Reviews of The Old Fish Factory Restaurant (Restaurant)

Yan Teor

This place is ok. I wish I'd give it a 4 out of 5 but the fish n chips wasn't that great and we had to wait roughly 1hr to get our food. You definitely should eat there once for the amazing view they have and the decor.

Tavayne McIntosh

Are at this restaurant on July 28th! It was a chilly day, the said they were full inside and we would have to sit on the patio! Later to know they had tables that could accommodate the group (7) As cold as it was we decided to try the restaurant out because of all the reviews we read, being so cold and being water front you’d think it would be safe to assume they would have out door heaters or more indoor options. With that being said, we started off not enjoying it as much as we’d hope and everything continued to get worse from there. After 15 minutes of waiting to be created by our server, she came and asked if we were ready to order of dinners. She was unprepared, no more pen or pad to take down orders... as she returns she asked if we wanted appetizers, we ordered the muscles for the table, (dropped in boiled salt water and served with melted butter on the side) with it being so cold by the time she brought the order to the table the muscles were chilled and the butter beginning to re-solidify. They brought our alone, no throw bowl for shells nor utensils or napkins. We later on had our orders taken, and those as well on arrival everything came out cold, she blamed the cold food on it being busy... which would be understandable if you visually could see how busy it was. On the patio two couples and one other family of (4) she was only serving our table and the couple across from us. So we requested for our food to be sent back, because all of the plates were to cold to enjoy... Once the food did return half an hour later.. everyone was so dissatisfied with the experience they wanted to go. And she said “sorry nothing I can do the kitchen staff is busy, the foods here now enjoy!” We began picking at our food, and everything was just lacking flavour... With all that being said, service was bad! And the food was not worth the price because it lacked flavour as well as portion for price! The view was nice!

Atli Eyvindson

Friendly waiter with good local tips and bacon wrapped scallops were tasty. However, the oysters were disappointing. They were servered on ice cubes (not crushed ice) which cause most of the to lose their liquor. Furthermore, it did not appear that the shucker was very experienced as all had been manged with the knife and had bits of shell in them.

Michelle S

If you love seafood and shellfish, you'll love dining here! Lots of local goodies on the menu and a fantastic view out over Lunenburg Harbour too.

Mike Nowacki

Lobster tacos and kettle chips were positively delicious. We sat outside on the patio overlooking the water. The patio is also dog friendly.

Alex Shapovalov

Great sea food, nice servers, very good place. The bill was high, but I left happy anyway.

Sara Ameri

We tried the pan fried fish with shrimp, it was great . The service was fast and good. I did not try anywhere else in this city so , I can not compare , by the way I think the quality is good for the money you pay.

Tony Hagan

Great fish chowder to be had here. The waterfront view is amazing. Didn't have time to go to the museum unfortunately.

Cori Senini

Waited 45 minutes for a bowl of chowder and mussels before asking if there was an ETA on when these appies would arrive. Our waitresses response: “I’ll go check” returned five minutes later to let us know the kitchen said “it’s still going to be quite awhile and did we want to just cancel?” What the?!?! We came here to eat, not wait and be told to just cancel!

Rose Biff

The view was great. However the lobster roll bun was too big and dry.

Mike Burke

Great afternoon with fantastic food. Very good portions and really reasonably priced. The staff was very welcoming and very efficient. A return is not even a question.

Ryan Sull

A nicely rounded menu and great service. Try their Hush Puppies as an appy, you won't regret it

Hassan Tanvir

Loved the food. Very nice staff. Live band was a lot of fun. Nova Scotian people are wonderful.

Adam Oldfield

Great food. Had the fresh haddock fish and it was amazing. The staff are so friendly and I'm now a member of the Rum club. Name is on the wall and I got the t-shirt.

renita pinto

An amazing place to sit by the water front and enjoy the food. Loved the Medley by the Sea. The portions are huge. The staff was extremely friendly and prompt

Stephanie Perreault-Bittner

Warning: Oh my gosh dont go here ???????? The only great part of our experience was our waitress (trish) and the drinks. We waited over an hour and a half/two hours for food and it was mediocre at best (for example: our friends ordered the tacos and their lettuce had brown edges and was quite wilty/gross... most dishes were cold ). Just would not recommend at all and next time we visit we will be avoiding this resturant. Save your money and your time!

