The Maxwell's Plum

My husband and I are huge fans of this place. It has changed hands several times since we started visiting. There is no longer the 99 beer on tap, but there are still plenty of choices. The servers are great, friendly and engaging. We've only ever ordered your typical pub food recently, always served to order as both my husband and I like things "our" way. I highly recommend this place if you're visiting downtown Halifax. It's not a 5 star restaurant, but the food and atmosphere are great.

Very good pub in downtown Halifax. Right opposite Rogers center and Residence inn. Very good selection of beer on tap and food choices.

Perfect spot to have a fish burger and a cold one! Good selection of craft beers. Friendly staff. Cozy!

Love this place. One of Halifax's oldest buildings. The food is fantastic. Had fish n chips and super impressed. I've had the burgers before and they are delicioso! Deals are amazing... They have one everyday. Great atmosphere, friendly staff. Starting going here 20 years ago when we visited Halifax. Now we live here an go often.

The food is solid bar fare for an Irish/British pub. Where Maxwell’s shines is in the service department. Wait staff is top notch, but the bar staff is over the top on efficiency and quality. Liam runs a tight ship and this pub wouldn’t work without him. Pay attention owner boys.

Great patio, excellent fish&chips, nice cold flight of local IPA's.

Always a good time; I've been going since university days and it's a stable island of quality granite in a sea of pseudo-trendy cheap balsa wood: excellent food, cold beer, music at a talkable volume. Perfect place to grab a good meal or just hang for a while. Nothing fancy, but who needs forgettable frills, right?

Outstanding service from our waitress Keyaira !! The bartender was also excellent and full of suggestions. The wings were good and hot ! The coconut tequila shots are amazing ! Door staff are accommodating and friendly. The vibe is fun for all adult ages ! In the summer there is a lovely beer garden usually with a live band. And bonus, the beer garden is dog friendly !

The waitstaff was great! The drinks were also delicious. I was drinking Irish coffee due to the nasty, s own, wet weather outside. Loved our waiter . Loved the Irish pub feel of Maxwell's.

I really wish we would have read reviews prior to deciding on this place. This is a great example of what happens when you stray from the original plan - you end up disappointed. This location was conveniently located but then again, so are many other pubs. It was Friday night before St. Paddy's (which was the coming Sunday) so we wanted to grab an early supper, knowing the town would get busy. We chose this place because it was on the way and when we stepped inside, the place only had a few people sitting at tables so we assumed it would be quick for a group of three. We were promptly seated and had our order for beer and food taken all at once. It's pub food so it's all the same and should be quick. The two beers and water arrived quickly. We were heading to a concert so we kept a close eye on the time. After about 35 minutes waiting for one fish and chips and one plate of nachos, there was no sight of our server. Considering two tables near us got there before us and also didn't have food, should have been a hint that we weren't getting our food any time soon. When the server came to take the order the couple who just sat down next to us a few minutes later, she made eye contact with us and gave a look of 'oh crap!' We asked how much longer it was going to because we had an event to get to and we had already been waiting quite a long time. She said the kitchen is really backed up due to a large group (that came in just before we asked her about our order) and that she had no idea we were in a hurry. So I guess it's normal to wait an hour if you don't mention you want your food sooner? It was now 40 mins since we had ordered so we told her to just forget it, we have to leave so cancel our order. It was clear she forgot to put our two orders in; what else would be taking so long?! We finished our beer, left $20 on the table and left. What happened next was absolutely shocking. We were already on the sidewalk 50 feet outside of the restaurant when the server chased us out on the street to tell us we didn't pay for the food. What?? She had the debit machine in her hand and told us we still owe $50 for the food. It's ready and packed up in the kitchen. We were completely appalled. We said we ordered over 40 mins ago and were told it was too busy for food so we were leaving and now she wanted us to pay for food we didn't get?! She made a bunch of excuses like how busy the town was and all of the events happening (not sure how this was relevant and even if it were, maybe a warning upon being seated?!), accused us of only waiting 15 minutes and told us that we were 'asking for bad karma' by not paying. This was by far one of the worst experiences at a restaurant. The brutal part is that she was creating a scene on the street in front of passerbys who clearly thought we left without paying. It was completely humiliating and unacceptable. Not sure if she was told to do this, but clearly a sign of poor management if she was or poor decision making if it was her own choice. No idea about the food, but given the amount of time we spend downtown, we will never be going back to this establishment. I wish I could give zero for service because this entire incident was so poorly handled that it ruined our evening. Do yourself a favour - read the reviews and skip this place. Not worth the wait or humiliation!

