The Rope Loft

Really nice place with a definite local vibe to it. Loved the food and service. Had a bowl of the haddock chowder and it was absolutely delicious (and filling). Was pouring rain when we went, so we sat inside, but it was warm and cozy. Will definitely go back on a sunny day to enjoy the patio that is right on the water. Definitely recommend going and then visiting the town and local shops.

We called the same day for a reservation and were lucky to snag a table upstairs—great view of the water and a cozy, nautical vibe. The décor feels a bit timeworn, but in a way that adds to the character and charm of the place—it’s clearly well-loved and full of local history. Our waitress was fantastic, especially considering she seemed to be managing the entire upstairs solo. She was friendly and attentive, even while clearly hustling. The food was lovely—I had the haddock with dill sauce, which was perfectly cooked. My only complaint? I could’ve used way more of that sauce! But the real star of the night was dessert. We split the Bailey's cheesecake and the blueberry apple crumble, and wow… I could’ve easily eaten that entire cheesecake by myself. Overall, a great dining experience in Chester—delicious food, sweet staff, and that waterfront view makes it feel extra special.

Awesome place in Nova Scotia!❤️ Service was excellent and kind! Food was really good! Chowder was full of all kind of seafood! Burger was great - the meat and vegs were soooo good! ☺️🙌 Still, we would recommend to add some authentic crafted sauces to it (please don't use a standard ketchup > it kills the taste of the meat🙏). And please, add here an option to sides as mashed potatoes, or grilled vegetables. The fryes were good, but it's just another idea for diversity. I suppose in summer they have more options of the salads, vegs.🌞 Desert.. It's was Bailey's cheesecake. Delicious!..., 😊 But! 😉 (hope it could help to upgrade it having perfect! don't be upset about that - everything is great! Just we are an experts in desserts and delicious food, unfortunately 😁) Anyway, we were soooo happy about the food, the place, the ocean view and the service! Amazing! Thank you for this experience!❤️ Hope you could be open during the winter as well

We had lobster - shrimp roll, so far it’s the best one. Shrimps were good, and the tried day specials - everything was just amazing!

Top service, fantastic oysters & mussels! Definite must visit when in Chester. No better place to spend a rainy Sunday lunch!

A group of four, we had a variety of dishes. While some of the food was very good, some was not. Two major and unnecessary disappointments were, firstly, my wife ordered a bloody Caesar cocktail. It was served in a miniature brandy glass a little bigger than a shot glass. It had absolutely no garnishes of any kind. Secondly, on ordering our dishes I had a conversation with our waitress, Heather, stressing the importance that our plates be warmed and she assured me they would be. When served, my fish dish with rice and vegetable were on a thick cold plate. She should have known that when she picked the plate up, especially as there were few other diners. While she offered to take it away and put it on a warmed plate I declined to avoid disrupting our meal together. My wife later commented that her side salad was very dry with hard beetroot pieces crammed into a small bowl making it hard to eat. After leaving she told me she did not wish to return. There are a few aspects of an otherwise good experience that Rope Loft needs to reconsider.

I had the opportunity to go to the Rope Loft on a date with someone special. He highly recommended the chowder. We went mid- afternoon and the waitresses were very kind and accommodating. The view is beautiful from there. We both had a bowl of chowder and it was all seafood. It was one of the best chowders I’ve had all year. Thank you for making my first experience amazing.

The atmosphere was beautiful on the deck, and the service was very good. The staff were friendly and accommodating. The food was delicious, I just wish there was a little more on my plate lol! (Risotto)The kids menu was perfect. My partner had the fish and chips which was delicious and fresh. Not greasy at all. This is our favorite restaurant so far in Nova Scotia.

Had a wonderful experience at The Rope Loft. The staff were friendly and professional. The two of us enjoyed the mussels meunière, the fish cakes, and the lobster/shrimp roll. The food was delicious and plentiful. Our beverage was the Nova Scotia white. This Californian loved it. We were there on a semi sunny Sunday afternoon. The food and the scenery were wonderful.

Food was just ok. Service could not have been worst. No butter with our lobsters. We had to ask for some and the server reacted like we were asking for gold. Just the worst service I have ever experienced.

