Reviews of McKelvie's Restaurant (Fish Shop)

Varun Sai Poluru

Simply amazing. Fast service, even though they misplaced our reservation, they made it work with no fuss on a Friday night. The food was incredible.

Christoph Zacherl

Started with the stuffed crab mushrooms..which were delicious and then moved on to the seafood platter which had 1/2lb lobster, digby scallops, shrimps, salmon, and ceasar salad. Also enjoyed a glass of Nova Scotia Ortega wine, which is divine with seafood. The seafood was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The server was helpful with selections and pleasant to deal with.

Catherine Campbell

A very nice restaurant with good quality food for a typical Halifax dining experience. The lobster roll is a very good choice here, as are the chowder and the baby back ribs.

Rick Finney

Nice place, good food, great service! The entrance from upper water st. is a bit confusing at night, tho.

Conway Chan

All dishes we had were amazing and the service was impeccable

Anita Windisman

Food was amazing from the entry all the way to the desert. Service was fast and the server was present without being too much. Great experience.

Monica Romo

Was there for a business meeting and I had the fish cakes with salad and the fish cakes were really good. Not salty at all and they served them over chow which will now be my new favorite side. Salad was plenty and very tasty. Server was very professional and made sure our drinks were never empty.

Wanda Glasner

Share a wonderful lunch today and enjoyed it very much.We had a great server.

darryl hurs

Dinner

Mary Kruhlytska

Best lobster I have ever eaten in my life and also excellent service!!

Onur Kurtiç

Great food! Great service. A must visit!

Michele Markham

The lobster roll and crab bisque were excellent! I loved that the roll had dill. My spouse enjoyed his fish and chips with the apple beet salad.

Sylvia Ogrodzinski

I wanted lobster and my husband wanted fish and chips. At the recommendation of one of the people on the dock, we tried this place. My husband said it would have been the best fish and chips of the whole vacation if the serving had been bigger. My lobster was delicious but seemed expensive for my serving. We did get dessert though which completely made up for everything. We ordered the Belgian chocolate mousse terrine and omg it was so good! We almost ordered a second one. Overall, it was a good experience.

Diane Williams

Service

ANNIKA C

Best place to have a high end dining experience in Nova Scotia. Steak and lobster are some of the best I've ever had and I have traveled quite a bit and love to eat.

tom a

Great food, service and ambiance! If I'm back in Halifax I will come back and will recommend this restaurant to all.

Anja Vojinovic

Always good food and service. Mile high coconut cream pie is a must have for desert. You won't be disappointed.

Miriam Schurman

Since it's mandatory to enjoy a lobster roll in Halifax, we went here for it and did not leave disappointed. Service was quick and friendly; food tasted great.

Sandy T

Had a wonderful meal with friends on a Saturday night in downtown Halifax. Our table was elevated and beside a beautiful window which added to the charm of the restaurant. I had appetizers for my meal: the crab stuffed mushrooms, oysters Rockefeller, and seafood medley. Everything was hot and tasted great.

MARTIN CROWE

From Japan :) Mussels were really really delicious. Must eat.

James Currie

Service

Madison Burtenshaw

Lunch

Bill Powell

Awesome seafood chowder and fish and chips ???? good service and great food . Friendly staff

Henry Wähling

Very good seafood chowder. Tasty scallops wrapped in bacon. Nice place, pleasant atmosphere.

Jessica Hebb

Lobster roll and crab bisque were absolutely delicious. Would not recommend the calamari.

Greg Wignall

Loved it. Very nice staff, excellent food, beautiful space. Oyster with the ceaser was a nice addition.

Kevin Stone

Food was excellent. Our server was so attentive and friendly which made our dining experience that much better

Brianne Coffey

Delicious fish tacos and spring rolls. Nice atmosphere with friendly staff.

Ross C

A must if you're in the mood for quality seafood and friendly service. The prices are high-ish if you're more of a casual diner, but still affordable. Dishes range from $12 - 40. Lobster is amazing and you HAVE to try the coconut cream dessert. I guarantee you'll love it even if you're not a fan of coconut.