I sued to go there pre Covid when they had breakfast specials on for 2.99 per weekend with eggs, toast, fries and tons of bacon-/ their FnC specials for 6.99 every Friday and steak special for 2.99 I get prices have gone up but you then need to attest to quality- last y I was there they had the breakfast special for 10 bucks and it consisted of undercooked bacon, as Gordon Ramsay would say, still in the pasture, and a hash brown patty or something- it was a few months ago so I can't remember but what I do remember is nothing I'd eat as I'm not used to that, the service and server gal was awesome as when I mentioned my disdain, it was corrected- abs few pop free gills - plus you feel comfortable sitting there doing work so it still was a good experience but initially I was like wtf? Anyway lol

Was in town for work and this place was conveniently across from my hotel. Staff was great, very attentive, and the Steak Tacos were good. I'd classify the food is really good bar food...nothing out-of-this-world, but WAY better than many bars serve! Great atmosphere with a really cool bar! I'd recommend this watering hole for a drink and food!

I understand why they write two piece of Haddock on there menue soooohhh tiny. The fries where ok but the batter was not good, super cooked and greas. sorry chef you can do better. The servi was extremely fast if I can say a positive comment

Chose to go here as their website advertised a 5$ breakfast - my partner had gone there in the past with a good experience when the old owners apparently had a 2.99 menu. Got there and far from it. Advertised 5$ breakfast was actually 10$. Food quality was bad. Eggs came with black all over them and we were told it was "from the grill" - toast was thin and cold. Orange juice tasted like it was made from frozen - too much acid, like those Orange juice cups at hospitals that you pull the top off. Service was unhelpful - disinterested and didn't offer information until asked.

This place has defiantly changed since the last time I have been there. The wings were not good, the orders were all mixed up, All the other food was not good, the drinks were overpriced. 32$ for a Budweiser pitcher is ridiculous. idk what happened to this place but it has changed.

We came to have dinner tonight. We ordered a 3 piece fish &chips. We ended up with two as the waitress explained the 3rd piece disintegrated and therr was no more fish. We ordered a club sandwich as well One of the pieces had No Turkey in it.. so we told the waitress who went to talk to the cook &manager. When she came back she said that they told her to tell us they had no proof that we didn't TAKE OT OUT!!! Are you kidding me. Well the proof was the 2 other people at the table. What kind of restaurant treats their customers that way. Unbelievable... we won't be back!

Oh Maxwell's, you are like the ex-girlfriend I keep going back to even though I shouldn't. You're mediocre at best, and we only really have a good time when I'm drunk, but I keep on going back to you despite the fact that I should know better. I've been a patron of Maxwell's for nearly a decade. I dearly miss the free peanuts and the beer signs they took off the walls. The place isn't any classier, still has the same funky smell it's always had and there's no peanuts. Nostalgia aside, on my most recent visit to Maxwell's, I wanted them to redeem themselves on the culinary side of things. Their burger deal was always a good bang for your buck, but lacking in quality. Seeing that their menu had been changed yet again (more on this later) I was hoping that their burger platter had changed for the better...unfortunately, it had not. Their burger platter advertises itself as the best in town...first mistake; they have set the bar much, much too high. The platter comes with two burgers and a pile of of Maxwell's "famous" fresh cut fries. If you get here on a Thursday before 10pm, this impressive amount of food will go easy on your wallet at $5.99, but unless you're in serious need of cheap calories to survive, just don't bother. The patties are of the frozen variety, and not a good variety at that. With a mushy texture and a flavour that is more mystery meat than what burgers made from unfrozen, freshly packed ground beef patties taste like. And while I'm a big fan of red onion, I'm not a fan of having a whole slice of one on top of a burger as it assaults your taste buds. The only enjoyable parts of these burgers were the add-ons of real cheddar cheese and bacon, and at $1.95 each, I still felt robbed. As for their "famous" fries, yet another bar set much too high. They actually have a paragraph on their menu telling the tale of their fries! While they are definitely hand cut fries, this is not a characteristic which automatically makes a good fry, and this is something that Maxwell's and other restaurants in Halifax need to learn. The potatoes don't appear to be the best type for frying (Russets or baking potatoes) and are limp and too brown from a high sugar content. Either this heavy browning or infrequently changed fryer oil gives them a burnt taste. Not exactly the makings of "famous" fries. It seems that every few months or so Maxwell's shrinks their menu down a bit and changes their daily deals. This would be perfectly alright if they were improving the quality of the remaining items, but this certainly isn't the case, and the deals aren't very enticing. Their fish and chips deal isn't even available after 5pm on Fridays anymore! *shakes head* The only two food deals that you should pay attention to are the Fun Food Hour (1/2 price apps between 11pm & midnight) and their $2 (!!!) breakfast before 3pm on Saturdays. With sub-par food and lackluster service at best, the only reason why Maxwell's has eked out a two-star review is their famous beer menu, and for once this fame is valid and actual. With 60 beers on tap and daily deals on their 80oz brewtender and pitchers, you can get your bang for your buck, especially on nights when import or microbrew beers are on the cheap. It is this that has kept me coming back like a fool and will so in the future. But we do have our good times, don't we, Maxwell's?

