I was there for our cousin's engagement party. The extra room at the back was such a bonus. The appetizers were great as were the drinks. Service was fast even though it was a large crowd. Loved the fact that there were huge TV's for sports. Will def be back. read more

Essentially a sports bar, with bar bits. We went for the happy hour and fortunately everything we ate was half priced. I wouldn't have paid the full price for this. Service was excellent and drinks are cheap tho! Can't go wrong with 4$ gin tonic! read more

Niche Lounge - Food - Lounges Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Have been back since the switcharoo. They're downstairs now. EDIT: they're actually on the same floor, behind the old location, same bldng. It's better. I had no issues with my draught. Tastes crisp.... wow they finally figured it out!!!! Having said that, prices are up. Looks like they're going for a different vibe. Food was garbage, as expected. Service was worse. (Depends who you get) Don't forget who you are Niche. You're a place to watch sports and drink affordable beer. Nothing more, nothing less. read more

This was my first time at Niche. I've heard a lot about it and I assumed it was like a high-class restaurant. You would think so too; the ambiance and décor at first glance is very appealing. And then you sit at your table and notice the hundred TV screens on the walls playing some sort of sports game... really? I didn't find the two matched well together. We were there for a large group; a surprise birthday get-together for Ashley M.! Our server was attentive and friendly. The menu is decent. It's not huge - but there are a lot of great options, so I was still left trying to figure out what to get. The prices were great though! They offer a three course dinner for $25.00; you get a choice of four or five appetizers and entrees and two or three desserts. I wasn't super hungry and the lamb burger was calling my name! It was delicious. I think I like lamb burgers WAYYYY better than hamburgers. I mean, that makes sense anyway right? Their lamb burger is served on ciabatta bread and covered in tzatziki sauce and comes with their home cut fries. It was delicious and incredibly filling. I had to force myself it eat it all; I don't like letting good food go to waste... only to my waist. I'd so order it again. When I got my bill there was an automatic 15% tip added to it. I assume that is because we were with a group; however, when I went to pay (debit) I was still prompted to leave a tip... which confused me, so I did, lucky server. read more

Niche Lounge - Lamb burger - Lounges Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Niche has been interesting to observe in the past several years, going from quasi-fancy restaurant, to also quasi-sports bar, and at the same time a place for lunch for *ahem* budget-conscious civil servants and also a spot for happy hour drinks. A happy hour that lasts from 4pm until close. I've begun to assume that the name "Niche" is now meant ironically, as it seems like it's trying to be everything to everyone, and that is always concerning when it comes to quality. It was with all of this in mind that I came here with a couple friends to watch the Blue Jays ALDS game five. Packed to the rafters. I got one of the very last tables inside, as I wasn't interested in being outdoors on a mid-October evening to watch the game. Being the Nova Scotian patriot that I am, I very much appreciate their cheap Keith's - just $3.25 for an 18oz pint. Over the course of this roller coaster, historic game we also had most of the appetizers that they have on for half price between 4 and 6:30, the nachos, potato skins, herb and garlic crust, and calamari. The potato skins and calamari were the first items up for our evening of healthy eating. The rings of calamari had a very lightly-coloured batter, and came with a bowl of tzatziki for dipping, although my buddy afterward added on a bowl of spicy tomato sauce. They had a decent flavour and were cooked reasonably well considering that they likely came out of a freezer bag. The potato skins were comprised of slices of potatoes topped with a decent amount of cheese, bacon and green onions. The portion wasn't particularly large though, so it was one of the few times that there was actually too much sour cream for the amount of potatoes served. That said, they were cheap and tasty, if not very memorable or ground breaking. The herb and garlic crust was basically a bare-bones cheese pizza on a ultra thin crust. It was a very good sharing app though, with the right amount of cheese, crispy crust and a nice mix of garlic and a bit of heat from some chili flakes. The nachos were a respectable size, with a good layering of the typical toppings - red onions, tomato, hot and sweet peppers - as well as the pulled pork that we added on. The meat was good, moist and BBQ-y in that from-a-bottle sort of way, but it was still enjoyable and made the nachos a bit more substantial. Being as busy as it was, the food took a little while, but that was to be expected and it didn't seem to take an unreasonable amount of time. Service was pretty decent, checking in from time to time, although we did have to wave our harried waiter down a couple times. I'm not sure if I'd chance Niche for a regular meal when there's so many other sure bets in the area, but one of their niches is definitely simple apps and beer at pocket-friendly prices. read more