Gerry Rozo

The appetizers and main courses were delicious. The waitress was very friendly and professional.

Kirk Bratvold

Amazing food! One of the best places we ate in Halifax. Good service as well. Lobster bisque was top notch. Lobster roll delicious!!!

Olivier Lacroix

We shared a starter, the mussels. They were delicious and the broth was heavenly. To bad they didn't include a spoon! She had a cup of seafood chowder and the apple beet salad. The chowder was one of the best she had ever tasted. The small salad was huge but it was so tasty she ate the whole thing. I had the panko crusted haddock and a skewer of shrimp. The fish was fresh and delicious, the mashed potatoes were okay but the star of the dish were the fresh vegetables. I have never had carrots, broccoli and golden beets cooked and seasoned so perfectly. I wish they would tell me how they were prepared so I could eat them every day!

Matt ReMeR

Meal type

Amine Ouazad

Visited this lovely spot on our anniversary weekend in Halifax, and it was really really great food. Our experience with the staff was top notch and service was fast, friendly and 5 star food. We will for sure return.

Nathan Woods

Don't know Much about it, dad want some oysters and they ve got it. Service are great! Comfortable seating. We stay here for an hour for snacks and drinks.

J

Excellent!!...My Wife had the Lobster, i had the seafood fettuccini..5 stars!

Alannah Pelini

Good portions, quality ingredients and reasonably priced for an 'upscale' restaurant. Location is perfect esp. if you wanna go visit the harbour after your meal, and the place itself is very cozy. I would go with the $30 half lobster with shrimp and scallop skewers as my favourite meal.

Radman

We came in for a late lunch on a rainy day and the food did not disappoint. I had the soup of the day - mushroom - and a sandwich. Both were truly amazing. My husband had seafood chowder and sweet potato fries with the best curry dipping sauce ever. On our two-week tour of the Maritimes this was hands down the best food we had. Next time I'm in Halifax, I'll be back.

John N

Classic seafood cuisine with tasty lobster recipes (including the wonderful surf and turf), with good service, lots of space and good classic cocktails. The only caveat was that the vegetables were slightly undercooked: we eat them! Otherwise great.

Jenny Medeiros

Crab cakes were good. Scallops were pretty greasy but tasty. I agree with some other posts - happy with the meal but not amazed.

Blair Day

Our meal was 5 stars. The seafood platter was amazing. The lobster was so fresh and tender. The scallops were tasty and the salmon was buttery. Highly recommended.. Our server was extremely helpful with us choose the best meal.

Fiona Bratvold

Dine in

Virakone Sonethasack

As a global chef, my guest n I savoured n shared the creamy crab bisque, served w dense raisin cirnbread as we each ordered seafood platters n haddock w shrimp n garlic mashed side, service is honourable n attentive, psrkg after 6 pm is free n EZ spots on Bedford n Lower Water, no problem... I was contemplatg the lobster roll dinner at $22 but a bit more than I wanted to eat n spend, every table taken, nice wine lists by glass n bottles

Roger O'Connor

Delicious food and excellent service in a very nice space

Horizon Eye Photography

Delicious seafood and desserts! Inventive drinks and lovely setting.

Rebecca Janusas Richard

Went here for a seafood experience and had a memorable appetizer but were overall quite disappointed. I got excellent crab cakes and would highly recommend them. The Halibut was being promoted, but it was absolutely flavourless. Highly disappointed with the entre, especially with it being a pricier menu item.

Sumo Josh

The best seafood place in Halifax, hands down. Great atmosphere, great location and just great food! A must visit when in Halifax, cannot wait to return

Self Served

The overall freshness and quality of the meal were excellent, and the taste was top notch. I was particularly disappointed with the value of my meal. Portion size was tiny considering the price of this Seafood a la King dish. This is not a meal to get full on, and one of the things that are particularly important to me is generosity. I'm not saying I expect mountains of food, but it must be satisfying. I have to knock a star off because of that, but service was particularly good and welcoming.

