Rusty Anchor Restaurant

Wow, what a fantastic dining experience! The service was truly exceptional, and everyone was so friendly and attentive. The food was absolutely delicious, especially the lobster poutine, which was a real treat. Even though I have a hearty appetite, I couldn't quite finish the whole plate – it was incredibly generous! Overall, I highly recommend this place and can't wait to go back.

My wife and I stopped here for lunch during our travels, and I sure am glad we did. The fish and chips were excellent. My wife had the lobster roll (which I tried), and it was excellent as well. The scenery from here is beautiful as well. Great service in a welcoming atmosphere. A must try in my eyes.

If you're cruising the Cabot Trail and craving seafood with a view, the Rusty Anchor is a gem you shouldn’t miss. We stopped here after a long day of exploring and were instantly charmed by the laid-back vibe and friendly folks. The Haddock fish burger was crispy and flavorful, and the veggie burger and wrap? Surprisingly hearty and satisfying. Must try if you're around Pleasant Bay.

The atmosphere was very nice, peacefully with a splendid view. I had the veggie burger with fries. It was not so good and it feels like just an industrial one for the burger but at least there was veggie/vegan option and more than ones with even a dedicated menu !! That’s a must in a place like here ☺️.

the fish in the fish burger was cooked well, but they put like a million different toppings on it that all felt unnecessary. the tomato and onion were so thickly cut it was almost hysterical…they were like hockey pucks. and the guacamole didn’t suit the burger at all. the linguini was watery…and the added tomatoes were strange. never had tomatoes in my linguini before. the restaurant itself was so loud i could barely hear myself think. it also was quite dirty…all the tables and chairs felt sticky. the staff were non existent, didn’t fill our waters and left us waiting for a while before we could order. also everything was so expensive. would not come back again.

We went for a visit August 3, 2025. This wasn’t our first visit but I’ll say it was our best. The Rusty Anchor just gets a bit better each time we go. I had the chowder bowl this time and it’s quite delicious and hearty. Shout out to Carlie, as she was fantastic. The $46 tshirt was a bit much, though. They might sell more if they were priced a bit more reasonably. Our group of 14 were seated and fed with no advance notice. They do recommend reservations with groups of 10 or larger.

Come here for the great customer service and view, but set your expectations on the food. It’s ok, I feel we got hit with tourist prices for so so food. Lots of room to improve on for food I think. The fish and chips were not hot and fries were soggy. The fish cakes were fine, enjoyed the beans and cornbread more. Guess I should have gotten the lobster roll.

Lovely restaurant with an amazing view and great food. The service is excellent! I highly recommend it if you’re doing the Cabot Trail.

The staff were extremely nice and helpful! We found the restaurant clean and inviting. The speed of the food was great! The food itself was fresh however we found there could be more flavours used to grill the seafood. We had the lobster roll, oysters and fisherman's platter. Its a good spot for a bite if you're on the island since options are more limited!

Clean restaurant and bathrooms. Popular local place with good seafood. The oysters are small (and look funny but maybe that's just this area) but taste good. The lobster and crab legs come with butter and lemon which is nice. Service is good; they check on you several times throughout the meal.

Nice looking place inside - staff all very friendly and a nice size menu. Since at home there are next to no places that serve Poutine and none at all that serve Lobster Poutine, guess what we tried..... The menu states: Our modern twist on a local traditional favorite! Crispy fries topped with fresh lobster, mozza cheese,and sauce. It was good but not great with way more French fries than lobster but that was to be expected. Interesting to try but not something that I would rush to have again. I guess I'll stick with usual Poutine - which I love - when I can find it.

Ok, so there are EXTREMELY few choices when you get this far north and we were pleasantly surprised to find this place. We were fogged in but there is an outdoor space on the waterside cliff. While we ate inside, there was still a great outdoor ambience. Food was great, service attentive and friendly. Local snow crab and lobster rolls were stellar, as were the fish cakes with NO bread filling! The inside was spacious and clean but a little sterile. We went down the road a bit to the other restaurant for dessert (lesser but cheaper food), and great live Celtic music. We were so happy Rusty Anchor was there! Just wish they had music. They have the space!

Beautiful views and right on the water. Food was ok. Lobster Roll came with hot butter but cold lobster. Asked if they could heat the lobster or flash fry it and they refused. It was ok but odd that the butter is warmed and served with cold lobster. Friendly service.

