The Red Shoe

We had such a wonderful experience at The Red Shoe Pub! Our waitress, Becky, was absolutely amazing—so sweet and attentive. When we first arrived, we were seated at a table where we couldn’t see the live entertainment, but Becky went out of her way to move us to a better spot. Thanks to her, we had the perfect view and ended up staying the whole evening. The live music and step dancing made the night unforgettable—such a lively and fun atmosphere. Between the great service, the amazing food, the entertainment, and the welcoming vibe, it was the highlight of our trip. Highly recommend stopping in if you get the chance!

On a holiday from Alberta and wanted to check this place out. They had entertainment scheduled for the night and went to checked it out!! It was really busy, but was able to get a seat for 4 people close to where the performers were and when they started to play. It was very energetic and fun!!! Food was absolutely wonderful and the service was really great! Even for how busy it was!!! I had such a great time. I intend to return the next time I come back to Cape Breton!! Thanks for the memory and fun time!!!!

The only local pub/restaurant in the area, but it does not disappoint. The food was amazing. The service great. The atmosphere awesome. Live music 7 days a week in the early evenings. The history of the place intrigued us enough to make us dive into the history of The Rankin Family.

U never disappoint, ur food is a good as the fine dining anywhere on the continent. Ur a local place with a home feeling ,with classic capebreton music 🎶 in the background, I had ur fish 🐟 wich was nice an crisp batter n thing plump filled inside cooked to perfection. My wife's wings were delicious as well as I tried one .This nice home feeling is probably something ur staff should be very proud of .I've been waiting years to this and im delighted as I thought i would be.ur waitress with wonderful welcome smile was an honest treat. Thank u for having a world class pub in small town nova Scotia.

Gotta love a local pub with such pride in its local history, it's literally printed on the other side of its menu! Lovely atmosphere, and clearly a local favorite. We got the pan seared halibut and the scallops, but the real star of the show was the gingerbread dessert--do not miss!

The highlight of our trip. The fiddler was the former premier. More important he was amazing. His family was there and they actually talked us into getting up and dancing a reel (we had no idea how but it was SO fun). I knew the place would be fun based in reviews, but w as surprised how good the food was. Something I would expect at a gourmet restaurant. Im glad we were told to get there 1.5 hrs before music to ensure we got a table, although it may be easier in off-season.

Got to enjoy some real well prepared east coast meals and experience the vibe of local artists. Very different and enjoyable evening for us Westcoaster!! Even got to meet Heather Rankin.

This restaurant was as good this week as it was eight years ago when I first stopped by! The BBQ pork fries are genuinely one of the best things I've ever eaten and I think about it all the time. Unique building with great history, a friendly staff and a delicious menu can't be beat!

He great fish and chips and a fish cake sandwich. Interesting old photos on the walls. Regretfully was not there when music was offered.

An absolute MUST for any visitor to Cape Briton and Nova Scotia. The people, music, food, service, and atmosphere is THE best of any pub I've ever visited, here or abroad. Ready to return tomorrow, and am highly recommending to any family or friend visiting the island. WONDERFUL and SO MUCH FUN.

This place has the best seafood chowder I have ever had. It is cream based but a very light broth. The flavors of the broth are delicious and I promise it was NOT short of tasty seafood. It also came with a buttermilk biscuit which was also fresh and delicious. My companions had the fish and chips and one piece was more than enough. They said it was delicious also we truly wish we lived closer to come back often it's a must have.

Today was the final day of the season. Glad we came and stopped on our way to Cabot Cliffs Golf Course. Butternut Squash soup was excellent and the fish was in a homemade beer batter. My daughter had the vegan chili. Also excellent. The salad with their homemade dressing was unique. Full of nice greens and cucumber but the dressing was nice but different. I wouldn't buy it again. Otherwise, wonderful staff and food.

Fun Celtic music. Ordered the red shoe ale and loved it. My husband got the bulwark cider which was quite nice. Lively and crowded on a Sunday night. Cover charge of $8 for the music even though you are eating. Don't let that keep you away. I had the scallops and my husband had the fish and chips. The scallop fish came with 5 scallops, some vegetables and the best sauce ever!!!Good food. Not too expensive. It's loud with the music so don't come her to have a deep conversation. Good pub food, entertainment and fun ! We came on a Sunday night and it was crowded. I imagine their could be quite a wait on a Friday or Saturday and the bar is very small to wait (maybe 4 seats). So glad I came and will be back next time we are here!!!

