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)

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.

Very yummy West Indian food at the Halifax Seaport Farmers Market. I have tried both the chicken…read moreand veggie roti, both are very flavorful and pleasantly spicy. Lots of hearty meat and vegetables make the roti quite filling, but make sure you save room for the doubles. A sort of soft dough fritter served with curried chickpeas and tamarind chutney, makes dealing with the crowded market totally worth it!

Our server was dialed in. Had great recommendations. Was money on everyone. Had the 3 guacamole and…read morea pork pastor taco. Delicious

It was my second time there, and really enjoyed sitting at the bar. Down to earth and friendly…read morestaff! Loved the 3 salsas and choices of hot sauces - all greens favorites for me :) keep up the great atmosphere, food and service! Quesedillas and Lake city cider - A visitor from Montreal!

Obviously no attention to detail as ordered tacos with cheese- no cheese/ ordered salsa on the…read moreburrito bowl- where's the salsa? Seriously

I love the chicken Burrito so much and the mango sour cream. Their burritos are jam packed with the…read moregoods. Great portions and service.

One of the first meals that my wife and I had in Dartmouth when we were doing some AirBnB-based…read morerecon on the neighbourhood we would eventually move to, was El Este. Their tacos made for top tier takeout while watching The Roast of Tom Brady, and in subsequent visits as well. As quaint as their small shop on Albro is, I was excited for both them and my taste buds when I heard that they'd be opening a second restaurant in downtown Halifax in the old Starbucks location on Barrington. My wife and I stopped in with some friends after Curated's cider festival for more substantial sustenance than what we'd had that afternoon. The space is an order of magnitude larger than the OG spot, but it's just as colourful and lively, if not more, with a La Catrina mural taking a place of prominence behind the bar (yes, they're licensed!). This location has a slightly bigger menu than the Dartmouth location, so I opted for something that isn't a regular menu option on my side of the harbour - a torta. These hearty Mexican sandwiches are essentially taco ingredients with more veg that are thrown in a supple bun, and if you're thinking "That sounds friggin' delicious!", then you'd be absolutely correct! The plentiful shreds of brisket were moist and tender without being mushy, and packed a deep, earthy flavour. Shredduce and pickled red onion brightened up the picture, as did a layer of spice from the habanero salsa. I don't know if it was baked in-house or not, but the bulilo bun was pleasantly chewy and held up well against its precious cargo. A return visit had me diving into the taco section of the menu. I had a light lunch so I doubled down on taco orders - one of the Baja-style fish, and then mix and matched the next two, getting shrimp for one and barbacoa for the second. Each plate of tacos comes with a side (this isn't well advertised on the menu), so instead of getting a ridiculous amount of corn chips, I got rice and beans for one of the plates. When my food arrived, I quickly dug into the fish before the batter had a chance to soften. The beer batter was light and crisp, and not too bulky - this was a fish taco, not a batter taco. The fish itself flaked easily and wasn't at all mushy. Shredded lettuce, pickled red onion and a crema made for a light, but flavourful taco. The side of house-made nacho chips were wonderfully crunchy, with a nice little dusting of seasoning to give them a little pep. My second batch of tacos did not disappoint either! The shrimp were plump and had a pleasant snap, without being rubbery. Their chipotle sauce was deeply rich and savoury, with a little bit of spicy bite to it. The barbacoa was equally well-executed, with the moist bits of beefs still maintaining crispy edges. Both tacos were minimally-topped, with traditional toppings of diced onion, cilantro and salsa roja. The rice and beans which came with my second duo of tacos were solid if somewhat forgettable, although some strands of pickled red onion brought more flavour to the show. I also had a house-made iced tea, which had a light fruity edge to the tea, without being too sweet, which I really enjoyed. It was a much-needed balance to those extra doses of Valentina's that I was adding to my food! I've been an advocate for El Este's tacos since my first bite, and now that they've expanded, I'm sure there will be many more bites to come.

Very good food and service was very good. Even had recommendations for my picky 12 year old that…read moredoesn't like spice. Very casual but delicious option.

I used to always come here to get a pulled pork burrito- love it- all the options n saucesread more

@jasonsalwayshungThis big ass burrito cured my hungry problems big time! As I watched the creation…read moreof this beast the ingredient and sauce game kept getting more complementary and complex, the large whole wheat tortilla wrapped up Canadian Pulled Pork with a secret Jax Sauce a mix of warm south western flavours next the lettuce, spinach, smashed and black beans on Mexican rice mixed in with marble cheese and pickled onions as the sweet potato and corn joined i was in awe..guacamole, diced tomato and jalapeño the picante cranberry-pico, finished with mole and mango sour cream this was a certified banger 9.3#halifax #novascotia #canada #alwayshungry #foodcritic #foodie #worldjuniors