Niche Lounge - Long sour cream, short potatoes. - Lounges Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

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Came on a sunny Sunday in November for breakfast - first time in the new location. It's directly across the hall from the old location, yet I had trouble figuring that out so walked around the building a few times. LOL Obviously didn't have my caffeine yet. Anyway, the new spot is more modern than the last, not that there was anything wrong with the old. It was darker and cozier, this is bigger and more open concept, but well decorated and a bit of natural light coming in the far side, with view of Salter St. Friendly service. I tried the Mexican Eggs Benny. Looks like it had a slice of Kraft cheese and bottled salsa, but it was still good despite that, very filling. I found the food average before, and I guess again it still is, but no actual complaints, so I'd go here again anytime. read more

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Food was not bad, taste was okay, but it was expensive. Also, the service was not the best. I waited for one minute to be seated, just standing there, doing nothing; which made me feel sort of upset. Later they brought me to a corner table, since I was by myself... Well... Food was actually good, but service certainly did not match it. This place was a little bit weird, it seemed to be a sport pub, yet it didn't feel exactly like one. It was strange. I am not sure if I shall ever come back, I heard beer was no good there, but it seems they have a fine wine collection. Or maybe I will just buy it from a liquor store. read more

Niche Lounge - Ricotta! Not too bad! - Lounges Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

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This was my first visit to Niche, and I honestly am not sure what to make of the place. It's put together in a somewhat schizophrenic fashion, with the outdoor area not matching the indoors are at all.. Even within the restaurant the decor and ambience vary from section to section. Is it a sports bar? Is it upscale dining? Is it for lunch business meetings? Who knows?! I doubt the restaurant management itself has any idea. The outdoor area feels like a sports bar..albeit one that smells heavily of cigarette smoke. It is right near where the Maritime Centre employees come outside to have their cigarette breaks. It was lunch time and decided to sit in the lounge chairs under the solarium, because it gave the feeling of being outside, without actually having to go sit outside and inhale all the second hand smoke. The service was so-so.. I ordered a half northern Italian pizza and a half Thai salad. It took a really long time to come out of the kitchen (lukewarmly). The pizza was not thin crust as stated by the menu, and the Thai salad was SO spicy that it made it virtually impossible to taste anything else.. Ordering soda/pop here is obviously the restaurants cash cow.. It comes out in tiny glasses packed with ice, so that after two sips its empty again. Not only that but they only offer one free refill.. l mean really??... who even does that? Seems like a bit of a rip off. I wouldn't recommend this place for lunch.... not with all the awesome options for dining in the immediate vicinity... but I haven't been there for dinner yet, so it might have an entirely different story going on later at night.. Not that I'm going to be trying that for myself any time soon, there are too many quality alternatives downtown read more

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I've only been to Niche twice, and I've oddly enough never eaten a meal there. It's been in the back of my mind that I should try it out for awhile, I've always heard good things from friends and from passing on Barrington Street I've admired the spacious patio. The first time I tried to go to Niche it was 11pm on a Saturday night and me and a friend wanted to find a new and cool spot to get a drink. To our surprise this lounge was just about to close. Why would you have a happy hour every Friday and call yourself a "Lounge" if you have to close before my youngest sister's curfew? The next time I visited Niche was only slightly more successful. I took my mom for breakfast on her birthday and discovered that the cheapest breakfast at Niche is $10. For the exact breakfast special that is served practically everywhere else in this city for a consistent $5.29. Needless to say we quietly left and found breakfast somewhere cheaper. I can't comment on the food or service quality because I've never seen either a meal or the staff and from my first impressions of Niche, I don't think I ever will. Hot Hint: Happy hour as I mentioned is on Fridays from 4:30-6:00pm. read more

