, the roll was average, I would pass and try something else on the menu. As a side I ordered a relatively cheap cup of chowder.... however It was non traditional chowder so expect it to be less thick than conventional new england chowder and bits and pieces of salmon and shrimp along with the usual chowder ingredients like potatoes, haddock and cod. Not all restaurants can pull this type of chowder off but in this case it tasted great and is definitely a must try at this restaurant! The atmosphere and the way that the waiters conduct themselves fits in with the theme of high class simplicity that this restaurant tries to give off and is definitely very enjoyable.

I went to Nova Scotia with my family for a vacation and the concierge of our hotel recommended this place. It was walking distance and the food was okay. It was all great until I found pubes in my vegetables. I lost my appetite immediately. I didn't even want another plate because I didn't want to think of finding more pubes. Other than the hairs in my food (which I ended up not eating) the service was okay. Edit: I read through other people's reviews and I was not the only one who found hairs in their food. This made me even more disappointed

Not a bad place, the food is actually quite good. However, prices are higher than they should be for what you are getting. Service seemed slow for return trips to the table but otherwise competent. Their seafood chowder was excellent, definitely recommend it. Their world famous lobster roll? Well as an expert in great lobster rolls... this is not what I would call great. It's was definitely good but the bun was over toasted and small. Hence not really a ton of lobster on there. But it definitely had a decent flavor and sweet lobster. For world famous I expect more of a knockout punch, overwhelming amount of lobster, softer bun or crazy good flavor. But still, not a bad one, just not stellar as they purport it to be. A side of scallops was quite good as was the salad. So overall you shouldn't have a problem getting a decent meal here. But I'll be keeping my eye out for someplace that brings more wow factor. Hence why this only gets the first fork, and not the other two I'd like to bestow.

This place has a nice, family friendly atmosphere and is quaint, but the food is lack-lustre. The "Seafood A LA King" is anything but "Kingly." It appeared to be seafood chowder (with small bits of seafood) dumped out on a plate over a puff pastry. The liquid from the chowder made the puff pastry squishy and difficult to cut through. There were only 2 small scallops and 2 small shrimp, with the tails left on, (for the added crunch perhaps), and a bit of salmon on it. The presentation was lacking and the portion was small for the price. If you don't eat seafood on a regular basis, and don't prepare this type of cuisine yourself in your own kitchen, you may enjoy it. Also, for a seafood restaurant, the children's meals were lacking in the actual "fish department" unless you wanted deep fried "fish & chips." My child got this because there were no other options, other than pre-processed chicken fingers, but for a child who loves her seafood (salmon, lobsters, mussels, and scallops), she was very disappointed in the menu choices. The 4 options were disappointing for the price of $9.99. My child also complained immediately after that her tummy hurt, probably because of the grease. There's also a $1 upsell to eat healthy (salad) instead of having deep fried french fries. The food was just "okay" but nothing I couldn't have plated at my house, not for the price of $120+ for a family of 2 adults and 2 children. There was nothing wrong with the food, and it was cooked perfectly, but it definitely didn't "wow" me in the least. The tails that were left on the shrimp sealed the deal for me!

Canada Day afternoon snack, mussels, crab bisque and fish chowder. Top half of bucket of mussels were dry and stringy. Bottom half in liquid were excellent. My crab bisque would be better described as cheesy bisque or crab fondue. Didn't realize bisque had lots of cheese...or any cheese for that matter. The bowl serving of both chowder and bisque was more like large cup. Besides the food, crowds were small, server was excellent and noise level quiet. Including 2 draft beer price for the 2 of us was $55+tip.

Hmm I have very much feelings about this place. Not a typical spot I would go to again. The place is fairly touristy with an older crowd. I had the lobster roll and lobster tempura. It was good but nothing to rave about. I think I had higher expectations going in there. Need to keep them in check for next time.

Happiness and Love sums up my experience here at McKelvie's. After falling for the Warehouse Waterfront Restaurant (what local Yelpers refer to as one of their tourist traps) we decided to move on and try out the nearby McKelvie's and I'm glad we did. Not only did it satisfy our need to experience an authentic Nova Scotian dinner, their atmosphere and class made everything worthwhile. Starting us off, they gave us a breadbasket with soft butter and 3 slices of what appeared to be fresh homemade raisin bread! Yum! I ordered the Seafood Chowder, 6 oysters and a 1.5lb Lobster - I wish you all ate here with us because it was amazing! The seafood chowder had perfectly sized chunks of salmon, halibut and potatoes. This cream based chowder was full of flavour, was served at a good temperature. I would have ordered a second bowl if I didnt order the oysters. Their oysters were clean, fresh, and really really good! Served with some mild salsa and lemon wedges. Thank you for a great oyster experience; I normally don't eat them :) Then came the lobster and McKelvie's rescued my hopes and dreams that we're crushed less than an ago hour by the Warehouse Waterfront; I almost feel guilty tainting my McKelvie's review by mentioning that place, but alas it happened and I must not leave anything out of my road to discovering McKelvie's hahaha Back to the lobster! I uploaded some photos so please enjoy! I used the man sized bib haha otherwise i may look back one day and think I shoulda when i coulda! Not that night my friends, I was keen on making the most of this meal! Tender and fresh, the lobster was served with a side of fragrant rice and steamed broccoli. Delicious! This was a feast for hungry bellies and hearts that craved for a true Halifax seafood meal. This place satisfies and did not disappoint! Merci becaucoup! And thank you local Yelpers for being an awesome guide!

Poached halibut and grilled scallops .... was fantastic ++++++ the best meal I've enjoyed in a very longtime...