Wonderful patio on the water watching sailboats. Fish & Chips was delicious. Good fries. Mussels were done well. Some bread for dipping would have been nice but they were good. Special of wings was great. Special of potato skins was delicious but should really be called potato nachos. Delicious.

After four attempts, we final got a table for dinner at the Rope Loft. Lack of staff has forced many local venues to limit hours, causing a surge of customers when they are actually open. This is one of our favourite local spots, especially on a nice night if you can get a table on the large patio. This was not one of those nights, so we happily took a both inside. Service is always "local-friendly", casual and welcoming, but perhaps not precise and efficient. Unlike some other local places forced to hire inexperienced staff, many of the Rope Loft staff have been there awhile and know how to make your visit enjoyable. The menu is broad but Maritime focused. Lots of very local beers on tap as well. We've been there many times, food is always good, often really good, and occasionally excellent. Tonight I had a blackened Halibut which was spectacular, as good as a fine dining experience. A great local option, if you can get in!

We came here upon a recommendation of a local and others who have frequented this spot. It was definitely hyped up and I wish we'd have read reviews (like we normally do) prior to committing to this place for lunch. I'd give service 4 stars as they were quite friendly, came by often enough (didn't check in once we got our food though which is unfortunate. Location gets 5 stars as you're right on the water and the view is great. If you're ok walking, you'll likely have to walk a few blocks as parking is incredibly limited since the place is located right beside the (busy) ferry terminal. If you're not mobile, skip this place. It's not at all accessible. Lots of odd, ankle-breaking potential step ups - even if you want to sit on the patio, you've got to walk through the restaurant first. A real turn off here was washrooms - yikes! They just smell like an outhouse/vault toilet and are in desperate need of updates and repairs. Not sure how frequently they are cleaned but you're better off going to a provincial park. Lastly, the food is way more underwhelming than we could have expected. The fish burger is a weird combination of cold (very deep fried) haddock with some pre-packaged coleslaw slapped on it. Fries are typical Costco fries with absolutely no flavour and just a dozen scattered on your plate - at $17, the 'special' was seriously overpriced for the quality and portion. The server did give us a 'staff discount' of 33% on the cold food, but had she actually come to check on us, we would have just sent it back and left. Never a good idea to complain about your food - we all know what happens in the kitchen! We were short on time and not impressed to have to eat cold food at a 'discounted' rate. Haddock soup was warm but really nothing to write home about. A real bummer because we expected so much more and with such a great location, it's really unfortunate that this place is just so mediocre. I think the only other good thing is as that drinks were priced decently. Overall, I'd say don't believe the hype!

This is a very warm and welcoming restaurant. We arrived very late after a long day on the road. Their food quality is good and their menu has a nice selection. We enjoyed its location on the waterfront. Once we move there, we will go back!

My wife and I went here on a cool Monday night in May. Unfortunately too cold to sit outside but we were lucky to get a table by the fire. The inside decor is beautiful with a cozy cottage feel and beamed ceiling. The staff were friendly and welcoming. The food was outstanding and served quickly but we did not feel rushed in anyway. The prices for the food quality were very fair. Overall a pleasant experience and would recommend a visit here .

Just ok for batter fried fish and chips. The coconut shimp where over fried. The pan sauté haddock was dry .

This was my father's and I second attempt at going to a pub in Chester. After the first one we tried, we were not very hopeful. That was completely changed. We got lucky and found a parking spot right next to the place. The staff were really friendly as well. We both ordered the fish cakes and baked beans and had the homemade toffee cake for dessert. The presentation and taste were excellent. Highly recommend this place. The only downside is that the server informed us they close for the season at the end of the month, so we have to wait until next year to come back.

Delicious chowder, friendly staff, waterside with picturesque surrounding. Great stop in Chester for a late lunch after morning visit to Peggy's Cove and the Swiss Air Memorial.

The whole family got together here recently on a foggy Sunday to celebrate Mother's Day a bit early. I had heard many good things about the restaurant so was eager to try it. The big hit of the afternoon was the pan fried haddock. Served with rice and a nice spicy corn salsa. You can replace the rice with other sides for $3. I recommend the spinach salad and sweet potato fries. I had the spicy black bean burger which was pretty good, though not very exciting. They had a nice kids menu with coloring paper...kept them nice and busy. We had a really nice time, would definitely recommend.