Félix-Antoine Valin

We were looking for a good place to eat with our dog and this place was simply perfect. Good food, good service, reasonable price for the quality of the food. We had a wonderful time! Would definitely recommend both for lunch and dinner.

Khurram Shaikh

Excellent food and world class service. Check out the museum while you wait... what more could one ask for. Cheers

Dave kains

Return visitor, did not disappoint. Great fish and chips!

Stewart Meow

Good fish and chips, poutine and fries are excellent

Brian Neil

Food was great 2 peice fish was huge. Great view. Good service. Might want to make reservations due to bus tours etc.

Rafiq Punjani

Awesome Location and Great Food!!! We were in Lunenburg for a day and stopped by at The Old Fish Factory, specially for its superb location (on the wharf, facing ocean). The food was great too. Big portions, and tasteful. The staff were friendly and accommodating. It was a long wait time and there was an older couple infront of us; they arranged seating for them until they got a table. This was very considerate and kind. Clean restrooms were a plus too. Loved our experience here. Tip: street parking is free after 5pm. Tip: bring some warm clothing. For us it was a warm day with 23C but the ocean wind made it chilly after 30 minutes. Highly recommended.

Randall Shelaga

Excellent food, large portions, fairly priced. Great service. Nice view. Highly recommended.

Venessa Gar

Food was excellent. I had the veggie burger that they have and the house salad. Was delicious!

Andre Chiasson

We wandered into this restaurant by accident. It looked interesting, right on the waterfront. I think in normal times the restaurant is inside the Fisheries Museum but now there is a booth where you order and you're given a table on the pier and your meal is brought to the table. I had the lobster taco and my wife had the fish taco. Both were delicious. Outside, on the waterfront, under an awning. Lovely spot.

Ally Edge

We just got back from a week out east for our mini honeymoon and the Old Fish Factory was by far my favourite restaurant! We hadn't even been planning on going here for dinner and stumbled upon it on the boardwalk. First, it has the best location and view in all of Lunenberg as it is right on the water. Second, the selection of craft beer is incredible. Third, the food was delicious. I got the Scallop Risotto, which the scallops were local from about 500 m away. I was expecting to get 3 or 4 scallops, and got about 15! The price for the amount of food I got I could not believe, it was so well priced. Will definitely come back.

Matt Chamberlain

Good atmosphere and food. Great location to watch the harbour and world go by.

Garcia Family

We visited the museum and the Bluenose 2. It was a great experience! We had the lobster tacos. They were served cold with kettle-style fries chips on the side. They were ok but i wish the lobster was abit warmer. However the brownie after that was superb! Love the Icecream too!

Judith

Sophie our server took very good care of us! We had an excellent lunch after a little fishing trip. Really enjoyed our meal and the friendly service. Will be back for sure next time we are in town.

Randy Beavis

Loved our waitress Michelle(?), she has a very warped sense of humour and marvelous people skills. My wife Kristy, loved the lobster and disappointingly didn't wear any of it! The lobster tacos were very tasty and the handmade chips were tasty. Great view, great service, great seafood. Will return when we get a chance?

Mathushan Gnanam

Amazing seafood and right by the harbour for a great view while eating!

Rachelle Boutilier

Share review Embed review Write an update Edit review 8/23/2019 8 photos I'd give here a 3.5. Tried it for lunch on a hot Tuesday in August, having driven to Lunenburg for the day from Halifax. I didn't realize it was in the museum building, but after popping into the museum to get cooled off from the heat, noticed. The menu looked great on the door, so we went in. It took a minute for a staff member to find someone to seat us, but it didn't matter, as we were in no rush and the place was still mostly empty (I guess had just opened for the day). We were put at a table along the front window with the amazing waterfront view. There must be seating in here for 100. Casual pub with nautical decor throughout, large bar, plaid booths & wooden tables, lots of natural light. Friendly service. The lobster tail roll ($27 Nova Scotia lobster tossed in smokey tomato dill mayo, on top of fresh greens and an artisan bun. Served with a side house salad.) was very good and filling. Lots of meat on the bun, the mayo didn't dominate, the bun standard. My friend had the pan fried haddock (topped with lemon dill butter. Served with garlic mashed potato and house salad. $18) and commented that the fish was quite good, strong in lemon flavor, lightly done, decent potato, average salad. Both walked away content and a bit full once you add a beer to the meal. There are a lot of menu items I'd really like to try next time in town.