Niche Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

My friends and I spent New Years Eve here last year, on account of some of us being HUGE jazz fans, and the house band being Mike Cowie and the Waterbabies, who are some pretty darned good jazz musicians. But in fact, we could have chosen it for the food, which was, as I recall, delicious. Uh, I can't recall EXACTLY what I had, because, like I said, it was New Years Eve. But I DO remember it being very, very good. I also remember that I had been there once before, during the summer months, and that I enjoyed sitting on their outdoor patio and dining on some delicious risotto crab cakes, and a bit of mediteranean pizza. So there, I do remember the food. Ha! And I also recall that we had a very friendly and helpful waitress that evening. And that there was jazz that night, too, and it was also awesome. read more

Niche Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Niche is a spot that, as far as I can tell, has yet to actually find its niche. It has a lot of alright ideas that a lot of other bars are doing just as well around town. So while there's nothing wrong with this place, there's nothing that really allows it to stand out. The food we had when we went here was alright, but certainly not worth the price. It also took quite a while to arrive. Considering the place wasn't very busy this was a little annoying. The drink menu was extensive and had a number of Martini's which were tasty. Thursday nights they have drink specials, so if you're interested in trying a new Martini, that would be the night to check it out. Niche also has a lot of smooth jazz, both live and piped in, playing all the time. The problem is that it's not exciting jazz, it's more like Kenny G...so, you know...be warned. Niche is a fine restaurant. The food is fine, the decor is fine, the staff, everything is fine, but nothing really rises above that level. I hope Niche can find it's niche because it does have a lot of potential. read more

Niche Lounge - the entrance to niche lounge - Lounges Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

We stopped in again tonight for a drink and were blown away at the incessant noise. In addition to the loud music and the visually distracting TVs that no one was watching, there seems to be some kind of concrete drilling immediately overhead. It was pretty awful and we left as quickly as possible. read more

My friend posted about it already but this is unacceptable. He experienced racism by one of the servers at this place and contacted them about it. He was blatantly ignored and continues to be blatantly ignored by the General Manager George Ellefthros, who responded in a very hostile way towards him and is making to effort to attempt to resolve the issue. He is not taking this seriously and is hoping it will just go away. He has zero idea of how to treat customers and how to properly deal with issues that may arise. Do not support a business that so casually dismisses racist behaviour. read more

The good news: Niche brought back their eggs benny for the brunch menu, thus restoring the full glory of my best kept downtown breakfast secret. Guys...NO ONE IS EVER THERE. You walk in, you have your pick of seat (including comfy arm chairs), you eat a consistently tasty brunch. No waiting. Best best best. The bad news: the servers continue to be varying degrees of hungover during the breakfast/brunch timeslot. Sometimes this is charming and makes for the laid-back, self-deprecating service that you might want if you share the condition. But sometimes, you really don't want your own queasiness mirrored back at you by the person bringing your food salvation. The really bad news: they actually laughed when I asked if they had mimosas. MIMOSAS ARE NO LAUGHING MATTER. read more

Everything about this place was awful. It always seems pretty full in here, but most of what I have heard about Niche was relatively negative. I wanted to give it a shot anyway. It was one of the few places open for late night eats and we were looking to go out for dinner because we had nothing but crappy leftovers in our fridge. Looking back, I wish we would have stayed in. The atmosphere was really loud and stuffy. It felt like a frat-boy college party. Music was loud and the place felt kind of cramped. The beer list is pretty limited - your typical Coors, Molson, Keiths list. There may have been a Garrison beer on the list, but I can't recall. I do recall very limited options for local or craft beers. I ordered the Margherita pizza and my partner ordered a burger. He said the burger was alright; however, my pizza was hardly edible. I was so hungry, I might have had one slice. Service was pretty rushed. To be fair, we should up at about 9:45pm when their kitchen closed at 10pm. We acknowledged this and asked if it was okay to still order food. The server was asking for our order almost as soon as I had my coat off. I hardly got a chance to look at the menu. Overall, not recommended and I won't be back. read more

Hey, I like this place. Upon arrival it was packed so I set up shop at the bar. The bartender was prompt, poured a steller Stella and most importantly asked which Hockey game I wanted the tv tuned to. Saint in my books. About 20 minutes later we had a table. We got fast service, and the server listened to our questions even though it was bumpin' busy. We just had some apps, a few wobbly pops and some convo. The vibe is really an after work, loose tie, end-your-week- with a cold one type. Can't beat it. read more