Ashlan Potts

Dine in

Stella Metran (stellams)

Food and service is great, it is a tourist trap with it's location, and prices are stiff but well worth it.

Michael Davidson

Amazing food, crab cakes were phenomenal! Great friendly staff, not bad to look at either ???????? will come back next time I'm in Halifax, 100%

John Millett

very happy with our dinner! one of my favorite restaurants ????????????????

Ashley

Not really impressed by this place. Chowder was good and so were the oysters but crab cakes were too small. Lobster roll was good. Waitress didn't seem like she enjoyed her job. Wasn't rude but not friendly at all. Decor is slightly outdated but spacious with lots of light. We left hungry and it was a bit pricey. I wouldn't go back or recommend it.

Nathan Honsberger

Went here at a friend's recommendation who's from Halifax and was not disappointed. Me and one of my friends had a couple of their grilled salmon dishes and my other friend had a lobster roll all of which were amazing. Definitely worth checking out if you're visiting the Halifax waterfront.

Emily Kelly

Went when it was quiet in the middle of the afternoon. Everything was very tasty and flavours on point. I had the lobster roll with crab bisque soup which was delicious. I’d definitely recommend it and go back for more. I also had a few oysters to start which were fresh and very good. The only reason I didn’t give five stars is that it can be pricey. The menu looked like it could cater to anyone and there were items I would go back to try. The staff were very friendly and helpful in recommending some things to see and do while visiting Halifax.

J.B. Robertson

Top notch service... Top notch food ... Thoroughly enjoyed ourselves...

Nancy M

Great place to go get your seafood fix in Halifax. Everything is fresh and tastes delicious. One thing I found unnecessary was the all the sauces they put on the seafood. I think that the seafood is so fresh that it doesn’t need much to enhance the taste.

Roger Bell

Meal type

Shirlee Davidson

Staff super friendly and efficient. Great location and atmosphere. Delicious food and great selection. Lobster was awesome.

Dallas Fleming

I am so sorry - I know everyone has their own opinion, but I don't understand the poor reviews. We have eaten here nearly a dozen times and each time has been exceptional, from the wait staff, to the menu selection, to the food quality. Yes, prices are on the higher end, but so is the quality of food you get. Everytime we have a visitor, we take them here for a good dining experience in Halifax. Over the past three years of dining here, the menu has changed a few times but our favourites have stayed. I love scallops and the chef has always seemed accommodating to preparation requests (I always have mine seared vs fried). Their daily special also never disappoints. We have always been too full for dessert so can't comment there. Love the rotating selections of complimentary bread and butter, though! McKelvie's will continue to be one of our favourite places. Please take poor reviews with a grain of salt and go try it for yourself!

Shane F

Great place where you can eat seafood all year round

thomas willitts

Great atmosphere. Server was friendly. Food was great. I had the lobster roll and seafood chowder. My only critique be that the lobster roll could have less lemon juice in its seasoning. The jambalaya had lots of meat.

Pat Meagher

Nice atmosphere. Good food.

Ursula Vancouver

We wanted to try a lobster roll and this place didn't disappoint. We ordered it with the Crab bisque and it was very good. You can also get it with fries, salad or seafood chowder. The menu had lots of choices. Service was excellent and since it was 3 pm not very busy.

Taha Zaidi

It's definitely a must visit place, I would say seafood heaven. Great staff and very skillful kitchen staff and I don't want to mention names here but each and every person working here is trying their best to carry the legacy and the brand value, especially some of them working for so long in the kitchen. Good vibes all over the place????

Philip V

Amazing restaurant downtown by the harbour. The food was fresh, the seafood chowder was the best I had my entire trip. Also reasonably priced. They made us love scallops all over again. Fresh is best!

lance melnyk

Had the best bacon wrapped scallops ever. The bacon was so crisp, and not soggy! Really enjoyed the coconut cream pie, which was made in house. The whipping cream was absolutely real. Service was attentive and friendly.

Jamie Willson

Was able to see our family of three last minute without a reservation. The lobster rolls were amazing as was the chowder.