Anthony Choucrallah

Good food, 4 stars because the portions are a bit tiny. But it tastes amazing

Ed Sager

We ate here July 16 for dinner outside on the dock. I enjoyed the pan fried scallops caught locally and my wife had a hot lobster roll. Good food, nice atmosphere, and the server was very good. Price was reasonable, too. Highly recommended.

Ashlan Potts

We finally got the chance to try this place early in the Fall once tourism slowed down a bit and the wait wasn't so long. My husband and I both had the fish tacos, which were unbelievably delicious - but also, humongous! We easily could have shared them. Blueberry marinated onions?! Whoever thought of that needs a kiss on the mouth - they were the perfect flavour and compliment to the meaty fish! Only thing we didn't enjoy was that there was a lot of the coleslaw in the tacos - still delicious but did make them a bit difficult to eat. My mom and grandma both enjoyed their meals - the homemade chips were the best we've ever had - I ate them all, and I usually leave most of my fries when we eat out. Service was a tad slow, but the quality of the food and variety of craft beer for my husband made the trip worth it. We would absolutely go again!

George Marquardt

I would definitely eat here again! It's a busy place, and right on the waterfront so reservations are a good idea. If the weather is suitable, try for the patio. The scallops were nicely cooked, not overdone like in many places, and all the seafood was fresh. Since it's in a busy and touristy part of town, be aware of taking some extra time for parking. They do have a $6.00 pay lot right beside the restaurant which we went to because the onstreet parking aside from that is very limited.

Trinity Noble

Extremely accommodating for my family. Delicious flavorful food! Trish was an amazing waitress, friendly and helpful with suggestions. The fish tacos were great! Beautiful location right on the dock by the water. And lots of fun interactive items around!

Wow Pow

Came here on a day with a heat warning and foolishly sat on the patio. Our waiter (Doug?) was so awesome and got us a spot inside when there was space. He was hustling in the heat and we appreciated it. The meals were good. I had lobster and salad and my partner had the lobster roll. Both were tasty. The atmosphere was nice with festive folk music. The view is beautiful of the water. Everyone working there was beyond helpful and friendly despite the exhausting weather.

V. Tia

Great food at the Lunenburg waterfront. I love the seafood chowder. The brothy style maritime chowder is so much better than the Boston or new england type that's found everywhere else. Maybe I like seeing the seafood that I'm eating instead of mushed together.

Travis Ko

We tried three different restaurants during our stay here and this one was definitely the best value. We got the crab poboy and the lobster roll, both delicious with lots of seafood. Also the location is great, patio right on the boardwalk.

Mei Z

Great dining experience. The restaurant is inside the same buiding as the museum. The waitress is so nice. Foods are fresh and are prepared so fast. Tables beside windows have nice view of the bay. I saw many people have ordered cocktails, so I guess their cocktails must be so good.... Would like to give a try if no need to drive next time. Highly recommend calamari and lobster guacamole. Must try!

Ehab Madokh

Location is excellent, the city is extremely nice . Parking is an issues if you go on the weekend. Waiting to be seated, was reasonable and within expectations. Services, was good, the waitress and waiters are nice and very welcoming. Waiting to get the food, it was longer than expected. However, wasn't an issue. Food quality and quantity, I had the halibut dish, it was delicious and tasty. Quantity wasn't enough. I wasn't feeling full or even good. Steak was good and even the burgers ???????? Cleanliness, the employees were on top of keeping the table sanitized and clean, cleaning was plausible. Price vs the whole service. Is acceptable $$ and normal. The view from the restaurant was extremely relaxing. Conclusion, the restaurant is cozy, nice ???????? And if you go there, dont miss it. Thank you for being nice

David Potvin

Food was just okay, but not too expensive. A good place for a family meal.

Erik Puffer

Yum! Loves the fish fry and the lobster tacos. Batter on the shrimp and haddock was some of the best I have ever had. Friendly staff, super on top of everything. Excellent service. Gorgeous view (were there for start of sunset)

Sean Skinner

Great food, pet friendly, outside patio on the dock, good staff and loved the dark ale.