Unfortunately, my first experience dining at Niche wasn't a favorable one and I doubt I'll ever go back. While the food was decent (not great and not really worth the price tag) and our server was quite accommodating about an accidentally spilled glass of red wine, it was how we were treated after we left that put a bad taste in my mouth. A member of our party had worked for a security company who are contracted by The Pacifico (directly underneath Niche). He inquired as to a discount for staff that we were told was no longer honored. All well and good. And the end of our meal our bill was brought to us, which I signed, and we left. About an hour later when we were out celebrating a birthday, we were contacted by the same friend who said his boss at the security company had been called by the restaurant saying we didn't pay our bill. That's right. Instead of calling the phone number they had on the reservation (mine!) they decided to call our friend's boss, interrupt him from putting his children to bed to try and track us down. We were infuriated. Firstly because our friend's boss had been unnecessarily disturbed from his Saturday night AND made to believe we had skipped out on a cheque. Secondly because we had assumingly PAID the bill. After making a lengthy trip downtown the following day, which was incredibly out of our way for a Sunday (we live in Clayton Park) we found out that this frequently happens because the restaurant shares a building with a hotel and they issue a separate bill if people want to charge to their room number, which was brought to us even though we weren't hotel guests, and many times people sign the wrong bill. No clarification of that was given to me by our server. Needless to say, we asked to speak to a manager after everything was cleared up and the bill had been properly paid. She said that they called my friend's employer because they didn't want to disturb us on our night out...... really. Other than that, they seemed very unapologetic for the incredible inconvenience and embarrassment they had caused. I understand that server's must get anxious when they can't process a table's bill as it ultimately comes out of their wages, but this was ridiculous. Either they change the billing process, or they get servers to explain where to authorize payment on the bill for non-hotel guests. Outrageous. I will never go back. read more

Niche is one of those incredibly convenient, perfectly lit places I really want to love. First, I work in the building. Second, I live five minutes away by foot. And third, both the indoor and outdoor spaces are large enough to accomodate bigger groups. But here's the thing: it's kind of awful. Lunch service is slow. It is either understaffed from quantity perspective or (more likely) a quality one. Food is often cold or soggy when it finally arrives. And you'll pay extra for a side salad that has most certainly seen better days. One of my most memorable experiences involved finding a dead house fly in my Thai chicken salad. My advice? Go for happy hour drinks - but only because its convenient. Get the nachos if you're feeling snacky. But do yourself a favour and venture out for a meal - there are at least 10 awesome restaurants within a two block radius. You can thank me later. read more

I am usually quite generous and/or forgiving with most restaurants but I think this was the worst meal I've had the displeasure of paying for in Halifax. I went with some friends for some drinks and apps on a lovely summer evening, the patio was full and very nice, and the inside was barren, so I don't see why the service was so terrible. No one was ordering meals so I ordered a bowl of lobster bisque and some lemonade, some of my friends had the pierogies and nachos. The pierogies came out FIRE HOT because they came out of the deep fryer on a lovely bed of very brown and wilted greens - um, gross. First off, shouldn't they be pan fried? They were like little balls of fire with a "sweet chili sauce" to dip which is the most unimaginative sauce ever. They were described as lackluster. The greens were revolting, who serves that! The nachos were fine, it's kind of hard to screw that up considering expectations aren't usually that high anyway. My bisque... sigh. It was like a bowl of salt! My friend also tasted it and agreed with me, and there was not a chunk of lobster in it at all, just salty red soup with some soggy salt cubes aka croutons. The server asked how everything was and I told him it was too salty and I couldn't eat it, so he said "no problem, if you don't like it we won't charge you for it" and I was pleased! I was fine with that and I didn't bother ordering anything else since most people were done their food already, and the wait was HORRENDOUS despite the restaurant being essentially empty inside save for a few tables being full outside. I asked for a glass of water after he left which was never brought to me. Fast forward to the bill where the server said "since you didn't like your soup I'll comp you for your lemonade" and I'm struggling to see the logic, but I pay my bill, and vow to never return. If that's not the worst logic ever, I don't know what is. P.S. the lemonade was bar mix and water. read more