Enjoyed the fresh seafood and the nautical decor. Service was friendly and in and area that has few restaurants it is worth the trip.

Cool spot by the ocean. I ordered oysters, clam chowder , chicken sandwich and a local IPA . Service was good . We took the table inside but they have outdoor tables as well convenient for people who travel with pets.

Driving in an area with no service was a bit uneasy since it was nearing dinner time and we had no idea what was open or where places to eat are!! We drove past this at first and turned around to go back. The view is beautiful, overlooks the water and you can see a beautiful sunset if you go at the right time. They had a deck/patio area where you could eat but it was windy the day we came and we sat inside. Everyone was really friendly, servers were friendly, covid protocols were followed, and the food was amazing!! We tried the lobster mac and cheese, the lobster was so good, and the haddock, which was also really good. Menu is small and almost all seafood based, but it seems like they take the time to really make each dish which did cause a bit of a longer wait for food.

We came here because it was it was one of the few restaurants open on the Cabot Trail when we were driving. We just got the sampler platter and oysters and some beers. But everything was great. Great deck to the bay. Our server was kind and prompt even though she was extremely busy. Food was delish. I would recommend this place if you need some rejuvination!

All I can say about this place is all you really need to know. They have the best lobster roll I have had anytime, anywhere. Period. There is nothing special about it. I think all they do is put some butter on it and put it in a bun. No mayo. No tuna fish looking concoction. Just the best lobster ever. Clean. Tender, not chewy. Delectable. It seemed like they pulled that crustacean off the ocean floor five minutes before I got there. That's how fresh and incredible it tasted. The fries were pretty dang tasty, too. But that lobster roll, y'all. That lobster roll. All you need to know going in.

This place is busy when we got here for lunch during our Cape Brenton drive. We ordered the oyster and mussel as they said it's the fresh from local and yes it didn't disappoint me, however we found it's a bit pricey. The seafood chowder is very water down, not recommend. I believe they also have a special seafood wrap which I noticed a lot of people ordered. The patio is very nice but with lots of wasps (don't know where they come from) and it's really windy too maybe because it's close to the ocean. Wifi don't work at all when sitting on the patio so kids complains, but if I get to choose again, I would still recommend patio as it's really nice out there.

We were looking forward to a fresh lobster roll but it wasn't great. It tasted previously frozen. A lot of liquid in it so it was soggy. Blueberry lemonade was delicious.

Limited options at this part of the Cabot trail... but this place seemed like a good stop for lunch. Waitress was friendly. Food was average and pricier. Place was mostly touristy, as expected. Tried the blueberry lemonade, which could have been more lemony and sour. Basically a lemonade with frozen blueberries thrown in and then dyed blue. As for the food, seafood sampler was tasty and seemed popular among most tables. Same with the fish and chips... they were pan fried rather than deep fried and you could taste the egg batter that coated the fish. Lobster poutine was a huge portion of fries and should probably be shared.

There wasn't a lot of options for restaurants on the Cabot Trail, so we were not expecting much...but wow what a surprise! The staff was amazing and super friendly. We were doing a day of hiking so we came hungry and we were definitely full and satisfied leaving the restaurant! We got the Bucket of Mussels as an appetizer and ordered the Cape Breton style Fish & Chips and the Burger that ate Cape Breton for our main. Mussels were really good and portion was huuuge!! The fish and chips was definitely one of best we had in the Maritimes. The batter was the perfect crisp and doesn't overpower the fish. It was delicious! I'm not a huge fan of fish sandwiches but the guacamole really complimented the dish. They were also very generous with the seafood portion. Overall really good and would order the same things again!

Perfect location, great service and fantastic food. Loved the haddock burger. Definitely on my best of vacation stops list

This is my favourite restaurant in the whole Cape Breton! I tried the Lobster Roll, which was delicious! Each little sandwich has a whole claw plus pieces in the bun, and the lobster is fresh and crunchy. What I like about their food is that you taste the primary ingredient of the dish, and is not masked with sauces and salt. I was delightedly surprised with the potato salad-- it was not slathered with mayo and I tasted only potatoes! Their restaurant has an amazing ocean view, and we caught the sunset on the patio! The only thing is that the area has no service so I couldn't check-in yelp. But I still highly recommend. A spectacular site with amazing food. What a treat after a long hike.