I had supper this evening at The Maxwell's Plum. It's a cute pub. I sat on the main level. There is also space upstairs and downstairs. I ordered wings with Maxwell's honey garlic sauce. I found it odd that you can either get nine or twenty-one. Nine wasn't enough but twenty-one was too many ... I ordered twenty-one. The wings were okay. It was strange and annoying to have the tips left on. I figured I'd be taking some wings with me ... breakfast tomorrow perhaps? Brittany was my server. She was friendly and took good care of me.

Yikes. Maybe it's because it's pub and I was with a younger group. We had a pair our party have one person order for them "we're each gonna get an order of sweet potato fries" and then they were brought just one order, but charged for two, so did they stuff two order in one basket? Who knows. On top of that I was served a burger that was cooked maybe medium at best still nice and pink. But I manage to eat all my fries and the other at my table half finished their meals before I finally got the attention of someone. After which I was told it would be replaced, well we finished a pitcher or beer and I still didn't have a burger turns out the server gave it to another table. And what was the compensation for this you ask? Well they didnt charge me for the burger I didn't eat so. So all in all pretty bad experience one member of our group left not upset out of four.

The staff was really nice. Came on a Sunday for the mussels special. It was a big plate, and worth every penny. Lots of beer selection, free WiFi and nice waitress. Will def come back

Server was wonderful very pleasant. However I needed to wait for my food, a long time. People I went with finished their food until I got mine. Sad

The ad in the tourist map said 60 beers on tap. They had about 20, and then said the one we requested, a local and popular brew, was out in draft but they had it in a bottle. A dud.

We made the mistake of going here. We had discount coupons for Fish and Chips and there was a promise of a good selection of beers. Alas, they were out of Fish and Chips and the sliders, as well as my wife favourite beer. The place could do with a good clean; the carpet was pretty gross. A couple of my group had the steak special which was disgusting and described as the worst steak ever eaten. To be fair it was only $4 but left a bad taste in our mouths (literally and figuratively). The final insult came when my wife ordered fried onions and mushrooms. Charged at $1.95 each and literally received a teaspoon of each. The low prices may tempt some but take it from us you'd be better off going elsewhere. The only saving grace is the selection of beers but offered in silly sizes (12oz glass or a pitcher). Thank you but no thank you, there are way better pubs in Halifax.

If you like beer, this is the place to be. If your favourite beer is random and hard-to-find -- these guys probably have it. In fact they might even have it on tap. (They have Strongbow on tap - so it's a winner in my books). The food... well, it's greasier than that kid who works at the fast food place on the Simpsons. It's not fabulous food, but it's pretty cheap and it becomes good the more beer you have. The peanuts that once littered the floor are gone. One of the things I've heard from people who talk about this pub is that it has a rodent problem. Well... that's a half truth. It used to. Hence the removal of the peanuts. They are rodent-free as of late. In fact since October 2008 they've had four inspections, all which have come up spic and span (don't believe me? check it out: http://gov.ns.ca/agri/foodsafety/reports/Details.aspx?Id1=1310874

Beer! Beer! Maxwell's Plum is a beer drinkers dream come true; with a bazillion beers on tap you won't even be able to decide what to order. I'm not really a huge fan of Maxwell's Plum as it isn't the type of environment that I normally gravitate toward. That being said however, I do enjoy the diverse selection of hoppy bevies that they have to offer. I also like the novelty Brew Master, a personal beer fountain delivered to your table that you can enjoy with friends. This place is always busy, especially during weekend nights. Peanut barrels are a thing of the past at this establishment, but you can still find VLTs if you're looking for an activity to occupy your hands while visiting. They have a pub style food menu with all of the standards, and if you're not a beer connoisseur you can always order a mixed drink of any variety. This joint is a good place to hang, especially for rowdy college kids and those interested in a late night mix 'n mingle paired with some drinks and eats.