Went here at the end of the last semester with a bunch of friends. We didn't have a reservation and there ended up being quite a lot of us, but they were able to accomodate us with just a little shuffling around. Their happy hour menu is where it's at - we got there just a little bit before happy hour so I ordered from the regular menu, but kicked myself when I realized all of the great deals to be had. Luckily my husband and I ended sharing the order, so we ended up ordering from the happy hour menu too, which shaved a few dollars off of what our total would have been otherwise. We ordered the nachos from the happy hour menu and were happy with them - lots of toppings to be had! We also had one of the burgers - The Cowboy Burger - and it really hit the spot. The egg on the burger was a new experience for me, but I wouldn't mind having it again. read more

Hmmm... this place is a little bit of an odd duck. At first glance, it seems chic and hip, with some neat décor and an interesting layout. However, I don't know if Niche knows what it's going for. When I was there the other night the music was fairly loud for an early meal, and the genres booming were all over the map. From classical to electronica - it seemed like the sound system was having an identity crisis. I had a Martini, which was over $10 and tasted like adult tang/kool-aid. It was fine, but not worth the money at all. I then shared a Mediterranean Pizza with a friend. It was fairly inexpensive, which was good because the quality was simply blah. A few people I was with ordered the Warm Goat Cheese Salad, but it didn't seem to be goat cheese in the least - more like Philly Cream Cheese. In the end, I had a fine time, but if I'm spending money at a place that seems to posit itself as shi-shi, I want good quality food, and better bevie ingredients for my dollar. read more

My boyfriend and I came in to eat around 120 in the afternoon. The place looked pretty busy with a few tables here and there. After being sat we waited about 5 minutes for a drink order to be taken. the calamari was pretty good, but we had to use our fingers the first five minutes before we had to ask the server for utensils. we finished the appy and waited a good while before the server cleared the dishes and brought over the pizza. after the first bite of the pizza...... i didn't really taste anything.... i thought i might not have gotten a good bite so i tried the pizza again...... it was bland and had no flavour. the tiger shrimps were not marinated, the crust was super crunchy.... it just.... was not good AT ALL!!!! BUT... as we waited for the server to come check in to see how the main was... she never came around. we were hungry so we finished off the food and waited another ten minutes before we saw the server. i was going to order a dessert but after waiting and waiting we just wanted to get out.... the food wasn't that great, i do hear they have really good happy hours, but from a server's perspective.... really bad service for a slow/down time at the restaurant. the experience was not good and probably won't be going back because of the experience. read more

I recently went here with coworkers for our Christmas dinner. It was a Friday night and when we got there at 5:30pm, there was quite a few people there. The atmosphere is a bit confusing, with tons of flat screen tvs playing a variety of sports at both the bar and around the dining room and dance type music blaring, yet the menu seems upscale in quality and it feels like the type of restaurant where jeans and a tshirt just wouldn't cut it. The $25 3 course meal is an amazing deal! I got the coconut shrimp to start (really good but batter was a bit undercooked), the steak risotto, and cheesecake. Our server was fantastic as well. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I also enjoyed a happy hour drink (which is from 4-6:30pm) for $6.50 (2oz cocktail) which was very good. I would definitely come back to try some other items on the menu, which I would describe as medium priced ($13+ for a meal, more in the $15-25 range though). read more

