We came across this pub Sept 15/2019 and I must say it delivered. We only came in for a bowl of chowder and the lobster poutine along with a local beer and a glass of wine. What a lovely spot overlooking the water. Live fiddle music played which added to the ambiance. Real Cape Breton style. Besides great food and good location what really impressed us was it was busy with two cruise ships docked outside and we were still served promptly without feeling rushed and the food came hot without so much as a few sips of our beverages. We sat out on the patio but inside looked very inviting. I hope to come back while we are on our visit here to eat and enjoy the local Celtic music! read more

Too Noisy. Too Loud. Seafood chowder was thin. Could barely swallow the lobster balls. Lobster poutine was good. Caesar salad ok. I'm hoping there's better fare for my next meal in Sydney. read more

A true Cape Breton music institution. I am always impressed by the ambience, crowd, service and music upstairs at Governor's. They host great open mics and acoustic sets, and occasionally a real rock and roll show, and it's such a great little venue. The barkeep is a real pro and can handle a large crowd. The food is pretty amazing for a pub, and although it can get rather chaotic in the summertime, the service is always top-notch. It's the best pub/bar/venue/hangout in Sydney, hands down. read more

This place is hurting. Very very poor quality food. Ordered a pound of wings 7 small wingets came out I said something to the server she argued they were a pound. Crappy wings with store purchased Thai chili sauce. Waste of $11 Also tried the best gnocchi according to the menu. Tasted like chef boyar-die. Terrible. Slowest service ever they everyone has just given up. 2 stars for local beer and wine on tap. read more

Governor's (or "Bunker's") is a place I've never actually eaten at, however I have attended many a party upstairs, where the bar is open until 2am. Great local acts are constantly playing and there is a consistent group of regulars that know how to have a good time. Now, it is very small when only the upstairs is open, but on those very special nights where the downstairs is also open, Bunker's is nothing else but a "time". Some things to note: there is always $5 cover, and the drinks are kind of pricey... Only come here if a band you like is playing, it gets quite loud when only the upstairs is open. read more

My husband and I both had fish. He had haddock and I had fish and chips. The fish was good, the coldslaw was lukewarm and my husband didn't appreciate getting frozen vegetables. The tables need to be steam cleaned. Had that tacky feel. read more

Have eaten here quite a few times. In March, I ordered the ribs and absolutely loved it. Order them again tonight (along with another friend) and we both had the worst food from a restaurant ever. The ribs were uncooked and barely covered in BBQ sauce. When I informed the (lovely) waiter Taylor, that I was less then impressed he took our plates. At the end of the night he brought our cheques and informed us he took 50% of our rib meals as we ate half of them. Which is bullsh%t. I ate two ribs (with little meat on them) and one bite of my mashed potatoes. I didn't realize that their mashed potatoes were made of gold. Although our waiter Taylor was very polite about it all, I will not being a returning customer. And they shouldn't count on a good review to family and friends from anyone at the table. Sincerely, A less then happy customer. read more

Make Reservations or be ready to be turned away. Pub is almost always full. Having arrived in Cape Breton, we were hoping to sample some maritime (main /Nova Scotia) lobsters as opposed to the regular rock lobsters offered at the Red Lobster. We were not disappointed with the lobster platters. At $35/platter, it was a pricey for locally caught fare. The place was ear splittingly noisy. Lively live music upstairs, with a fiddler stomping on the floor (ceiling of the main floor). Definitely not a place for an elegant or romantic dinner. . Food was good, but I came away without feeling full. As an experience, it was good. Friendly wait staff. Noisy dark ambiance. read more

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We came here for lunch on the recommendation from the Nova Scotia's food guide. They ran out of chowder so we went for the soup of the day and a couple of sandwiches that that are not really memorable. Service was okay. I wouldn't really recommend it but there are not many choices in Sydney. read more

Governor's Pub & Eatery - Some sort of BBQ or pulled pork baguette and a chicken with peanut sauce wrap with the soup of the day - Pubs Near Me - Sydney, Nova Scotia

I came here after my drive to Sydney and got the seafood sample platter. It was delicious! Sweetest scallops I'd have ever tasted. I came back later for open mic night in the pub and had a really fun time. Do not miss Governor's Pub when is Sydney NS. read more