This is definitely the place to be in Cape Breton if you are looking for a place that serves up the local entertainment. We had received recommendations to go here if we were looking for local music from the information booth in Baddeck a few days before, and when we arrived in the area after travelling up over the Cape, it seemed like a good idea. We had already had a large lunch, so a big dinner wasn't really in our plans, but I still needed something so I settled on getting the chili, and was quite surprised to have served before me a bowl of chili that was excellent, beating out (in my not so humble opinion) some Triple-A rated chilis from Austin, Texas! This was just a very good chili! The jalapeño cornbread was a bit disappointing, as it was a bit dry and the jalapeño really didn't stand out at all. We had planned well, as there was lively entertainment that night with a fiddler who was holding her CD release party with help from one of the fiddlers from the Celtic Music Centre down in Judique. The pub itself is pleasant, and a place that you can just imagine locals going to all the time (and there were certainly locals there this evening). If I get back up into Cape Breton, I will certainly be returning to the Red Shoe Pub for another taste of what Cape Breton has to offer.

excellent service! we were talked to 3 different staff members, all very firednly and helpful. 3 of us god the hamburge and fries, delicious homemade burger, daughter hat the kids penne pasta (only $8) and was more than enought pasta and sauce for the price, and 5th had wings and fries. all delicious. atmosphere is great definately recommend!

Nope. Beer batter fried haddock was nauseatingly greasy. Up-charged for tepid, flavorless mashed potatoes. Slaw tasted like it had been around for a few days. Went with high expectations given all the positive reviews but was disappointed. My companion enjoyed the chowder.

Highly rated on various websites; yet, disappointed with this experience. The setting is an old house, quaint. We were also there during live music, more on that later. Two of us had a "catch of the day" special. It looked pretty interesting. Scallop and Chantrelle Crab Pasta with white wine & cream sauce,bacon and scallions. Man that sounded good. We were psyched to eat some scallops. Too bad we really did not get what we THOUGHT we were ordering. There were (count them) exactly TWO scallops in each order. So, technically the "Scallop" non-plural on the specials board was kinda prophetic. The pasta serving was large and consisted mainly of pasta and bacon with a rich sauce. The later two were a little overwhelming. Oh, and the live music - got nailed with a cover charge we were uninformed about.

Welcoming staff especially manager who took the time to talk to us about Mabou. Great food and delicious desserts. Would recommend to family and friends.

Very clean, looks remodeled, yet done in the old style look of the buildings age. Server was polite, yet not really friendly - although she was getting busy, so perhaps that's the reason. We were disappointed that a lot of the pictured, here on yelp, meal options were after 4pm only options . Ultimately hubby ordered the lunch special, the lobster salad sandwich. I had the fried haddock, with apple slaw. We both had the curry root soup. Hubby said his sandwich good enough, with hints of lobster taste. The sandwich had lots of filling. My haddock was also good enough - nothing that said signature recipe. I had never had apple slaw, it was crisp and taste. Our soups were very good. Overall not worthy of five stars, but a good solid four star diner - it was a very busy place. Perhaps the night menu might have gotten a better rating, the meatloaf looks wonderful!! Sadly we will never know as Texans just traveling thru!

Red Shoe beer on tap was good The lobster salad special was so-so. Mabou Seafood Chowder was good, and on a par with other chowder we've had in the Maritime Provinces. (That's pretty good!) Service friendly and efficient. Very pub like atmosphere. (That's a plus for a place with "pub" in it's name.) We liked the place enough to purchase a souvenir glass mug, but as tourists passing through, I doubt we will ever pass this way again.

This is a gem of a spot. We were able to experience this "pub"/restaurant during Celtic Colors. We had such a fantastic time we returned the second night and would have the third night should we have stayed in the area longer. Both nights the place was packed in anticipation of the fiddlers starting with Andrea Beaton. OMG what a night! The food was delicious with local ingredients and large portions. Our servers (night one and two ) were Hollis and Heidi who we later learned were sisters and both 5 star hospitality professionals! What kind and confident women. Good local beer selection and evidence of pride and support for local community and businesses. The crowd was mostly local so not a tourist site by design but rather an authentic local gem designed as a five back to the community by the famous owners. This place should be the pride of the community and owners. I don't know if there is entertainment outside of the festival but I sure hope so it was pure joy!