I'm surprised at other 5 star reviews - maybe something has changed recently? It was the most over priced low quality meal I have ever paid for. I realize the price of seafood has increased among everything else but $17.99 for a chicken club? It was your standard white bread (I wasn't given any other options) along with a small portion of fries. I won't complain on taste - it was alright but certainly not worth the cost. My wife got the fish and chips - which later made her almost vomit a few hours later along the road. We both passed on supper this evening. Outdoor seating was available but why not toss in a few umbrellas rather than making guests sit under the hot sun? Higher end umbrellas along with the proper anchor will with stand the breeze.

Very good! Scallops were very delicious. Fish not too dry or greasy. One of the best seafood we had in our trip to NS.

We were unfortunate to only be able to get to this restaurant on their last day of the season. They were out of a few things including what we originally wanted to try it for, their lobster. We instead settled for fish and chips (Cape Breton style) and a seafood chowder. I discovered that I'm not a fan of the Cape Breton style of fish and chips and would rather the English style where the fish is battered and deep fried instead of pan fried. The chowder was quite nice though the bread that came with it was hard and definitely not fresh. I'd give them a three star but will leave it at a four star given that it was the end of season and their last day open.

We enjoyed our meal at the Rusty Anchor. We tried the seafood chowder, Rusty's salad, fresh Nova Scotia lobster, and lobster mac & cheese. My personal favorite was the mac & cheese that's perfectly creamy and flavorful. It's made with a blend of three types of cheeses, plenty of tender juicy lobster bites, and crunchy aromatic garlic herb breadcrumbs. So delicious! The salad was pretty refreshing as well with fresh mixed greens, walnuts, cranberries, apple slices, and homemade maple vinaigrette dressing - wonderfully nutty & sweet. The lobster and seafood chowder were both very fresh. Flavors for the seafood were very simple, and the chowder was slightly watery. All in all, a very decent meal.

Wonderful place. The name made me think it would be a dive, but it was actually quite nice. Absolutely enormous inside and a beautiful patio with a view of the water. We were biking so opted for the inside. We shared the seafood wrap and the pan seared haddock. The seafood on this island cannot be beat. So fresh and delicious! The wrap came with chips and salsa which was odd, but actually good with the wrap. Good food, good prices, and so quick! Could not believe how fast the food came out.

Rusty Anchor was a nice little find in an area with few restaurants. My husband and I shared the seafood dip and a seafood platter. Both were really good. We only wish the seafood dip would have come with more dip. It was packed with tons of seafood (crab, lobster, and shrimp I believe) and very creamy! The seafood platter had everything cooked perfectly and all super fresh!

We are going on our second week in Nova Scotia and this was the freshest fish we've gotten from a restaurant thus far. The portions were generous and flavorful. Three of us ordered The Sandwich that ate Cape Breton which had fried haddock, bacon, shrimp, guacamole, tomato, lettuce, and onion. The fish was fried in a sweet English style batter and was oh so delicious. Other members in our party ordered the pan fried haddock and the fisherman's platter. Great reviews from everyone. Would recommend to anyone cruising along the Cabot Trail! They also had plenty of outdoor seating with to die for views!

Stopped in on our trip around the Cabot Trail. Has a great location and don't miss going to the cliff to see the incredible view. Friendly fast service with great food. My wife ordered the fish cakes and loved them. I had seafood wrap and really enjoyed it. Shared the mussels and best I have had in awhile. Prices are reasonable.

Better than others, but nothing special. Friendly fast staff. Competitive prices. Lobster might have been too close to the seasons end.

Very friendly little place on the Cabot Trail. Krista, the waitress was very helpful and pleasant. The Grilled Haddock dinner was the best I have ever tasted. I tried haddock at a couple of other restaurants in Cape Breton and Halifax but this one was far superior. On top of that , the serving size was very generous. Would highly recommend this meal ! The Chef at the time was Morgan. I was so impressed I had to send her compliments through Krista.