My experience at governors was pretty good. after attempting to go to another restaurant and finding it full we wandered over to governors. having only been there once, many years ago, we decided to try it again. being close to christmas at lunch time it was a tad busy. not really busy, but busy for a small town. there were about 4 other tables occupied when we arrived but it appeared only one waitress. oh well. we weren't in a huge hurry. the menu looked very appealing. loved the selection. only thing missing was a drink list. after hearing the extensive specials, we all decided to order from the regular menu. I got the blackened salmon wrap with salad, my dining companions got the veggie wrap with fries and the Thai stir fry. after a considerably long wait our food arrived. my wrap was amazing. warm salmon with capers and dill aoili. loved it. the salad was fresh and crisp as well. the veggie wrap was very uninspired but the fries were delicious (kudos for having a few veggie options, hard to find in Cape breton). and the stir fry was delicious. fluffy wild rice in a nice smooth coconut milk sauce with fresh veggies and chicken. great dish. however the service was so slow. we never got refills on our waters and it was impossible to track her down to order anything else. the other customers were sharing our frustration. trust me. the waitress did apologize and explained that almost all the staff called in sick. so obviously it's not her fault. I understand that it's difficult to find good and reliable workers. overall I would rate it a 3 and a half experience. but I'm definitely looking forward to trying more on the menu. read more

This was my second visit to Governor's Pub, both of them with work colleagues. After a long day of driving to Cape Breton from Halifax and then visiting customers, all we really wanted was a good beer in a nice ambiance, with some decent pub food. Governor's hit the mark on all of them. The pub is located in a beautiful historic building that was the home of the first mayor of Sydney. The ground floor has more of a restaurant feel, but still with a nice bar. The upstairs room is a true pub and often features local musicians. It has a really good vibe to it and I enjoy spending time in this space. When we showed up, we were the only ones there and my colleague wasn't sure which of the beers on tap he wanted to try. The waitress was fantastic and offered him a little taster glass of Guinness, of which he wasn't a fan. She then brought him another taster of Rickard's White, complete with orange slice so he could experience it as it's usually served. Very nice touch. He finally settled for a Garrison Tall Ship Amber and I went for a pint of Guinness. We were in no hurry to order food right away but, being a bit hungry, we ordered an appetizer to share. Unfortunately they were out of calamari so we went for the mussels. The portion was very large and the broth was so flavorful I had to constantly dip my bread roll into it. The mussels were perfectly cooked. We eventually ordered food, after another pint, of course. On recommendation of our friendly waitress, I went for the ribs while my friend opted for a chicken stir fry, saying he would probably regret not having the ribs also! He did. My ribs were perfect, proverbially falling off the bone. The sauce was rich, smoky and slightly sweet, with a nice tang to counterbalance the sweetness. The accompanying fries were hand cut and crispy. My colleague's stir fry was fine, but honestly, what can you expect of a stir fry in a pub? This will continue being a hangout spot for me when traveling in Cape Breton. Great pub! read more

Attentive server, great seafood and great drink selection! Was really impressed with service and atmosphere on the patio so we stayed and ordered a bottle of Nova7 and some dessert! Such a great little gem! read more

Governor's Pub & Eatery - Pubs Near Me - Sydney, Nova Scotia

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One of my favourite restaurants in Cape Breton! Great food and great service at excellent prices. The seafood chowder and steamed mussels are two of my favourite dishes. Whether you're out for a romantic evening for two or gathering with a large group, Governors makes it a great experience. A must to dine at if you are in Cape Breton! read more

Go there for the mussels, go there for the mussels. Other items may disappoint, but not this one! perfect for a fast brunch or pub experience (with music if you are there on a lucky evening) read more

Upstairs, pub: I would definitely go again. The food was a mix: gnocchi a bit puffy but okay. French onion soup very tasty but a small portion; did not fill the crock. Local Big Pine beer not for me, but I am glad I tried it. I would love to see some different beers, but the selection overall is ok. I was better with Tall Ship, and I am glad they have Guinness. I was also very glad at the list of whiskeys, so I tried Glen Breton (from nearby Glenora Distillery) at last, and it was smooth and flavorful. We were there for the Wed. night music session, to listen and to join in a bit. It is festive, and certainly the food and drink is more than adequate support for listening and playing. Service was fine: not super quick, but we did not mind that. Tradeoff: they seem ok to accommodate people who come in for the session at different times and may either stay a while nursing their beers or eat and *then* stay a while nursing their beers. That makes a big difference. It may be tricky to find a spot if you are coming for the music, but there seems to be enough turnover that people got seats even if they had to wait a bit. Some people complain that they cannot hear the music, but I like that it is not amplified. Therefore, it depends on who is playing and what instruments. This time session was led by Chrissy Crowley, who is both an exceptional fiddler and well suited to lead the session. She runs it, keeps it going, introduces tunes, and also welcomes others to share their tunes, in just the right amount and way. Something to experience if you are in the area. read more