I have ordered off of the regular menu at Niche a couple of times, and if I was rating my experience here based solely on these occasions, I would award a solid three stars. Since the majority of my visits here have been for their appetizer and drink happy hours, I am basing my four star rating on that. I can't remember specific prices, but between 4-12( I believe) their drinks are cheap. Really cheap. I'm not talking premium drinks but pints of Keith's or Bud Light, house red or white wine and well shots are all a steal. I believe a large pint of Keith's is $3.25. The standout for me has got to be the the appetizer happy hour. Between 4-6:30, selected appetizers are half price. Included in these appetizers are their nachos. Oh my Gosh, their nachos!(salivating) Just because you are getting a deal does not mean that they are going to skimp on the toppings. You receive a huge, colorful tray of nicely layered, generously topped nachos for a mere $6.25. This has quickly become my go to place for nachos and beer not only because the price can not be beat, but the quality you get for that price is better than most places that will charge you much more. Now, I know that Niche has a bit of a split personality that is off putting to some people. They have tons of televisions playing sports while some slightly cheesy dance style music plays through the speakers. You may have a couple of young guys in jeans and t-shirts watching the game seated next to business people in suits enjoying a post work drink. An older couple enjoying an evening out, with a few glasses of wine and a full course meal may be relaxing around the way from a group of friends dressed to the nines drinking cocktails, probably just beginning their evening. Personally, I love it, as it lends to a kind of non pretentious atmosphere where anyone will feel comfortable. I also think that this IS Niche's personality. A few years ago they began moving away from a stuffy "supper club" feel to a more inclusive, convenient meeting place. A place boasting great specials where anyone can feel comfortable. Regardless if your "comfortable" includes a t-shirt, a beer and the game, high heels, a dress and a glass of wine, or my personal favorite: an easy mix of the two. read more

I love coming here. The half price happy hour is amazing. The calamari is delicious. The staff is great. A pretty common spot for me to show up any day of the week. read more

A consistent theme in my reviews seems to be that I love a good bargain. And I really do. So Niche is a super location for Happy Hour and deals in general. Let's review: - An 18oz beer is $3.25 from 4:30-6:30, every day of the week - During Happy Hour it's $3.25 well shots and $4 house wine - They also have 1/2 priced apps during this time (calamari, nachos, perogies, potato skins... you know, food that goes with beer) - $5 Martinis all day long on Thursdays and Sundays - They've got a great big screen set up on their patio which is ideal for sporting events (and/or watching the Spice Girls perform at the Olympic closing ceremonies. I mean... sports... yeah, watching sports.) They've also got a ton of TVs set up inside. I haven't had much to eat there aside from calamari and nachos, but those were just fine. The last few times I have been there the service has been good and the drink deals can't be beat. read more

This is turning into a fav hangout spot for me downtown. The great deals on food/drinks on weeknights are pretty much the entire reason for that, however the atmosphere and decor here is also cool as well. Lot's of space, lot's of food/drink choices and the central location make it a great place to go for drinks with friends on a Thursday evening. The service here is never amazing (if they are busy, sometimes it can take a while for someone to check on you) but I'm usually not in a rush when I visit. I find the lounge atmosphere relaxing and conducive to slowly sipping a refreshing drink. Speaking of which, they have lots of different martini combos to choose from and I have yet to try one I didn't like. They also have good food choices and I haven't had a bad meal here either. One thing I find weird is the screens playing sports - not that I have anything in particular against watching a soccer match while there, but it just doesn't seem to fit - are you a martini lounge or a sports bar? This is a small complaint though. They have a great patio that is a bit hidden although it's right at one of the busiest intersections of the city. A great choice for a drink and munchies downtown! read more

$5 martinis? Sign me up. Gotta say, I didn't try any of the food, but the drinks were quite delicious. Service was a-ok. Um, and did I mention $5 martinis? read more

I don't know what it is, but Niche never draws me in. It's never my first go-to place when someone says they want to go out for some good food. The atmosphere throws me off a tad. I like the front, but then as you move toward the back it becomes more like a chain resto feel, with large tables in one space. And you never know if this is a casual spot or semi casual- I don't think it can decide. Their drinks, and drink menu are great. And happy hour is definitely worth it. They have many great tasty cocktails and martinis; as well as a few local beers on tap. Their food is good. Pretty average. A little cut above chain restos but not close to some other local joints. And it's a tad pricey. We got their prix fix menu the last time we were there and that was worth it for the money. I decent amount of food- 3 courses, $25. But not ordering off of that menu probably would have run you almost that just for the entree alone. I don't mind paying high prices but it better be worth it. They don't boast local ingredients or any creative recipes at all. And the service is a tad confusing. Just coming in for drinks, someone told us to grad a seat at the front. So we assumed we would be served. 10 mins later, still no waitress...so we thought maybe we had to order at the bar? But alas, as we were ordering at the bar, she came around. I have had some good service in the resto portion, a couple notables. Overall, I would say unless it's happy hour or a friend suggests it....skip over it. Head down to one of the more finer local establishments. read more