Located on the Cabot Trail, is Rusty Anchor Restaurant - a casual seafood dining establishment with a large interior for those cold and blustery days, and a large outdoor area for the beautiful (and few) summer afternoons. I found this restaurant on Foursquare and on Yelp and after reading a few reviews, I knew I had to try this place. Well, Rusty Anchor was completely over-rated and overpriced. The lobster roll (which is recommended by several publications including GQ, CNN, Travel & Leisure), was tiny and only had a few minuscule pieces of lobster - not worth the hefty price tag. I also had the seafood cakes which were the winner here. I recommend checking out a different restaurant. Rusty Anchor, you let me down.

It's on a nice spot along the Cabot trail overlooking the water. It's a nice little mom n pop place. The staff was really friendly and the food was good. The wife had the Lobster and I had "The Burger that ate Cape Breton" aka the fish burger. There's a small selection of local brewed beers too. We got there a bit closer to closing so we didn't have the time to really enjoy the spot, but the food and service were definately great. It's a nice warm welcoming place to eat after a long day of hiking and sight seeing.

Nice roadside restaurant with great seafood. Lobster was $23, and was great. Very fresh food and nice service. The location is remote and in an area without cell phone service, so the free Wi-Fi was very useful. Very nice view of the ocean behind the restaurant.

Stopped in for lunch after a morning of hiking. Great lobster roll drizzled with butter and full of lobster! Had the bloody Cesar to drink. Everything was delicious. Nice outside area with a view but too cold for that today. Friendly, fast service. Our waitress, Elizabeth, was awesome. Would come back.

Two years ago, we stopped by here after a day of driving and hiking. My two American born sons went all out and got the Lobster Poutine? They loved it. We all had some blueberry pie for dessert. Everything was wonderful and the service was so great. We arrived near closing time so we had the place to ourselves.

Can I give this place more stars? Best lobster roll I've ever had... they took a simple classic and made it more simple and more classic and BETTER THAN EVER. Rolls are filled with claw meat that is undeniably fresh. Sweet and delish. Not mixed with mayo. Just a light coating of butter. Beautiful views at the top of cape Breton. Friendly service. Clean bathrooms. But be aware... two dollars worth of guacamole at this place won't be worth it.

I liked it here. It's a little touristy and would be very busy in tourist season. I ordered the seafood wrap for around $12 and it was very full of lobster, crab, shrimp and scallop. I thought it was really delicious for the price. Came with a side of nacho chips but not nearly enough salsa. I would have preferred another option than the chips. Other things on the menu were a little more expensive but I think the quality is definitely there. My friend had the burger and liked his too. Seafood is not his thing. Service was okay, not extremely friendly but they were busy. Restaurant was homey/quaint. The deck outdoors had a gorgeous view. I would definitely go back.

BEST Mussels for Miles ! There are very few options for eating out if you're staying in Pleasant Bay and that could mean that the restaurants don't have to try hard for a captive audience, but Rusty Anchor doesn't run by that logic. Their seafood is fresh and delicious, the staff are friendly and the views of the sun setting into the ocean are unspeakably special. We ate here two nights in a row (I did mention there is not a lot of choice in Pleasant Bay!) and both meals were very good, but the mussels were spectacular - let me say that in capital letters - they were SPECTACULAR. Fresh from the sea, locally sourced from Cape North and in a secret white wine sauce that enhanced, rather than overpowered, this delicious meal.

One of the best seafood restaurants on the island. I recommend to try the mussels, lobster roll, fisherman's platter and haddock!

Way below expectations. Service was indifferent at best. The food was just OK. We had Digby scallops, seafood chowder, and white wine mussels. The scallops were not as tender as they should have been. The seafood chowder portion was really tiny. The mussels were Ok but I was given about 15 mussels that could not be opened. When I called over the waitress to show her this, her flippant response was that I should just use my knife to work to pry them open. I have eaten mussels many times but have always been given mussels that were open. I didn't catch the waitress' name but she was the overweight waitress with brown hair. Hopefully her supervisor will read this review and instruct her how to treat customers.

This is a must stop for Local Fresh Oysters and a Cold beer. After the Mountain drive it was needed to De-stress. The deck has a view of the Gulf of St Lawrence. The Staff are very friendly. There is plenty of Parking.

Great place to grab lunch or dinner while touring Cabot Trail. Lobster roll was fantastic. Burgers seem to come well done but still juicy. Views from the patio seating are amazing.