Maxwell's Plum has a few things that they do well, but as other reviewers have stated: the food/service needs a whole lot 'o work! I personally have flat out found the servers at 'The Plum' surly. I'm not a man so I get that I probably don't seem like I fall into the 'big tipper' demographic. That's the problem with generalizations though, I worked as a server for years and rarely tip poorly. Another issue with the service is the over zealous carding. Do you really need to check ID when a couple is in for brunch at 11:30 in the morning, and aren't drinking? I have been kicked out for not having my ID with me at this time of the morning. Food is also pretty bad, unless perchance you've already drank a pitcher in which case you were already probably craving McDonald's quality burgers anyway. Maxwell's Plum does do one thing well: draft. They have over 60 beers on tap and they have a special whereby for $12.75 you can try 6 mini mugs of some of the more unusual beers, that perhaps you wouldn't have wanted an entire pint of. In general, head to Maxwell's Plum (with your ID) for some of their draft specials! A good bargain just don't expect the servers to be too friendly. Especially if you're female. ps: Bring back the peanuts, Maxwell! It's one of the only things your pub had going for it!

Great pub experience with perfect portion sizes. We had a sampling of burgers (both beef and black bean), mussels and an order of dusted wings. All were delicious and finished with barely a crumb remaining. Fantastic selection of local brews with an option on several breweries to have a 'selection' or flight offered. What a great way to get a taste of local brewing magic. Great prices and food- well worth the hike up the hill!

Maxwell's Plum - It's patio season again! Beer and more Beer. People who go here are really not here for the food, that is really second. I will say, I ad their fish and chips before, they were ok, for a pub. I am not sure, but it seems everyone is on the same page with this pub. Not a lot of great service, but lots of beer!

I was doing laps around the oval and a good old friend rode up behind me and as we did laps we talked about going to dinner. We rode down to Maxwells. The patio was a little cramped...too bad all that construction right there. I can understand how downtown business owners feel. We ordered our pitcher of water each and I also got a Shirley Temple unlike any I've ever tasted. I was so refreshing...but SIX BUCKS! It was Nonalcoholic so I don't know what cost that much. The Grenadine? Maybe the seven up? Perhaps the simple fact someone had to mix three things together. Who knows? We ordered out food...and it took forty-five minutes. We moved inside and waited and waited...finally our food came and it was very yummy. I got the Spud toppers. The bacon was not just bits. It was chunks of real bacon smothered in cheese. I loved it. My friend had the steak sandwich. I tried it and it was very good as well. I plan to go there again and hopefully my dear old pal will make it a weekly thing to go there with me this summer but I'll not be paying $6 for a Shirley Temple again.

I love their daily food specials! Delicious, cheap, filling.

Usually enjoyed their chicken wings before...however, just this summer, we usually bring our small dog Rex with us and we would eat at the patio. One day though, one waitress (forgot her name) was really rude and told us that we can't have our pup in their patio. I have explained to her that our pup has always been with us when we eat before and that he just sits by the pole near the entrance, away from the foot traffic and away from other people, that waitress though would not listen and continuously was acting so rude to us. I'd always thought their pets are welcome in their patio...was not happy at all!!!

We were drawn in by the sign board advertising the Lobster Roll daily special. Further, the menu posted on the door indicated we would find good pub onion rings inside, and a wide selection of brews on tap. No onion rings available today. Turns out, no fish and chips. Turns out, no sliders. Turns out, no pepperoni. Turns out, half the brews listed on the tap menu are not available. We should have walked out! Any way, two of us ordered the lobster roll, and two of us ordered burgers. The toasted bun was dry and the lobster not as tasty as expected. The burgers were awful, and the fries soggy. Very disappointing, and the server did not seem to really be bothered by the lack of good service, that is until she brought the bill and was lobbying for her tip. Skip this place!! - there are many better places in Halifax!