So my fiancé and I had went to Niche for nachos and upon ordering water with lemon for each of us; for approximately 20 mins or so we were forgotten about and ultimately left and went elsewhere!! Shameful read more

Happy Hour Heaven! Friday afternoon, 5pm, Niche Supper Club Lounge. The place was busy but we were seated immediately. We didn't like our table, as we couldn't sit kitty-corner to each other. When we asked to move our waitress was cool about it, no fuss no muss. You can't beat these happy hour deals. Girly drinks (doubles!) for $6.50. 1/2 price appetizers. We would comment on the $3.25 draught beer, however, the only option is Keith's, and this is not a fave. We ordered nacho's and calamari, which arrived at our table within minutes. The nachos were plentiful, covered in cheese (almost too much!) and lots of other toppings. The chips were delicious, not those thick yellowy round ones some places serve. The calamari was passable, not the best, nor the worst we have had, just deep fried and served with Tzatziki on the side. The best part: Last call comes around (happy hour ends at 6:30) and we order 4 more drinks, with 2 almost full ones on the table, and the server doesn't bat an eye! Needless to say, we left happy, silly and excited to return! read more

Niche is great in theory, but mediocre in its reality. This lounge styled venue of polished surroundings and musical endeavors are an excellent fusion of interest; however, after dining in its quarters, I cannot allot for anything particularly stand-out about Niche. With some company, I tried Niche during a Friday $5 Martini Night, as seen in an advertisement. The seating was comfy, and the music was very lounge-esque. Yet something was off... the vibe of Niche seems a bit trying. Its as if someone came up with the concept for a great lounge bar, but didn't bring the substance to back it. It just felt a bit hollow. The martinis were nothing fancy. Five dollar special or not, when I go out to order a cocktail, I expect expertise. Especially with the weight Niche puts on its martinis through advertisements. I did not opt to eat, nor was I interested. Niche is just a bit of a miss. Its got a great idea, but the backing just isn't there. A nice venue and decent service, I'd like to see this place revamp the foundation of its makeup. read more

Niche is one of my favorite places for dinner. My favorite dish is calamari with a Greek salad. The appetizers are great. The atmosphere and decor is ecclectic. I love seeing Mike Cowie and hearing jazz music. The not so great part about Niche is the breakfast/brunch. They are not cheap and what they offer is not even comparable to most breakfast places. The toast was not fresh, hard jam in the packets, the eggs and bacon were OK, and the menu selection very minimal. If they want to continue to charge the price that most other hotels charge, they need to revamp the menu. Overall, still one of my favorite places to dine but definitely not for breakfast. read more

If you're in the mood for sugary sweet "martinis" (and I mean that in the best way possible) then you should consider hitting up Niche. They have great happy hours, including $5 martinis on Thursdays. I also really like the food at Niche. They have a great brunch, lots of tasty apps and a diverse menu. I've had a couple of nice pastas and they used to have a stuffed pork tenderloin I loved. The menu has changed a bit since I last had dinner there, so I'm eager to try it again. read more

A large group of friends and I recently went here on very short notice to try to grab a group munch. We were a group of 20 plus and weren't optomistic that they'd be able to accomodate us but the staff did some serious shuffling and made it happen. The excellent customer service continued throughout the evening. The staff was fast to refill our glasses, especially to squeeze a few more in during their awesome happy hour. We all really enjoyed our meals and found the price to be quite reasonable. Perhaps that had to do with most of our drinks being at happy hour prices but either way, we were pumped. I had the lamb burger and loved it. Others with me were raving about the asparagus and prisciutto ravioli. I'd highly recommed both. I'm a bit of a calamari enthusiast....theirs was pretty good but could have been a bit crispier. Overall we had a great time. Thumbs up! read more

Ok. Soooo. Food is just ok. Beer is cheap! Except... When I got my credit card statement they added money onto my bill! I totalled it in my receipt and it was more on the credit card statement. Dodgy man. Dodgy. read more