We were disappointed in the meals at this restaurant. I was told by the waitress the lobster roll had "tons" of lobster meat in it. It didn't, it was very skimpy. They say their lobster roll is different, no mayo but melted butter instead. Well who cares if there's hardly any lobster?? The crab roll the same. On small white dinner rolls. Very over priced and disappointing. When I ordered I inquired if the fries were fresh. The waitress replied, oh yes they're fresh, I mean frozen, like fresh off the truck. So I didn't want the fries as my side option and I asked for a small salad instead which was on the plate with the rolls and I got charged another 4 dollars for it. My friend had the haddock dinner. The fries were awful. But this place gets one star because the haddock was delicious and cooked perfectly, and also the view from the outdoor patio is great.

Good choice for an area with limited dining options. Food was good, not great, but acceptable. Pleasant and attentive wait staff.

Cool spot after our rainy hike. Great service and the food was decent. Our server was quick and attentive. One of the best spots around the Cabot trail, recommended by many people around the area. Great for families or just to grab a cold local beer and bite to eat.

We were welcomed at the door as we arrived for dinner by Elizabeth and led to a table that viewed the ocean. My husband had a crab and lobster platter. I had the haddock fish tacos. Both dinners were delicious and had generous portions. We had a cider that perfectly matched our meals. We both were fully entertained with our dinners and had leftovers to enjoy the following day! Please do thank the wonderful team! Cary and Mary

4.5 stars. We stopped at Rusty Anchor for lunch during our Cabot Trail drive. To start, we ordered the mussels. They were delicious and so fresh! I was also impressed that there was not a single unopened mussel. For our main, we really couldn't decide between the crab or the lobster roll. Luckily, 1/2 and 1/2 is an option. Both were delicious but my husband and I agreed that the Crab roll won the top honors. The crab was so fresh and the simple preparation and roll really let the crab shine. Don't get me wrong, the lobster roll was delicious, and I never thought I'd say this, but there was a tad too much butter for our taste. Service was friendly and quick. The prices were very reasonable. They also have a nice patio with a nice view of the Ocean. There aren't a ton of options on the Cabot Trail - particularly the northern part, but Rusty Anchor is a solid option.

Had way too many meals of fried goods from lack of restaurant options, and was excited to come across the Rusty Anchor. Serving fresh seafood in a family-style restaurant, I was relieved not to have to keep eating late-night bar foods. I ordered a bucket of mussels from the appetizer section, which contained roughly 1 lb of the mollusks plus a container of melted butter for dipping. Most of the mussel beards had been cleaned off, and the mussels were fresh. Also had a plate of oysters, caught in waters super close to the Anchor. I'm not sure of the exact oyster type, but they were briny and creamier than I had expected. Wanted to order more dishes but was in a rush to get over to Halifax. A few wooden shelves lined with hats and shirts emblazoned with the restaurant's logo featured prominently within the restaurant entrance, I think they know that tourists in the area have restricted dining options. That being said, I feel like you could do much worse than visit Rusty Anchor. It was actually one of the most enjoyable meals that I had in the area and if they were in my hometown, I'd probably come back again.

Very nice seafood. Together, we ordered lobster & crab combo, raw oyster and mussel. All very good except I would prefer lobster more tender and (bigger ;)) (Went back for lunch the next day. The mussels strangely taste differently and not as good. Chowder is middle of the pack. Would give it 3 1/2 star)

Lobster dinner is my favourite. We had lobster in PEI and NB, but here is best one. It is 29.99 for one, cheaper than other places we went. they don't take reservations, if we want outside go there early. They have local musicians playing in the patio. The lady recommended a local craft beer - Red Coat - it's excellent. we brought more from NSLC to home.

Recommended! Great location. Backs onto breathtaking view of the water. Seafood platter is very fresh! Service is good.

This is the best place we've been on the Cabot Trail. AMAZING views (watch the sunset from the outdoor patio tables, it's incredible) not to mention wonderful seafood. The lobster roll was just as Nat Geo described, with generous chunks of lobster. The lobster mac and cheese was also delicious - super cheesy and buttery! This is a must on the Cabot Trail.

We saw other reviews on Yelp and decided to give it a try for lunch on our drive on the Cabot trail. We had the lobster poutine and a lobster club sandwich. Both were awesome! I absolutely loved the poutine. Service was quick and we sat outside on the deck. Great view!