Order the Chowda! With the shellfish. Wholly fishy moley! Its great. And a healthy serving too. No way anyone leaves hungry after one of those. Very nice patio dining overlooking the Bay. Not a lot of parking, but the walk from up the hill where there is more parking isn't bad. In fact the walk from anywhere isn't bad, so just park where you can. In a small tourist town with not many choices they could do a much worse job and still pack the place. But thankfully they are putting out some really good stuff here.

We went to "The Rope" a week ago, because there wasn't much going on for Restaurants in Chester... It took 20 minutes to find a Parking Spot along that ally style road... There are signs everywhere telling you "NO Parking"... If we brought our H.D. Bikes, we would have been o.k... I think some of the parking is being used by the Staff & Marina? Anyway, got parked a block away, and went into the Restaurant... Nice atmosphere... Mostly people were outside... the wind was blowing and they looked cold... so we sat inside... We were greeted by a nice Server... The servers are prompt and friendly... We ordered Calamari, and their Char Broiled Hamburger...and water. We saw food going outside that looked top notch! And were anticipating our Lunch! The Calamari was borderline o.k... Kind of choke down dry... The "Osprey's Nest" near Crescent Beach is FAR better, we were there 3 days before... Then the Hamburger arrived... The Chips were HOT and very good! The Hamburger looked O.K., but was disappointing... It was almost cold, and over-cooked to the point that we were picking chunks of Charcoal out of our Teeth later... Guys... "Char Broiled" doesn't mean "Cooked to Soot"...after that, the $51.00 Bill for Lunch was a bit much... Next time we come, I'll remember my suitcase full of Money, haha!

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this place before. We visit Chester at least once a year and our first port of call is always the Rope Loft. For starters, the location is divine. Inside it's a tiny and cozy little pub, which must be a delight out of season. Outside there's a two level deck and the magnificent view is of the bay and the distant islands, with a working and usually quite busy jetty at the end of the deck. Booze-wise, beer, cider and wine drinkers will all be most satisfied, with a variety of local options. For food, I have to recommend the shellfish chowder, which is possibly the finest I've had, anywhere. There's no skimping on the seafood, with plenty of crab, lobster, mussels and scallops. It's a meal in itself and well worth the price. If the Loft has one fault, and it does, it's the service. Obviously being a very seasonal thing, and dependant on the weather, they can't employ a legion of enthusiastic young waiters, as do the establishments in the big city, so on busy days, it can take a while to be served and revisits are few and far between. Having said that, the cost of covering this one gap in the experience would ultimately have to passed on to the customer, so it's worth putting up with. If you want fast, constant and attentive service, don't come to the country, stick in town.

OK, frankly this review is going to be short, as the only thing we had there were a couple of drinks. I looked over the menu multiple times to see if there was something that I might order as an appetizer, just as a snack more than anything, but nothing on the list really jumped out at me. Sure, there were things that would have worked, but we had been on the road for two weeks and were getting tired of the same old thing. The view from the place is quite nice, and the harbor holds a number of sailboats to watch. It is also possible to see the ferry to Tancook Island, so if you are waiting for the ferry, this would probably be a decent place to sit at and have a drink while waiting for the ferry to come in.

Get the chowder. It is as good as they say. The other food like Clams and chips or scallops and chips are very tasty (really good fries) but the portions are surprisingly small. Great view and friendly service. If your kids are going to get macaroni and cheese, it is literally a cup of Kraft dinner. Still, 4 stars because the chowder is big and totally worth it.

First the staff and service were fantastic; however the food was definitely lacking. The menu descriptions and what was delivered did not match well at all. The wings. Onion rings and fries all came from a freezer bag which in 2018 just doesn't cut it anymore. The fish and chips was alright but again seemed to be from frozen pieces not fresh. The location was wonderful and again the staff was great but the food was mediocre.

By far, the most delicious seafood chowder I have ever had! Gorgeous day for outdoor seating and super charming decor inside too!

A must go in the south shore. Lots of out door, on the water, seating. Great pub fare and other offerings. Cold beer great cocktails, great staff! Plan to spend a summer afternoon or a quick lunch/dinner but do get here it is a Fave of many.