Great find on the Cabot Trail! Have the meatloaf! A little pricey, but a great small-town pub. Very busy at dinner time, but quick and efficient service.

Really good food - fresh ingredients, well prepared. The chicken was excellent and the scallops perhaps even better. Add in the "jam session" of local traditional musicians and you have a night to remember.

Wow. Delicious yet again. Today's special is a lemon & chive lobster salad sandwich. Oh and spicy tomato soup. I ordered both and was not disappointed. Well done Red Shoe.

Fantastic local gem! We came in for dinner and the place was full because of an excellent live Arcadian music show. A nice waitress offered us bar seats until a table would become available. The bartender was extremely efficient serving the beer and food. I got the red shoe ale and meatloaf. Both excellent. My partner got the only veggie option on the menu - veggie lasagna with salad. The guy on my other side had the same and they were both happy. We asked the bartender about camping recommendations and she offered her own lawn! We didn't end up there, but certainly appreciate the local hospitality! We had a good time there and I highly recommend it!

Another great meal at this establishment. For lunch, I had the lobster salad sandwich. This was one of the specials for the day. With it I had a salad. A good filling meal. I also tried the red shoe ale. I'm typically a big fan of red ales but this was not one of my favorites. I know better for next time. This is a place I'm happy to bring visitors too if we are traveling that way. Good food for the value. They were also very accommodating about our large party. I did call ahead to let them know. Our waitress was very attentive and personable. Found out she also works as a Paramedic. Everyone enjoyed their meals even the two children in out party.

I'm not really sure how this restaurant received four stars. On our way from Baddeck to Halifax we decided to have lunch today. 8 of us (including a baby) sat in the very back of a patio where we were not allowed to adjoin 2 smalls tables to accommodate our shared apps. When we asked the server if we could join the tabes, they made it clear there was a strict policy to not join tables. Now, all the apps were on one table, so naturally we gathered our chairs around the table... causing more commotion than our request. Now, food wise: As my mother puts it, we went to Red Shoe to eat food and came out with runny yellow Poo. When we asked for gluten free options (which was stated that they had options), the server and another server came back to ask us if we had a mild allergy or severe and made recommendations accordingly.. really? How about no gluten? We decided to order the blue cheese mussels which were honestly awful. In our history of eating mussels, never had we had blue cheese, which really ruined the taste completely. My husband ordered a burger and couldn't get past 2 bites. When asking for grilled veggies, they brought out veggies soaked in oil... just delicious. And the issues go on an on, including a round of the runs. I gave it two stars because the naan bread was good. My sister in law enjoyed the chicken in her burger (not the bread). And that, out of $200 worth of food, were the only things worth eating. And the young server was nice.

We were hesitant to try this place after reading some negative reviews, but we are so happy we did! We did go early....around 5. Our server was so friendly and sweet. I ordered the flatbread with veggies and goat cheese with the soup of the day, carrot-ginger. It was so delicious! My husband ordered a bowl of Seafood Chowder which he said had plenty of seafood with each bite and came with a delicious biscuit. We decided to splurge and share dessert ...the Not Your Typical Banana Split. It was possibly the best dessert I've ever had. If you have nothing else, have this. Overall we had a top-notch experience.

We had stuffed chicken and scallops. The scallops were too creamy and the fresh taste of the scallops was masked. But it wasn't bad, just not great. Chicken was delicious. Menu selection is ok. It gets crowded on weekends so get there early (7:30pm) for a table. We had to share a table with another couple but it was nice meeting fellow travelers. Entertainment was great. They have different performers on different nights. (This place is a good stop if you're in the area. A bit pricey for a pub restaurant but there's not a lot of restaurant choices in the area)

4 stars for the ambience and the local entertainment of jam sessions of fiddlers, a pianist, a flutist, etc. This seemed to be a place that attracted locals as well as tourists. The food was nothing to write home about but it didn't matter because the music was so good

One of the best seafood chowders I've tasted and that includes Alaska. Great beer and good Celtic music.

Beyond the fact it has famous connections which obviously draws the tourist crowd including me, the food alone here was beyond worth the 2 hr drive there. Not the cheapest place but for a group of 4 that consisted of a kid, a vegetarian, a picky eater and a total foodie not one of us was in the least bit disappointed. For real the food was top notch. Beyond that they have local entertainment every evening during supper which just added to the experience. If you are ever even remotely close I totally recommend it. My only tip is get there by 4 for supper or you're waiting outside for quite a while to get in, those who are in are certainly not moving any time soon.