Asia K

Came in for a late lunch on a Friday and had the best restaurant meal I have had in a very long time. Every course was amazing.

Randall Visser

A beautiful historic building and fresh lobster, right from the tank (in the lobby). Absolutely wonderful!

Dimitris Gian

Thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant while visiting Halifax! Prices were reasonable for quality seafood. The service was amazing. 10/10 would come back next time I’m in town!

Joan Simpson

Instagram ID: anjav3 Food/Drinks: - Crab cakes were delish starters but I feel like they were a bit overpriced - White chocolate cheesecake was great. I was worried that like most cheesecakes it would be too sweet but it was very nice. The cheese wasn’t overpowering and the chocolate drizzle was good too - Fried Digby Scallops were fairly big and there were 6 of them. The coconut rice that came with it is so good! It was a great addition to the plate as opposed to plain rice - Fish platter was a great way to try a bit of everything. It was all very fresh and cooked perfectly. Lots of flavor in the fish, lobster and scallops Other Comments: - The patio is so beautiful and peaceful, filled with trees, lights and flowers all around. Perfect place to hang out with friends and family - There is a mini bar located on the patio too which is unique - Despite the restaurant being located on a busy street there was barely any traffic noise - There is plenty of shade if you come during the day and it feels cozy to be nestled in between two buildings on the side - It’s a few minutes’ walk from the water and overall a delight to stop by for a bite to eat Instagram ID: anjav3

Haider Al-Baldawi

Came here for a nice dinner at the end of a long day. The food was REALLY good. I got the Cornbread, Haddock & Shrimp and my partner got the Scallops and Calimari. This was definitely some of the best seafood both of us have had (and we've been to a lot of places 'known' for their seafood). The prices are not cheap, however, but if you can afford it, it's definitely worth it. Loved the atmosphere with all the artwork around and the soft lighting. Staff were friendly and kind (our server James was helpful). Would definitely recommend!

NOVWIN-2

Good experience, food was good (not ideal for dietary restrictions like customizing meals) waitress was amazing she was there a week or so and she rocked a party of 7. Really tried to make everything work with dietary restrictions. Unfortunately I booked through email. They never communicate with the team I booked for a party of 6 and changed it to 7, they never told them, it was nor setup or did they know for 7.

myra joseph

The restaurant atmosphere was nice and lots of room for a high volume of patrons. Enjoyed the lobster roll with chowder and had pretty satisfactory portions. The lobster roll was good, and chowder was flavourful and chunky, full of hearty fish.

Warren Meek

Twice I have gone and got food poisoning both times. Service was not great, ignored until we waved down the server. Food was not good over all. Does not deserve the status they have

Chichi

Wow. The location is great - right in the heart of the city. We had the seafood sampler, lobster platter, shellfish fettuccine.... you get the idea. If you are looking for delicious seafood, then look no further. McKelvie's has the location, atmosphere, and most of all, exemplary service. Sarah was a consummate professional. She ensured that we got everything we needed for a memorable evening. Thank you Sarah and McKelvie's for an amazing experience!

J V

From out of province - an average place, with the minimum required hospitality / service. The Food was ok but the drink and entree options were quite small and simple. They could serve bread with entrees for example. The interior is a simple pub like setting, not much Martine ambiance or flavour - yet prices were relatively high comparable to a more formal setting. There are other options for traditional seafood fare along the waterfront.

Andrea

Although the decor is close to being dated, it is still welcoming enough. Service was fine but the food was it's real strength, especially their sauces and spices. I took the Deluxe Spinach Salad ($12) followed by the new Salmon Burger Plate ($15), that also came with an Artisan Salad (I like salad, what can I say), with a side dish of fresh oysters from their lunch menu. Both salads had different yet absolutely lovely sauces (don't add pepper until you taste it...you probably won't need it), and the salmon burger was delish. Only point I made to the waitress is that there should be a side order of burger sauce as I was literally left to wipe the plate clean with my burger as it was that good. The oysters tasted as fresh as they looked. I finally tasted good, affordable, non-panned fish in a Halifax restaurant. What a pleasure.