My boyfriend and I are from out of town and decided to stop in to Maxwell's Plum prior to dinner out to catch some playoff hockey. I'll start off by saying that I am not a huge drinker. I'm actually a big 'ole lightweight and often feel tipsy turvy after one drink. But I was on vacation so I figured what the heck, I'm not driving, I don't have to work, I'll have a few and get a little buzz going. However despite paying $7.50 for my drinks, and various alcohols being listed as ingredients, I'm fairly confident that I didn't get any alcohol in my cocktails. I (obviously naievely) thought that the taste was just masked by pineapple juice or the other mixes... it wasn't until my third when I still felt absolutely fine that I thought "hey... I should maybe be feeling a little bit tipsy after this many drinks". I was 100% sober. I even handed my drink to some more seasoned drinkers I was with and they tasted no alcohol. I hate that I had this experience here, because the atmosphere and service were absolutely great. But I left feeling totally cheated, and days later it's still bothering me. I wish it could have turned out differently but because of this, I likely wouldn't return.

If you're baby faced, be prepared to be asked for two pieces of ID or get kicked out. If you arrive after 9, there is a menu of items you can order for half off. Amazing! Four bucks for a plate of mussels. They also offer escargot which surprised me greatly. On this particular occasion my chicken quesadilla had rotten lettuce on it, but the server was nice about it and took it off my bill. The manager joked that he was going to get one for lunch but now he's changed his mind. As someone with social anxiety, I appreciated that, as I always feel like crap when I have to send something back. The beer here is pretty cheap. It's our go to place because it's reasonable and close to home. The servers are nice and there are some good deals on food. It can be a little noisy sometimes and they only serve pub style food, but if you can handle that, it's a good place to sit and throw back a pitcher or two with a group of friends.

Went there Sunday for lunch... been so long since I was there last (2012), I figured I would give it another try. Wow... again with the slow service!!!!!!! My wife and I sat on the patio, the waitress was quick to come and take our order... however about 15 minutes later, she returns with our drinks... then another 15 minutes our lunch arrives. After finishing up and asking for the bill... we waited 15 minutes and I had to go to the bar to request my bill!!!! Again... I am not faulting the waitress... this is completely on management and the lack of staff they have working. Again... if there was a choice to give a negative review I would. With the increasing number of other places in Halifax to get a good selection of beer... I am surprised this place is still around.

Went on my birthday to get a "Big Spruce Cereal Killer oatmeal Stout" and some discounted fish n' chips. My friend's fish was slightly undercooked but mine was great (ordered it well done). The staff was too busy for their own good otherwise this would be 5 stars. One of my favorite places to get delicious craft beer from so I might be a little biased.

Came here on vacation from the U.S. with a group of friends for breakfast, not realizing until we sat down that there were only two options for "breakfast-y" foods (and unfortunately, no mimosas). Most of us ordered the steak and eggs, which were just ok in my opinion, though a few of the others thought it was the perfect hangover food. Cozy environment but would recommend either coming here for lunch or dinner, as their selections for midday food are more prevalent.

I went to Maxwells with some Canadian work colleagues for a few beers. The first thing that you notice about this place is the peanuts and peanut shells literally covering the floors. It gives you the impression that cleanliness is not the highest priority here. The beer selection was great and we were enjoying our beers when an unexpected guest joined us at our table. A ten inch rat. The rat was very used to people and didnt give us any notice. After all, he was only looking for peanuts to scavange. When our waitress came around I asked her if we would get a discount or get our beers for free given the "rat" issue. And before I could even finish my sentence, she shook her head with annoyance. I got the distinct impression that I was not the first person to see a rat and ask for a discount. We finished our beers and left for the next pub.

This happened over a year ago..I wish I had yelp then! I was ID'ed upon entering with no issue. My group headed down to the basement and took a seat. We were ID'ed a second time but this time my ID was apparently inadequate. I even showed my passport (btw I am from Nova Scotia). Apparently passport and IDs are not even sufficient because I dyed my hair from blonde to brown! I was kicked out and my lovely group of friends followed. Maxwell's lost business from 7 people due to this and we have not been back since.

