Happy hour drop in. At the bar. Very nice staff, great service. Comfortable. Nice music, good…read moreoysters (happy hour deal) and delicious beef tartar

Sat at the bar and had lunch. It's more of a tapas menu and the food was excellent. Enjoyed…read morewatching the impressive drink making skills of the bartender. Nice casual bar vibe but not divey. Well run establishment.

I was curious about this place. So I took the family here. The food for the most part tasted good…read more The pappardelle con pollo was tasty and creamy, but the chicken felt a bit lacking. It came with two pieces of bread that were decent. The family shared a paella, and they said it was good. The place had one server, who was also the bartender. She was kind. Thursday night there wasn't much business going on. They had bad bunny playing in the background.

We were walking around the boardwalk and decided to give this place a try. Since it was empty, we…read moreexpected a quick meal, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. The waitress who took care of us was very nice and attentive. She took our drink and food orders, but it seemed like she was the only one handling the tables and making drinks, so everything took quite a while to come out. They also had Bad Bunny music playing pretty loudly in the restaurant, and I believe another customer asked for the volume to be lowered, which she did. The food was okay, not quite the authentic Spanish food we were expecting, but still enjoyable. The waitress apologized for the delay and explained that she was the only one working, which we understood and appreciated.

Our first time at Bar Sofia had us swinging by for a friend's birthday. There was a good dinner…read morecrowd although it ebbed before a switchover to the late night crowd. The interior design is fun and bright, with splashes of colour and fake plants, and on-brand for their target audience of millennial and Gen-Z women. The fully open kitchen is a nice touch, and I regret not having a view of it, but that's what happens when you show up last! The menu has an assortment of Latin American dishes like yucca fries, empanadas and tacos, as well as local/contemporary fare that gets a Latin touch like aguachile oysters, bravas Brussels sprouts and adobo-roasted cauliflower. My wife and I went for a mix of big and small plates, ordering the beef empanadas, Brussels sprouts, and the cauliflower. For an adult beverage, I had the Oaxaca old fashioned. It was adequate cocktail, although a smokier mezcal would have made it more memorable. Someone who I assume was a manager had spotted the gifts on the table and not only brought over a shot for the birthday girl and her partner, but for the whole table! While it was a low ABV liqueur, it was a lovely gesture and savvy business move. We must have arrived in between seatings, as despite a fairly full dining room, all our dishes came out surprisingly quickly and all together. I started out with the smaller plates. Some variation of fried Brussels sprouts has been a common sight on restaurant menus for a decade, but hey, it works! Bar Sofia's iteration gets a dose of savoury and tomato-y bravas sauce, and also gets topped with a colourful assortment of thinly sliced veg - radish, carrot, pickled red onion, jalapeno, and some sprigs of cilantro. The sauced-up sprouts lost a good bit of their crispness, but the bravas sauce was undeniably tasty, with a balance of richness and acidity. The veg accoutrements added welcome splashes of colour and texture. The empanadas come two to an order, so perfect for sharing with my wife! The hearty beef was cooked to perfection, and the olives and egg completed the traditional filling. The pastry itself was supple and flaky, with a golden brown and crisp exterior. When we swapped dishes, I was glad to get my hands on the cauliflower. The generous portion of half a head of roasted brassica came with rice, a cashew crema and the aforementioned veg toppings. The char of the cauliflower played well with the nutty sauce, and although a bit repetitive, the veg accoutrements brightened up the flavour profile. While Bar Sofia's origins as a Toronto-based restaurant company's idea to fill the commercial space at Queen's Marque isn't exactly a stamp of authenticity, they are bringing some dishes that aren't common in Halifax (other than the Brussels sprouts). I enjoyed my meal there and it's a fun vibe, but there was no 'wow' factor for me. I'm sure I'll tackle more of the menu and patio some day, but as I continue to catch up on the Halifax food scene, I'm not rushing back either.

This review is the only one you need to read. Choosing a restaurant on the Halifax Waterfront isn't…read moreeasy. Lots of good choices. The vibe and reasonable prices are what drew me into Bar Sofia when I was walking the boardwalk to decide on a place to grab dinner. The restaurant was half full when I arrived and quickly filled up. I received excellent service from both the bartender, Lance, and one of the servers (or manager) who was making his way through the room offering constant help to his teammates. I ordered the mixed grill although it had a fancier Spanish name that I don't recall. It had a little bit of everything with the perfect amount of spice. When I return, do I get it again, or pick something new to try? It's a really tough decision. Might need to make multiple trips back! They have a great drink list. I landed on a local IPA which had a lovely flavour and I would order again.

Living in a pan-Latino community I'm really spoiled. But visiting Halifax this place was like home…read more(and mirrored local home-cooking travel and food experiences in both Guatemala and Mexico). Claudia is the sweetest hostess/owner/proprietor. Her Huevos Salceros was a terrific brunch entree. Her Argentinian potato empanadas pure dining perfection. But the best part of the meal was the aromatica hot fruit drink. The combination was mesmerizing.

Stumbled upon this quaint restaurant / shop while looking for brunch but unfortunately left hungry…read more As other reviewers have pointed out, the menu is chock full of Latin American eats but the portions are miniscule. For instance, tostadas are pictured in the menu resembling the size of a large fist but arrive closer to the size of a two bite brownie. The plate in my picture costs nearly $35! This place has potential, but you'll have to be sure to order lots if you want to leave full.