This place gets packed with locals and tourists, especially on weekends. We had a nice dinner here (mussels for me) and a chocolate dessert that I don't remember exactly what it was, but do remember I loved it. The beer selection was pretty good, too! Our dinner ended just as the live music was about to begin, which was great because we already were comfortably seated. However, the downside is that there is a cover charge for the music, even if you're already in the place and eating dinner. I understand why they do this, but it's just a little bit of an odd set-up to tack on an extra $20 to the dinner check if you're already seated and eating. The lay-out of the place was not conceptualized well, and I think they didn't *quite* get the concept of a cozy pub, which is a shame since the place was built with having live music in mind. However, the music was great and a necessary experience to understand some local culture while vacationing along the Cabot Trail. Just like most of our dining experiences in Nova Scotia, service was ok (not great, not awful), and everything felt a tad overpriced. However, our baseline observation tells us that this is the norm for the area, so, in that case, this place did an ok job on both fronts.

We found ourselves far from home with a friend looking for lunch in Mabou, Cape Breton, and lucked out to find the Red Shoe, a pub with good food and craft beers. It was pretty busy, although it did happen to be Labor Day, so there were probably extra travelers on the road. The special soup was a tomato basil soup and the special lunch was a lobster salad sandwich. We had both and they were very good. The service was good, too, and quick. If you find yourself there, definitely stop in. My rating is 4 stars rather than 5 because there are many more beautiful locations in Cape Breton.

I had been looking forward to visiting this place ever since I read an awesome article in the Globe and Mail about fun things to do in Cape Breton. The review made the place sound charming so we decided to check it out on our recent Cabot Trail road trip. We got there around 6pm on a Friday night and were disappointed to find out that there would be no music until 9 (we weren't keen on sitting there for 3 hours). We were also a bit disappointed to see the prices - most of the meals were around $12 to $19, which is not bad but we felt a little high for some things considering there was nothing obviously special about them. I ordered the (appetizer) seafood chowder ($12) and I was worried the chowder wouldn't be enough of a meal but it was actually quite large - I was stuffed by the time I finished! Honestly the biscuit that came with it was just OK for me (a bit dry). We each had a glass of their Red Shoe beer that they make in-house and I really enjoyed it! It had a nice flavour and was a good companion for the creamy, rich chowder. The service was a little sporadic at first - I had to ask her twice for water and it took her a while to come back and get our food orders - however, I think she was new so I can understand her being frazzled. The inside also didn't feel as cozy and "pub-like" as I was expecting - it is basically one big room with wooden tables. Which is fine, just not what I was picturing in my head. I enjoyed our meal but it was nothing spectacular. In my opinion, I think this place gets overhyped because it's owned by local/NS celebs (the Rankin sisters) and the main point of going is for the music and the ambience, not necessarily the food. Perhaps if we had gone later and cozied up for some music, we would have enjoyed our experience more.

Best food in the area. Solid selection of local draft beers, solid food, ok service. We got the seafood chowder, stuffed chicken, scallops, date pudding (aka. A brownie), and cobbler. Everything was great.

Fun, small pub. It was full of tourist but doesn't feel touristy. Live music, good beer and good food make this place you must visit. The 2 pcs fish and chips were large. There was a bit too much breading for my liking, but it was good. There seafood chowder was really good, filled with fresh seafood.

We arrived with great anticipation, "The Shoe" was highly recommended. Unfortunately, after over an hour and a half wait for our meals, all we got as a response was a plateful of excuses. "there was live music" "the kitchen is small" "your appetizer order takes a long time". Nope. None of these situations are surprising, these are all things that are part of the restaurant, besides there were 4 servers and a bartender and only 12 tables. If there was truly a problem, weak excuses weren't the way to appease hungry travellers. It's unfortunate that it ask could have been eased with a little customer service, but I guess if you're pretty sure we won't be coming back, it doesn't really matter. And the food was mediocre tourist food, at best, at least the beer was good.

Just visited and all I can say is what a great hole in the wall place to eat! Visiting family on the island and they showed me this great place! I had the fish and chips which were extremely tasty and fresh. The fries have to be the greatest fries I've ever had! My mother had the stuffed chicken and the meat was perfectly cooked and tender. Wait staff was extremely friendly and quick. Highly recommend to anyone who may live on the island or to any tourist visiting!