I've eaten here twice at work events with the set menu, and it wasn't impressive either time. Our second visit was a Wednesday for 7:30pm. The atmosphere is weird - it seems like it doesn't know what it wants to be. Pub, sports bar, fine dining? Service was not good the first time we went. Our group was large, about 15 people, but had opted for the set menus, and still some people were done eating their main course by the time others were just being served. Service was better on our second visit, but the food really left something to be desired. I had a squash soup for a starter, it was supposed to have sherry, but I could not taste that or even the squash. It was very salty and mostly tasted like a bullion cube. For my main I had a turkey dinner. Like every dish, it was served with mashed potatoes and a few vegetables, with the various choices balanced on top. My turkey leg had the stuffy packed inside it, which was tasty enough, although the texture of the turkey reminded me a bit of Swiss Chalet. The menu had described it as being served with cranberries, which to me sounded like they were incorporated into the dish and would be tart, but they were actually a rather sweet cranberry sauce. Unfortunately poured over it all was gravy which seemed o have been made from one of those packaged powders you buy, and again it was salty and reminded me of an Oxo cube. I had a chocolate cake for desert which was tasty. My husband had a pastry filled apple, which I think was made from frozen. I got the impression from the waitress that there were no local beers, though she wasn't very forthcoming about what they had. I saw someone else later with a Propeller though. The drinks were rather expensive. The set menu cost $25 each for my husband and I, and we only had three beers and a pop for drinks, and the bill came to $100. The food here seems like it is mass produced chain food, but disguised as a nice restaurant. The idea of the $25 set menu is appealing, but I would have preferred simple but real food to what I got, and the drink price kept it from being cheap anyway - I have had better meals for the same price at more "expensive" restaurants. But even if the food had been good, I hated the tvs all over the place. They were distracting and killed conversation as well. read more

Niche is housed in my office building, so that's why it's often the most convenient choice for a celebratory lunch. I've been here dozens of times, and my experiences there have varied from "Hey, this is the cat's meow!" to "My mussels smell like poop. Let's go." What's consistent is the slow service. Whether the place is full or only has a few occupied table, it often takes a long time to get our food or get service from the wait staff. It's not that the wait for food is indicative of finely crafted dishes that require extensive time to concoct, because often when the food finally arrives it is lukewarm. However, I've had experiences that redeemed Niche with efficient service and fast food. So, in essence, it's a crap shoot. But be warned, if you decide to nab a spot outside, the service will slow down. It's almost as if they forget about you out there. However, if you're out for cocktails, the only thing you need to worry about is having your glass topped frequently. They have good martinis which are affordable on certain nights. The food satisfies, and for the most part is decently priced. Their dessserts shine, though, with beautifully presented cakes. Their cookies and cream cake is an orgasm on a plate. It'll remain as an adequate location for work functions, but unless their martini nights move to a weeknight when I can take full advantage without worrying about the consequences bleeding into my work day, I'll skip out on it for dinner. read more

I knew the owner Labi, when I was a little kid.. if I ran into him now I'd give him a hug and then say "Labi, why does your menu at niche have hamburger steak? Why, when I ordered a ham sandwich sandwich and soup special, did it come as luncheon meat on two slices of white with yellow mustard. Why Labi, why?WHYYYYYYYYYYY!?? Did a nursing home take over the hotel?" Then I would tell him that when I first started working in Maritime Centre in Aug 10, I had two wonderful meals. Shortly thereafter the chef or menu or something changed, I ordered the same meal and it looked completely different and tasted awful. I didn't go back for a long time. I went there for lunch today purely out of convenience. I had the grilled club - the bread was a bit over buttery for me, but some people like that. The sandwich was delish. A fried ordered the Thai chicken Salad, which the server said "everybody loves it!". She didnt really love it. Frozen, battered chicken breast doesnt always bring people joy. My other friend ordered the mushroom risotto which was fabulous but very rich. I would need a nap after eating all of that. I will go back and give it a chance here and there, but I really think they need to step it up a weeee bit. read more

I had the worst server tonight. He acted like he wanted nothing to do with us and then at the end was like "babe", "babe", "babe". After neglecting us the whole night?? He had blonde highlights and looked like David from Schitt's Creek. read more