Went to a $2.50 dollar breakfast at Maxwell's Plum.. Yep, I said breakfast.. and yes I have taken my crazy pills today.. I mean, no I haven't.. err what was the question? Oh right, breakfast at Maxwell's. A nice cheap shot in the arm of some greasy morning fare, with just a purchase of a beverage (Non-alcoholic options included). We got there early enough on Saturday morning that we were close to the front of the line. It's gonna be hard for me to finish this review with you double checking to see if what I am saying is right... yes I said lineup on Saturday morning. Apparently this is just the hang-over cure that Halifax has been looking for. It's a very basic breakfast.. not a lot of flare to it.. It wasn't bad.. the milk I had with my meal was warmish.. which other than when I was a baby.. is not what I want... but for the price I paid, it's not that bad.

4 words: 60 beer on tap. Nuff said. Go to the website and ch-ch-check it out. The beer selection here is by far off the charts. I'm pretty sure they have the most selection of beer in the fax. I mean propeller to kilkenny to smithwicks to sam adam to beers that are so foreign I can't even pronounce them. I've stopped here many a time for a pitcher of Hoe with work friends. The service isn't too bad initially. They always ID. So be sure not to choose this place as your underage rager. I have always found it quite a process to get the bill. It takes forever to get it and to get rung in. It doesn't however take forever to get your pitcher filled up. Hmph, interesting philosophy. I've had a number of different things off the menu. The wings are not too bad and burgers are just a burger. My boyfriend amazingly put back the entire burger platter. I mean he can eat a lot but still, it's not like they're a huge Angus. Their fresh cut fries are probably the best thing they have on the menu. Fries and beer, that's really how I'd roll if I was going to Maxwell's. My fav part? The fries come in a basket, cha-ching. Sweet location and awesome patio in the summer. They also have a cool deal where food is 1/2 priced from 11 pm till midnight. It really is all about the beer here. And I mean really, there isn't anything wrong with that now is there?

We were drawn to this pub as we walked by on the street one day - all those beers! daily specials for cheap! Sounds awesome - we we stuck it in our back pocket until next time we were hungry downtown. I didn't check Yelp before we went. Oops! Oh well, we probably would have tried it anyways. It was cheap burger night and we went around 4:30 to beat the crowd - it wasn't too packed but it was busy-ish. We seated ourselves and looked through the drink menu to see what the specials were. A server came to take our drink order, we gave it but she left before we could get a food menu. It took about 20 minutes to get our drinks, and an extra 5 minutes to get our food menu. When she came back to take our order 30 seconds later we weren't ready, but I wish we had been! Of course it took 15 minutes for our food order to be taken, thank goodness we came early and weren't starving yet. It didn't take a heck of a long time to get our food - the portions were huge and Mike enjoyed his burger, but it wasn't amazing (coldish fries) I loved that the burgers were real but I found mine very dry and hard to choke down (the amount of red onion on it actually burned my tongue haha). The onion rings were okay, but I wish I hadn't paid an extra 3 bucks to get them. I should note that 2 separate tables of 4 came in after us, were served before us, and left before us. The fact that I was aware of that is usually a bad sign. All in all it wasn't a pleasant experience - we wanted to get out of there ASAP, and did as soon as our bill arrived. If we do return, it will be to try a bunch of beer and maybe share a plate of nachos or something, but I can think of more than a few places I would rather be.

At one point this was the only Pub I ever patronized, partially due to the cheap variety of beer and partially for the discounted appetizers on Thursday nights. I feel confident saying that these might be the sole reasons for anyone to ever frequent The Plum. You certainly aren't going here for the service, (last time I was visited I waited a half hour for appetizers) or the food (overpriced when there isn't deals on) and don't get me started on that funky smell! With 60 different types of beer on tap, it's no wonder to me that Maxwell's Plum has a strange odour. With so many beers tapped at once, it's not uncommon to get a beer (especially if you order something a little bit obscure) that is less than fresh. Beer when sitting tapped for awhile can get skunky and attract loads of fruit flies in the summer. If you want some fresher beer, try going somewhere that only taps a few beer so that kegs aren't sitting around forever. Hot Hint: There are big screens all around the bar, and the website boasts a Superbowl party as well as coverage of UFC and other sports events. Just remember to bring your own food.