The Rope Loft is situated on the Front Harbour of Chester. The location is beautiful. I have been to the Rope Loft on two separate occasions. Neither of these were a great experience. We did a take away on the fist time, a caesar salad with wings. Nothing to speak of at all! The second was on a beautiful sunny day, there was a party of 8. We were looking forward to a nice meal overlooking the water. It is always a hub of activity at the Ropeloft in the summer. Here is where you will find all the sailors. It does have a large deck which allows the boats to more right at the dock. I do feel this is the greatest feature of this establishment. Sitting and having a cold one , watching all the boats. The food took forever to get to us, I mean almost 45 min. When it did come, they messed up one of the orders completely. We had to pick the topping off the pizza that was ordered. The said they would make a new one, but that would be another 1/2 hr. What upset us the most is they did not offer any compensation for their screw up. The other dishes were over priced and lacked in flavor. All were seafood dishes. If you choose to go here, go for the view and a cold one.

Just came back from a lovely sunday in Mahone Bay and then Chester. We decided to have our lunch at the Rope Loft- it was an excellent choice I must say! It was pretty sunny with a bit of wind so we decided to sit on the back deck. What a view!! Our waitress was friendly and informative. We had the fried clams and chips to share as an appetizer (there were 4 of us) - delicious and fresh tasting ! Their fries are pretty good too- not too salty, freshly fried and with pieces of parsley in them. I ordered the spinach salad for my main - pretty typical - but very delicious and fresh veggies. I loved it. My boyfriend and his dad for the fish and chips - big enough portions so they were happy! My boyfriend's mom got the pan fried haddock and Caesar salad - she can be picky so I was happy to see that she loved it. Cold beer all around went down well too. I reiterate - the view is beautiful. I would definitely go back - very decent pub grub and seafood at decent prices with great east coast view! :)

Great location right on the waterfront, so I'd like to come back when it wasn't raining. it's a cozy pub type restaurant, I had the fish chowder (everywhere does it well in NS) but the Solomon gundy was a generous portion also had the option of gluten-free crackers. Great service too.

We each had one of the Mother's day specials which nwas a big mistake. It took a full 30 minutes to get the Seafood Bake which was too spicy hot for my liking and the Pork Linguine was ground pork and utterly tasteless. We both left over half the servings on the plates. The servers were busy talking amongst themselves and ours never explained why it was so long coming as the place was almost empty (4 PM) and we still had to pay the full price for the meals. We won't be back.

The Rope Loft occupies a prime piece of Chester real estate. It's situated directly on the water and offers one of the few public wharfs where you can tie up and head land-side for some great food. The Rope Loft is a fantastic place to spend a warm summer's evening with a few glasses of wine (or beer, if that's more to your liking). The menu is varied without being overwhelming; you'll find dishes to suit every palette. Try the Warm Chicken salad or the Capricciosa salad -- both excellent ways to get those daily servings of veggies. The rack of lamb is excellently prepared with a raspberry reduction - you might not have thought of those two pairings but when you taste it? Heaven. Try the Rope Loft for casual dining with an elegant flair. There's not much better than watching the sun go down over the Chester Front Harbour, especially if you've been enjoying a wonderful meal, great company and good wine.

We always stop here when we visit Chester - mostly for the lovely waterside patio. It is a great place to sit with a cold beer and watch the sailboats float past and daydream about owning one some day. It's always a good place - not great, but good. Most recently, the boy and I visited on Saturday after a lovely afternoon of geocaching and sunbathing. I have to be honest, our waitress was a little annoying - she was nice but would come to the table and leave really quickly before we had the chance to ask her something. She seemed to be in a rush. She was nice though and fast. The nachos were a tad overcooked but still good - the veggies and cheese on top were fresh and it was quite a good size portion for being an Appetizer. I really enjoyed the fish and chips - one of my pet peeves with this dish is when you cut into it and it completely falls apart (i.e. the crust comes off the fish). This crust didn't do this and it was a nice texture - cooked JUST enough to be crispy, but not too much. It wasn't super greasy too, which was nice. The fries were really good too, also nice and crispy. The mussels definitely weren't the best I've had - they were pretty small, but still good. The portions here are impressive given the prices - I think our total bill was about $51 and that was for nachos, mussels, an order of 3 piece fish n' chips, 2 beer and an iced tea. A great choice for a summer afternoon in beautiful Chester! But if you go, make sure you sit outside - half the greatness of the experience comes from the view and setting.