Loved it! The food was great - it was the best veggie burger I've had in years. Wonderful, friendly service. The bartenders were so friendly - they even recommended a trail that ended up being one of my favorite hikes of our trip. Highly recommend!

VERY slow service. Staff efficient but not friendly. Food was so so. Would not accommodate our party of six so we had to split up. Ordered an appetizer and after over half hour we asked again for it- was told they forgot to put the order in. No "sorry".

I've stopped in here a few times. It is a great spot to take a day trip.. The music is always great, the atmosphere is cosy and the energy is always high. But so are the prices. I realise it's a tourist attraction, but the cost of the food for the portions is not the most reasonable. We had an 80$+ meal and I left hungry... (A regular meal with beer and pop, each a main and a shared dessert...) They do have the most delicious deserts here. Which is what I would recommend to anyone stopping by. Also a Great drink menu to pair with your meals or desserts. Its usually quite busy but I have always found the waitresses to be very helpful and friendly.

Great live music and beer! And good-looking customers! All the reasons I love it and you will, too.

We were pretty excited to go here for the dinner and the live music. Food was pretty good - poutene was excellent. Was very disappointed that we were forced to make a hasty exit because two of our family are under age and were not allowed when the music started. This would have been nice to know before we sat down. To add insult to our evening, the waitress has just brought us three more beers that I assume they wished us to guzzle down.

Very good! First time had their fish and chips. Not too greasy and flavorful. Next time had their scallops and their blue tail marlin. Great service. Lucked out to eat here during Kitchen Fest so we had fantastic music after eating!

Loved this little pub. Had a really nice atmosphere and good food. Wish we had been able to hear some live music, but we arrived a little early - I'm sure that's a lot of fun.

Warm, cozy pub with extremely friendly servers and bartenders. The food was great- I had the meatloaf, and my husband had the lasagna - both very flavorful. We did have to wait a bit to be seated, but it was worth it! There was a cover for the music.

We went on a Saturday evening for the live music and found a delightful madhouse. We had stopped in earlier in the day when driving by and gotten some advice about securing a table on a live music evening. We returned about 5:30 (music starts at 7:00) and sipped on drinks for a half hour or so, then ordered dinner. Sure enough by 6:00 the place was effectively full and rollicking. Service was excellent, especially considering the crowd (and a line waiting to get in until we left a little after 8:00 p.m.) and the food was quite good. The musicians were wonderful. The management deployed a very outgoing young woman to handle the pending customers who necessarily stood outside the door (no seating for those waiting to get in). The whole experience smacks of good management. I highly recommend this pub for an evening out.

THE place on Cape Breton for great food, drink and music. Keep up the great work Angie and crew!

I can't understand the reviews. Went with three others and we all had a bad meal. Mussels tiny, steak flavorless, fish heavily breaded. Service was good but food not so much. I think the competition is minimal so it continues to survive.

Amazing food, great service! Just wish we were able to stay for some of the music. Definately recommend stopping here.

Very good food. Great chowder and lobster salad sandwich also a hit. We would definitely visit again.

Best seafood chowder I've had in a long time, light on the cream, good chunks of potato & seafood. Good beer selection and very friendly wait staff. A very happening live music place, we unfortunately were there for an early lunch so did not experience any music.

Wow - what a nice place! We walked in and it was jumping! Live music playing, tables full. We were able to get a table and then offered to share with 2 other people. Very friendly place. And the food was GREAT. My friend had some delicious chicken and I had some of the best mussels I'd ever had in my life (the Drunken Mussels)! Service was good even though it was crazy in there, music was VERY good and after the wonderful mussels I had the warm gingerbread. OMG! SO GOOD! If I had had more room in my belly I'd have had seconds of that! Great time, great food, wonderful atmosphere. Oh, and I liked the beer too :-)

Beyond excellent! A very friendly, comfortable place to have a great dinner and hear live local entertainment (fiddle/piano). I had pan-seared scallops w/bacon, leeks and peas in creamy fondue - the flavor was amazing. My husband had maple curry beef tips w/vegetables in a curry maple sauce - "excellent, the best curry dish I've eaten". Wish it wasn't 1500 miles away!

Food was excellent, and the atmosphere was great. Service was good also; friendly staff. Prices were moderately high, but worthwhile.

Wow - We had a great meal and wonderful Celtic entertainment at "the shoe".. We were there on Sunday afternoon. You must check their web site to see when they have entertainment.