Very interesting venue. House has history. Ordered the lobster dinner with drawn butter, mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies. The waiter felt the lobster that arrived wasn't up to standard so he brought another- at no cost. Says a lot about service in my world. Everyone of my dinner companions enjoyed their meal. Not worthy of five stars, maybe not even four, but the waiter and his service bumped it up one star. read more

I have had an awesome trip to Nova Scotia. I've had pan seared deer freshly hunted. I've have had North Atlantic Grilled Salmon in lemon and Greek spices with an awesome Greek salad of spinach and artichoke hearts. But the highlight has been the combination of haddock scallops and shrimp with hollandaise served up by the fine establishment and by a staff of friendly happy accommodating souls. What an awesome way to finish off my first visit to Nova Scotia. I'm coming back to NS and I am coming back to Governors Pub & Eatery! read more

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Ambience is nice! Nice patio tables and fireplace. Patio service was quite slow however, especially cleaning up. Ordered a lb of wings, not as good as expected. They were pre-fried and sauce over top that didn't taste that great either. French onion soup is a pass. Cheese wasn't melted and not much onion flavour. Service was slow and not attentive. If going there for drinks, it's your to-go place. read more

Governor's Pub & Eatery - French onion soup and chicken wings - Pubs Near Me - Sydney, Nova Scotia

This place is ridiculous I couldn't believe it. The only thing they serve in the menu is a good fucking time ! Highly recommend the martini ! read more

My go to for any restaurant! Delicious food, great service, and fair prices! I dislike how there's no bathrooms on the main level though! But I could spend hours there on the patio on a nice, warm afternoon! read more

The one star is for the table cloth, Booked for an early sitting, ordered Salmon, sent it back twice, it was pink and gel like texture NOT COOKED. Waitress was pleasant, however made no attempt to make us comfortable or welcome. When asked to hold our order for a few min, she informed us that she was putting it in right away because more people were coming. Even if true, not very professional to let the table know we had a time frame. Booking was for 4 people started with an antipasto plate with two pieces of bread for four people, and not pleased we asked for another piece of bread....all in all horrible food and service we will not be back..Spoke to two ladies in the washroom who both said their meals were awful and cold read more

Excellent service, excellent location, excellent atmosphere. 3 stars only due to inconsistent food quality. There's a hit or miss situation that I'm unable to figure out. Always decent food but the hit or miss applies to excellent food. read more

Great atmosphere - but the greatness ends there. I felt the need to review because I'm always tempted to go there when I'm in Sydney. I've eaten there twice: Seafood Chowder: terrible, like warm skim milk poured on some bland haddock chunks. Others at my table were underwhelmed. Long wait. Lamb Shanks: One shank, decent flavour, tough with very little meat and more fat than I would have left on it. Started with a poor piece of meat is my guess. I've had a few lamb shanks and this was the first one that has disappointed me. Small plate was certainly overpriced at $25, paired with an $8 craft beer. read more

I am definitely a fish and chips snob, and this is one of my favorite places. The beer batter they use is delicious! Great beer selection, live music upstairs and a fire pit outside on the patio - what more could you want in pub? Tip: Sit downstairs for restaurant-feel (reservations can be made), upstairs for pub-vibe. read more

Lovely waterfront pub. Seafood is delicious. Been here over 100 yrs! Fiddler going upstairs

This place has: really great atmosphere, nice people and great food. Very traditional pub feel.

My wife and I went for dinner, but they were crowded. After a 30+ minute wait for our food, we knew why they were so crowded - the food was great! Try them out if you're in town. read more