The food here was good. Started with the Solomon and Grundy. A good picked herring on some sweet crackers with a sour cream spread. Then some chowder and some fish and chips. The fish an chips were regular pub quality. The chowder was excellent. They were out of a lot of ingredients however, namely: clams, mussles, propeller beer, bitters (for the manhattan). Service was a bit slow at the end of the summer. Cool old building tho!

Nothing says summer to me like sipping a cocktail and enjoying a plate of fish & chips on the waterfront patio of The Rope Loft in Chester. The menu is diverse, with many fresh seafood items and delicious sandwiches, and I've always had fantastic service. But location is what really makes the Rope Loft stand out, and you shouldn't experience Chester without making a stop.

We visited this restaurant on a sunny day-trip from Halifax. Food is mediocre, but they have craft beer and a spectacular potato! We had the fish and chips, a simple Nova Scotian staple; it was overcooked and dry. Such a basic dish, they should be nailing it every time. Their chowder looked and smelled amazing, though.

The food is excellent, try the peel and eat shrimp....ehhhmmmm Good! Menu has a little bit of everything. Burgers/Fries are good. Casual seaside dining at its best. Seafood chowder is good but I wish it was more of a traditional recipe. A sunny Saturday afternoon and this place is heaven. Friendly staff every time I have been there. This place overall ranks 9 out of 10 in my books. I love the seaside in Chester, beautiful. On the negative side, don't be in a hurry. Sometimes the staff can be overwhelmed and on a sunny summer day this place can be packed.

We had a great dinner here. We noticed others mentioned not being happy with the fish and chips. So, we ordered spinach salad, fresh bread board, shellfish chowder, and seafood linguine. Everything was very fresh, and the portions were super generous. And, The view is beautiful!

Great seaside view with fresh catch to boot. Lots of fried favorites and a number of delicious specials. At least 8 different beers on draught. The onion rings are second to none!

Food just ok. I had the fish and chips which I thought would be good. Really small size and too heavy battered. The service is stupid slow. The waitress was nice but noticed the four of them were too busy gossiping behind the wall it looked so bad. The atmosphere is really nice and comfortable. The staff needs traing for sure people do notice. That's about it. I won't go back there or recommend it.

Reason for visit: Lunch I ate: Club sandwich, Garrison Red .............................................. .............................................. On our trip down the South Shore, my wife and I visited the Rope Loft, and we liked it so much we decided to hit it up a second time on the way back to Halifax. ((Atmosphere)): The inside is nice, it's got a good pub feel, and there is also a nice looking patio overlooking Front Harbour (Although the weather was crummy, so we didn't use it). ((Food)): The club sandwich is one of the better ones I've had in Nova Scotia. There is a lot of chicken, it's seasoned well, and it's sliced up with a solid mix of veggies and bacon (As opposed to just being a chicken breast on a bun, which you get at some pubs). ((Beer Selection)): They had selections from both Garrison and Propeller (Haligonian microbreweries) on tap when we were there, as well as other options. ((Service)): No complaints, staff were nice enough. .............................................. .............................................. (+): - Excellent club sandwich. - Good atmosphere, inside and patio. (-): - Nothing significant.

Their seafood linguini was fantastic. Filled with plenty of lobster, mussels, scallops, shrimp and vegetables. More seafood in this dish than I expected! And they had a good ratio of seafood to linguini... Never a mouthful without the seafood. Service was okay. We had to seat ourselves and ask for water... Which I think water should always be a given. Oatmeal cake is great! Get it!

We had a great lunch on the deck overlooking Mahone Bay. The Greek salad was nice and fresh, and my cup of haddock chowder was absolutely delicious. Add a couple of Nova Scotia beers and we couldn't have been happier. The service was a tad slow, but we weren't in any rush. The bar inside was cozy and interesting--the original building having been constructed 200 years ago of beams salvaged from a shipwreck. We'll go again.

Got a platter of nachos and a bottle of sangria to share. The nachos were absolutely huge and delicious; perfectly cooked, with gratuitous amounts of toppings that were fresh. They don't skimp on the cheese and the cups for salsa and sour cream are about twice the size of other restaurants I've been to but reasonably priced. Highly recommended!