David Illiatovitch-Owen

Good service, very tasty food (not fancy but delicious), great view and excellent cider (Shipbuilders Cider).

Taha Zaidi

Amazing food with great service. Started off with a creamy soup, followed by a perfectly grilled halibut fillet and some exquisite chocolate cake with ice cream. Definitely worth checking out.

Khaine Smith

Told them it was a Birthday group with a child and handicapped person. We waited for 45 minutes for our food and then were told it'll be another 10 minutes after I asked them to check. I'd already asked them to check at the 25 minutes mark. Not one refill on the drinks. The restaurant wasn't full inside and it was after 2pm, so not during the lunch rush. This is unacceptable and I've worked at restaurants and run my own business. You offer to pick up the appetizer or drinks or do something to keep the customer but nada. No customer service imo. I'd go somewhere else if I were you. There are much better places within seconds.

Scott Knickle

The food selection was great, the flavour was fantastic and the beer sampler gave us the ultimate Nova Scotia experience. Highly recommend the lobster tacos, trio sampler, fish and chips and scallops. I will definitely go back if I get the chance. The only downside was service was slow - but the waitress was very friendly.

Arjana Siva

Great food, location and prices! We decided to go all out with the blueberries and got blueberry juice (made locally - tasted amazing!) and blueberry cake for dessert (blueberries were great but cake itself was okay). We ended up getting the fish tacos and lobster tacos; both of which were delicious. We were hoping to go back again during our stay in Lunenburg but the timing didn't work out. A must-try restaurant in Lunenburg!

J Furtado

Must have their spicy chicken sandwich and hushpuppies, just amazing. Amd after lunch check out the museum, well worth it.

Anthony D

It was a good place to have a bite to eat. The prices are reasonable for a tourist location, service was good and the view was excellent. I would go back.

Beth J

Good scallops, haddock and oysters. Great drinks! Friendly staff. The lobster tacos were nothing special, wouldn’t suggest the fried dishes either.

Melissa Fida

Service was great (the employees were working very hard and should be commended) but the food was mostly disappointing. The bacon wrapped scallops appetizer was delicious and cooked to perfection but the entrees were not so great. Two of us had the mussels, which were a little too fishy (in the not so fresh way) and the broth was very watery and lacked flavor. One of us had the burger which was very basic and mediocre honestly. One of us had the scallop risotto and while the scallops were very good and generously portioned, the risotto was very bland. Lastly, one of us had the scallop tacos which were okay but the menu says nothing about cheese and yet they were topped with cheese. Who puts cheese on scallops??? It was very strange and the waitress tried to play it off that it was listed as an ingredient on the menu. (I’ve since double checked online and there is no mention of cheese). We were also disappointed that the kitchen had run out of lobster rolls, oysters, calamari, and the seared tuna. Granted I appreciate that they probably buy these ingredients fresh and in limited quantities so I don’t judge them too harshly for it, but it did add to the disappointment of the overall experience.

Bob Wood

Nice view of the harbor. Shared fish and chips. Fries were good but the fish had too much batter and was a little greasy.

Jennifer St. George

They were very busy and we still got great service and food! Second time to visit, we drove up from Halifax. Both times had great staff, food was delicious and that lovely Lunenburg view!

Taylor Trott

Very nice, easy going restaurant. Atmosphere is quiete enjoyable and the crowd is a little bit older just given the city you're in. Our food was pretty good, drinks were fine but it was quite hot in the actual restaurant despite being ensured it was air conditioned. Still a very nice time and not too loud so it's easy to enjoy each others company.

jenninac1

The food was delicious. The stuffed haddock had an incredible flavor and you could taste the crab and lobster but it did not over power the taste of the haddock. The fish and chips was light and fluffy with a nice crunch on the outside the view on the patio was a calm quite ocean night with wonderful lighting.

Philippe Duval

The most disgusting fish and chip I have ever had. Fryer war not enough not, so I got 2 sponges full of oil ... Also, restaurant full of mosquitos and it takes an eternity to get our food. Very disappointing when you are traveling with kids...

Mike Currah

Food was great. Bluenose beer was great too. Was perfect day on the patio.