Would actually give here a 3.5. My first memory of this place is from probably the late 80s when I was a kid and went here for lunch with neighbors. Had only been here once years ago as an adult, at night to drink with friends. So neither of those experiences qualified me to do a review. However, I came back here on a frigid Wednesday evening on January with two girl friends for supper. We took a corner table on the ground level, toward the rear next to a radiator, to get warm. It was very toasty! From what I could see of the place, it's just a large restaurant/bar that divided into different rooms, warm colors, low lighting (at night), and lots of interesting photography of old b&w local images. Didn't walk around the whole place, or peek upstairs this visit, so not sure of the capacity, but would guess at least 100. The three of us split a liter of pinot grigio which went down very well. We also split an order of the spinach artichoke dip (don't see it on the menu to give their description), which was very flavorful, cheese melted on top just right, not too heavy feeling. Served with warm pita slices and tortilla chips. My veggie burger (black bean patty + mushrooms + onions + crispy carrot slaw + sweet chili red pepper hummus + swiss cheese. 12) was excellent. Quite tall and didn't think I'd be able to eat it without making a mess, but wasn't that bad. Was only able to eat half, so took a doggie bag. Apparently the gnocchi was good (don't see it on their online menu either). They do have a few other tempting vegetarian items, so when I am in Sydney again, I'd go back her any time for sure. read more

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I was on a vacation to the Maritimes when I dined at the Governor's Pub. This is a place that seems to get the locals, considering that it's located near downtown Sydney and away from the main commercial drag a few kilometres west. Service was rather slow that night, but I believe that's because there was only one waitress for the entire upstairs dining area. The beer selection was decent, and I opted to order a Garrison Red on tap. The food menu offers your typical pub fare, along with some additional entrees. I had ordered some garlic bread with cheese as an appetizer, along with some Thai noodles as my entree. Both were good, but they both were served to me at the same time. In all, a nice place, but there's little things that they can work on. read more

Wonderful meals. Great service. The Maple curry seafood linguini was amazing. Out of a few things otherwise 5 stars for sure. Recommended.

Food was great but service was slow. Had the seafood sampler and while it tasted great there were not many shrimp or scallops. Seemed small for the price. With that being said it has a great atmosphere. Try to get a table on the deck overlooking the water. read more

Reputation and recommendations drew us in, but then left us less than satisfied. Our Keith's beers came quickly, but we waited over an hour for our meal. The salad arrived with the meal, and looked very wilted, so we never did eat it, but took it with us in a box. Sides of risotto and twice-baked potato were better than the mains they accompanied. Outdoor seating is delightful in the summer, but with the wait for our food, we were chilled before we ate. Next time we'll sit inside! read more

My sister and I ate here and she ordered a seafood dish and it was her favorite meal in Canada.. so pretty good. I thought the food was good, I've had better too. Tip: Make reservations, we tried going our 1st night and they were booked solid. We made reservations for the next night no problem, but without them we wouldn't have been able to eat. read more

My wife and I were vacationing in NS last summer. Decided to try this restaurant. Ended up walking out due to utter incompetence. We sat there for about a half hour before anyone showed up to take our order. We then ordered some wine, an appetizer, and an entree for each of us. Another half hour later nothing has shown up, and our waiter has disappeared. Suddenly he comes with a different wine and says that they're all out of the one we ordered. We agreed to take the alternate wine at the same price. Another half hour passes and there's no appetizer and no entree. By that time we've finished our wine and are simply out of patience. Just as we're standing up to leave our waiter shows up with the entree ... but no appetizer. We paid for the wine we didn't order (but agreed to accept) and left. read more

On a recent Port stop from our Cruise, I wanted to have a 'Lobster Roll' for lunch. Someone in the Information kiosk at the port suggested that there might be a 'Ceilidh' in the Governor's Pub around 3 pm. So I toured the town a bit and decided to go to the Pub for a beverage and something 'Lobster' to eat while awaiting the entertainment. I was not disappointed! Our friendly waiter brought my Lobster Roll (warm and fresh from the oven bread roll) filled with yummy Lobster Salad mix of celery & mayonaise & chunks of Lobster meat; served alongside a tasty mixed green salad with their own Maple Dressing. Washed down with a nice cold beer. During our meal, two local musicians were playing keyboard and fiddle for our entertainment pleasure. The real fun started when another local Fiddler came in and started playing up a storm of toe tapping, foot stomping jigs and reels! He played for quite some time and made our visit to the pub definitely worthwhile! Just a fantastic afternoon of fun & local Cape Breton music. read more

Not impressed with the Seafood chowder, watery & very small portion for $12. Good service. Aine read more

This place was the worst part of our visit to Nova Scotia. Rude wait staff then seated for 20 minutes, never received a menu. Needless to say we left and found a more friendly and hospitable dining experience elsewhere.... read more

Great patio with a view of Sydney harbour. Food was ok, had a burger, was over cooked and dry which was too bad because it tasted ok but was so dry. Drinks were cold and service was good. read more

Dinner was decent, dessert was excellent. It did take kind of a while to be acknowledged and to be seated though. Our waitress was really nice. read more