The fish and chips are less than desirable! The fish was frozen, reminded me of Captain Highliner. The French fries were classic frozen, mass produced fast food fare. Their Calimary reminded me of an Albertan truck stop rendition. The only saving grace was the prompt service with a smile. Overall food was over priced and under status quo for the average south shore dinning experience.

Super slow service, uncomfortable atmosphere, mediocre food. Came here based on a recommendation in a guidebook but would not recommend to anyone else. The only seat available was in the direct sun and the waitress didn't refill our drinks even though it was extremely hot and sunny. Tried the fish chowder which was pretty good and came out in a reasonable time frame but everything else took forever. Multiple tables that came after us got their food first. It took 40 minutes to get one order of fish and chips and one order of fish cakes. The fish and chips were nothing special but fine. The fish cakes were potato based and absolutely disgusting. They weren't cooked enough to hold a patty shape so they were just a pile of undercooked potatoes mixed with minced fish. Didn't even taste baked beans that came as a side as they also looked gross and congealed. Also came with some sort of green slimy pickled vegetable but I couldn't tell what it was. The entire dish was extremely unappetizing. Didn't even bother sending it back as i didn't want to have to sit there any longer, just wanted to leave.

Unfortunately I cannot review the quality of the food here as we never got far enough to try it. We entered the restaurant and were not greeted. I awkwardly asked if we seat ourselves and one waitress answered "um yeahhh..." we sat and waited to be further acknowledged for about 10 minutes. It took my partner and I both making eye contact with a server behind the bar when she told us it would be a minute. After bringing us our menus we sat with closed menus for 15 minutes and never saw another server for even a drink order to be placed. There were only 3 other seated tables at this time, and a nearby waitress was folding napkins. We got up and left as I felt completely ignored. I would have liked to at least be able to speak to the quality of the food but I cannot. Will not recommend or return to this place

Nice place to watch the boats in the harbour and have a drink out on patio. Service was just ok but not bad. Expected more for the price. Will certainly be back again to try a full course meal someday.

Newp. Dull food. You are paying for the view when you eat here. Drive a little further out of town for better noms.

Great fish cakes, seafood chowder, lobster linguini, desserts, great local drafts, attentive friendly staff, nice outdoor area with a view.

We ate here on a lovely Sunday afternoon. Great atmosphere on the back deck! There were 5 people in our party and we'd reserved a table on the deck. Our table felt quite cramped.. Would have fit 4 people more comfortably. We ordered drinks and shared coconut shrimp (super good!). My main course was the shellfish linguini. I had high expectations considering this is on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. The portions of shrimp, scallops, mussels, and lobster were generous, but the general blandness of the pasta really let me down. The shellfish were all cooked well, but the sauce seemed watery and thin, and not creamy as I'd expected. Any flavour seemed to be washed away from the amount of liquid. This dish could be fantastic with a few tweaks.

We are from out of town and we thought it would be a nice spot on the water to have some lunch. The view was beautiful, as was the weather. The service was terrible. Our empty drinks were overlooked numerous times. The food was poor quality. Frozen fries, frozen burgers that were dry. Incredibly over priced, we've had fast food that tasted fresher.

Worst service ever. I've been waiting for an hour and 15 minutes for two appetizers and a kids meal. I will never darken their doorstep ever again. If I could give them a negative 50 stars I would.

Average pub food. Sit on the deck for nice ocean breezes. Burger is homemade and quite delicious. Our server was slow, but i don't think it was indicative of overall service. If you can wait, dine in Lunenburg instead.

Best chowder I had in my life! The service was friendly. My son had a nice pizza as well. Great relaxing view. All good stuff!

Was fortunate enough to eat here during my stay in Chester. Everyone welcomed me like a local, and it was amazing to meet and talk to them all. My meal was fantastic and the service was even better. I highly recommend this to anyone who needs a place to go in Chester.

I went to the Rope Loft this week and what a wonderful evening I had. It was a great experience. Definitely worth the drive from Halifax. Wow! What a find! I will now have to go back every time I go to Chester! The servers were very welcoming and friendly and the food and mixed drinks were delicious!! Everyone I was with enjoyed their meals and drinks too! The view of the water was beautiful! Can't wait to return! Hoping to come back in martini night again sometime soon!!