Despite clicking the foreboding two-star rating that tends to make people nervous, let me be clear in saying that there are definite reasons to visit and love Maxwell's. 1) They really do have shit-tons of beer. Not only that, but they also have awesome ways to drink it. The 80oz brewtender is always fun if nothing else than just for the visual, but my favourite has to be the tasters sample. Just flip through your handy list of some 60 beers, check off the ones you want, and voila - you're drunk. But at least you're drunk off fancypants brews. 2) There's a good deal of room. If you time it right, you and the large crowd of your choice can commandeer a big group table downstairs as your hub of bad decisions for the rest of the night! 3) Greasy food - they've got it. Right. This may be one of the few times I list greasy food as a pro, but if you're looking for pub grub that'll leave you satisfied on a day that you're not counting calories, you're in business here. It's perfectly adequate bar eats and there are a decent amount of options beyond the standard. But yes. Maxwell's has its flaws too. 1) While they've done away with the peanut shell business (although let's not pretend that handled the rodent problem. Pretty much ANY restaurant in Halifax has a mouse or rat...we're a harbour town after all, yo), a distinct Maxwell's smell lingers. 2) I can't pretend that I'd be happy to spend my days and nights serving drunk people, but as it turns out, neither can their servers. Sometimes they're great, but damnit, you'll sure know it when they're not. A university pub through-and-through, Maxwell's is what it is and for some folks, that's going to work just fine! And for the rest of us? Well, there's always going to be that day that you just want to get ripped and eat nachos.

I am writing this a bit late, but I've yet to forget the experience I had. A couple Saturdays ago I went to Maxwell's to eat and grab drinks with friends (I had maybe been there once before, years ago). The place was packed, as are most places downtown on a Saturday - so I don't believe there is any excuse for the following service we received. It was probably 15 minutes before we had our drink order taken and another 15 for the drinks to arrive. My drink came another 15 minutes and 2 reminders after everyone else's (yes I'm saying it was 45 minutes after arriving before I had my drink). From our first interaction with our server, we requested food menus. We then proceeded to request them from multiple servers as they were helping other people and bringing other food and drinks to tables. On over 5 occasions we were told "I'll go find some". After over an hour we finally had menus at our table. I have NEVER been at any food establishment were it took 30-45 minutes to get a drink and OVER AN HOUR to get a food MENU (not even the food!). I doubt I will ever go to Maxwell's again, at least NEVER on the weekend.

Beer menu is awesome. Food available at half price between 9 to 11 and what a menu they have. One of the best nachos I have ever had anywhere outside. Place is not to noisy so you don't need to scream a lot for general conversation.

If you're in the mood for more deep-fried, greasy goodness than one person should ever reasonably consume, and greater quantities of frosty beer than the surgeon-general would ever advise knocking back, then you will be in sweet unhealthy heaven at Maxwell's. The burger platter comes with not one enormous burger, but two (and a mountain of fries), and the 2 piece fish-and-chips could easily satisfy your calorie quota for a week. If you go between 5-7, it's happy hour and beer is bargain. Also, if you go on Friday, the fish and chips will only put you back $6.99. Although it's not high-end dining, if you're seeking no-tricks pub food for a great price, you can't really go wrong here.

The problem with Maxwell's is this: I will continue to go back. It's a love/hate relationship. It's a great venue for eating and drinking with friends with tonns of beer to try (60 on tap). The BREWTENDER will always be a friend of mine, even when the prices rise it's a nice to share with friends. I must say that the continuously changing menu irritates me, there seems to be less and less options every other time I go. No more gravy available which is purely unacceptable.. it was so good, however it was made. Wing night is now on Fridays? And you only have two options: hot or honey garlic... The Bacon Cheddar fries are a fave from the past, every time we go we try super hard to get some.. They have ALL of the ingredients to make them, they just won't. We even tried to "add on" cheese and bacon to the fries as there is an "add on" section, the order got as far as the kitchen and was SHOT DOWN, HARD. ( We thought we finally succeeded, hopes and dreams crushed) We had a fantastic server last night, for the first time in.. well, ever! She was polite and tried to be as accommodating as possible (Bacon Cheddar Fries). We were not rushed and she took the time to sympathize with us for the loss of our beloved fries. So, in conclusion BRING BACK THE BACON CHEDDAR FRIES!!!!