Picked up some goats milk fudge from here to take home/ absolutely melt in your mouth super smooth…read moreand delicious. I'll be back for a proper visit to try other things hopefully soon!

Short walk from our hotel, very easy to navigate to. Seater right away and server was friendly and…read moreapproachable. The wife and I had cocktails recommended by our son, all good here. Creative and well prepared mixed. I especially liked the bluelevadier. Only complaint, it's loud and the neighborhood could intimidate some.

ving the Best for Last at Bicycle Thief…read more We saved Bicycle Thief for last, and it ended up being one of the best meals of our Halifax trip. We started with the flash-fried calamari, a great opener served with their sun-dried tomato pesto aioli. But little did I know the standout lobster dish of the trip was hiding in the appetizer section. Their lobster and corn chowder was incredible. Seriously, so, so good. Potatoes, Vidalia onions, and double-smoked bacon added great contrast to the sweet lobster. And you know it's good when you can see that beautiful red lobster oil floating on top. It really showed that they used the lobster shells and all those flavour-packed bits to build the stock. Absolutely delicious. Next came the spaghettini ai frutti di mare, loaded with huge jumbo shrimp, fresh scallops, and mussels in a sun-dried tomato pesto. The seafood was fresh and plentiful. The linguini all'aragosta did not disappoint either. San Marzano tomatoes, cream, and Parmigiano made for a rich and decadent sauce that worked beautifully with the lobster. We also had the crab ravioli, followed by yet another lobster dish, the lobster Thermidor. This was seriously indulgent, with wild mushrooms, Gruyère, and house-made black truffle spaghettini. Rich, savoury, and packed with flavour. After all that decadence, we needed something bright to finish. The crostata al bergamotto was perfect, with a vibrant bergamot citrus curd that cut through the richness and refreshed the palate. Great seafood, incredible pasta, creative flavours, and excellent execution. We definitely saved one of the best for last.

Another joint highly praised online, so I dropped by for a late lunch…read more Ordered the lobster roll and crab ravioli. Lobster roll was fine, nothing to write home about but wouldn't order or recommend. However their crab ravioli was phenomenal, the lemon and cream sauce work perfectly. It was heavy from the cream but the citrus helped made it lighter. Service was friendly and they had patio and indoor seating.

So mad 2 doors down has closed on Barrington st! Their Kail…read moreCeaser salad was so good! Fresh crunchy kale/ lovely huge croutons/ parm cheese/ bacon and the dressing definitely house made!! Ugh I long for it!!

This restaurant is a gem! On a business trip we stumbled on…read morethis delightful spot located in strip area. Katrina a waitperson guided us through the menu The food and its presentation were excellent with an excellent wine list. The decor is subtle and not distracting.

The best arepa I've ever had. WOW! The arepa itself is not too mealy, the "bun" is thin and…read morenicely grilled/crisped on the outside but still soft and moist enough on the inside. And both the beef and the pork fillings were oozing with flavor. The beef almost tasted like a french reduction or something, very rich. The pork was more traditionally flavored garlic, etc., but all the spices, sauces and such complemented each other and elevated the overall dish. GO HERE! Fast casual system is great, and prices are reasonable, especially considering the quality of what you get.

The Short Version: Venezuelan restaurant with tasty but…read moreexpensive food. Lunch cost $70 and we were still hungry. The Long Version: This place is highly rated and raved about on many platforms. It's only open for breakfast and lunch and is very popular with locals. We tried to go the last time we were in Halifax but they were closed for vacation or something we didn't expect. Anyway, I was excited to try it this time around for lunch. I got the Pabellon plate ($24.50) and my husband got 2 empanadas, a pork one ($9.25) and a beef one ($9.50). I got a bottle of water and my husband got a Jarritos (the mandarin flavour). I'm not sure how much the drinks were but with taxes and tip our lunch came out to $70, which I thought was expensive for what we got. So I later saw locals asking for a pre-chilled bottles of tap water behind the counter and they had clean empty glasses near the hot sauce bar. I wish I knew this before I paid for bottled water :/ Anyway, my plate looked like a lot of food, but it didn't really fill me up. It was white rice, black beans, queso, 4 pieces of plantain, 3 triangles of a cut up arepa and a pile of shredded beef. The beef was tender and full of flavour. The plantains were crunchy on the outside and a bit softer on the inside. The arepa pieces were a bit crispy on the outside. The rice was soft, as were the beans. I mixed the beans and cheese with the rice and it tasted good. My husband's empanadas were good (I had a bite). The outside was crispy and the inside had tender meat and melted cheese. They were small for the price. I'm used to paying up to $6-7 an empanada, which I thought was pricey already, so I found $9+ for an empanada very expensive. I'm guessing the drinks totalled $7-8, which is a high mark-up. I suppose the meal would have been more affordable if I got the bottled tapped water like the locals did. Wish I had known. You order at the counter and pay. They give you a sign with a number on it. You seat yourself and put your numbered sign on your table. When your food is ready, they bring it out to you. The place was packed. I know it was all locals because everyone was in business casual attire and had their work badges on, lol. (It was a Thursday lunch and the place is surrounded by office buildings) Service was pleasant and the wait for the food wasn't too long considering how busy they were. Street parking only. Review #125 (2026)