The main thing I liked about Maxwell's was the location. It is pretty much right in the middle of everything. No matter what you are doing or where you are it is fairly close. I visited on Thanksgiving so it wasn't very busy. I sat at the bar and received good service despite the fact that it was a Holiday. The girls helping me were nice about offering suggestions and letting me try a few of the beers before I committed to a selection. The beer list was very good with plenty of local choices. I didn't eat but the food smelled good!

Believe it or not, I had never been here before this past weekend. I guess it is the go-to spot for some of my friends so I tagged along. Luckily we got a good spot and the place seemed pretty busy. I noticed it seemed like 90% men (early to mid twenties) and then a handful of women (including myself and two friends). There was a hockey game being watched in the upper level so every so often the would an eruption of cheers, singing, and clapping. My two frings split the giant beer jug thing between them and I had a strawberry daquiri to start. The drink did not have much flavor. I also had a long island iced tea (small glass) and a broken down golf cart shooter (never had before but I assume it shouldnt have been warm?). My friends liked their drinks though and mine were not terrible. We ordered nachos and we thought these were odd - it is not nachos when it comes as salsa in a dish heated up with cheese on it and we scoop it on the chips. Oh well it satisfied our hunger enough until 1/2 price appetizer time. At which point, we ordered the sampler platter and wings. Everything on the platter was good, can't go too wrong with generic fried food. The wings on the other hand were terrible - dry and not much meat. Overall, we spent a good 3 hrs there and our server was nice. It would not be my go-to spot but I wouldn't mind visiting it once in awhile with friends for some cheap appetizers and a drink or two. The steep climb to the bathroom could be quite dangerous for customers who may have had one to many or are in heels. It is hard to go up the stairs while someone else is coming down them. Oh well, it is an old building so issues like this are the norm. Check it our after 10pm if you're ever in the area - but the earlier you arrive the better seat you'll find.

The food and drinks were good, me and my friends had a big table to hang at, however the service was not so great. We had multiple wrong orders, waited for what felt like an eternity to get service, and had to flag down our waiter or a different waiter just to get our plates/drinks cleared, order more or get our bills. The worst part though was because of the terrible service we were very unhappy by the end the night whilst paying bills- the waiter was so rude to our table and told a few of my friends to "Get the fuck out" because they expressed how unhappy they were. Unacceptable. I would have been a returning customer if it wasn't for this rude employee.

Really like the great selections of beer! Also they have daily specials for food. Came on a Tuesday and the special was steak and fries for $3.99 I had no expectation due to the price but it was actually decent for the price. A normal slice of steak and fries. Daily special is also different every night as long as u order a beer. U can get all the typical bar food here. Bf ordered fish and chips and it's also good. A little bit on the greasy side. Glad by how close this is to the Cambridge suites of hotels. 2 min walk.

$2.50 breakfast on Saturday. Need I say more? No? Well, I will. You get eggs, toast, fries, and meat (bacon or sausage or whatevs) for $2.50 plus a drink. It's good, it's fast, and it's cheap. Get there a little before 11 to get a table and if warm milk isn't your thing, get a coffee. All in all, worth every penny. Oh, and they have a ton of beer.

Maxwell's has a great atmosphere and great staff. However, the overall experience is never as good as I'm expecting. I should mention that I am very price aware so I like to take advantage of good deals. The last time I went was on a Wednesday when they advertise their burger platter for $6.99, however they hide that a piece of cheese is $2 and adding a drink means you're cheap lunch goes up in flames. This is how almost always how I feel about their cheap deals-unimpressed. For example, after 10pm every night certain appetizers are half off, except I never feel fully satisfied whether it's the quality or the quantity. Their selection of beer is impressive, but prices are expensive, so even going for their daily beer deals can result in a shockingly big bill! However, if you stay aware of what you're adding to your meals and pick smart drinks, you can make it out full and happy!

I wouldn't eat here but the vibe is pretty cool and down to earth. The pub looks like an old English pub and has down to earth staff. Relaxed atmosphere and fun.

Call me crazy but there's something I just can't appreciate about walking over discarded peanut shells. Yet it's the gimmick at Maxwell's Plum and university males in their slovenly glory flock here. Expect plenty of unique beers on tap (hey, during my Hali days I would've visited far more is not for the peanuts...). Lots of tables in a bit of a cramped labyrinth arrangement.

AMAZING STAFF ! The best pub I've ever been to in Halifax and the honey garlic sauce for the wings is the best I've ever had (and I'm a fat guy)