The Press Gang Restaurant Review

This is not our special occasion restaurant, but our very special restaurant. They place great care in their menu selections and presentations.

Very disappointed. Was brought top the dingy dark lower level that i guess was supposed to look like a dimly lit classy joint but i think it was mainly to hide the spilt candle wax and cobwebs all over. The food was very pricey and half my food was lukewarm and the other half was cold. Worst place i ate at by far during my vacation in Halifax.

I went here thinking that it was just going to be a pub, I was pleasantly surprised. This place is actually beautiful inside and a little more upscale. I sort of felt as if I had gone back in time when I walked in. Everything is so clean and the decor is just beautiful. This is a nice place for a special occasion.

The Drill was one of the most fantastic meal experiences I've had in a long while

After being recommended by a friend and reading the high reviews on the internet, I came in with high expectations...only to have them crushed.

Don't get me wrong, the restaurant was visually beautiful, service was good, and the selection of whiskey was great (although a bit expensive) but the main reason I was there was for the food. The food came out fast! I ordered the Red Deer Ossobuco and the meat came out hard, dry, and lacking in flavour. Also the vegetables it came with was very salty except for the beets. The beets were fine. The polenta that the meat was sitting was also pretty decent which gave some much needed flavor to the meat. For the price of $41, I was expecting a much better than meal than what I got.

Overall disappointing experience :(

A centrally located gem in Halifax. The ambiance, decor and food is top notch. The service will ensure you are looked after. Reservations are encouraged but sitting at the bar is just as fun while dining. If you're in town make sure you stop by and have the risotto or goat pappardelle.

Great food and service. Oysters could have been shucked a bit better but otherwise it was a great meal.

Great food, great service, great ambience!! Highly recommend.

The atmosphere, service and food were all amazing. The oysters were absolutely delicious. Will be going back soon.

The Press Gang is a high end restaurant so expect experienced professional wait staff and quality dishes, but also price tags on the expressive side (ie. entrees from ~$38 to $55). This spot has a charming unique atmosphere that really reflect old Halifax well. If you like oysters, live music and whiskey this is a great place.

Atmosphere is fantastic, we were informed by the head chef that it is the second oldest building in the city. Food was awesome, everything was done perfectly, the staff were very friendly and helpful. The live music was really good, not overly loud but enough that you could make out the song. Well worth the price, will be back again.

Enjoyable food. Lobster and halibut has sophisticated flavours and good portion size. Service was up to speed with knowledgeable and friendly waiter. Establishment was clean and welcoming. In addition, the oysters were meaty and fresh. Highly recommended.

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary here and we were amazed at quality of this place. The historical location and already great reviews peaked our interest. Both the lamb and the tuna were fantastic!!! Our server was excellent. He made us feel so special. We had our own private dining area and complementary champagne! This was, hands down, one of our favourite dining experiences. We will definitely be back.

Best service I've had in the province, since moving here 8 years ago. Excellent food, excellent drink menu.

Great food and very interesting atmosphere with old stone architecture.

Very special place. Cozy and warm, with fantastic dishes, high quality food, tempting cocktails.
Update review: We went for another special dinner, and this time we were disappointed by the service. But more than that, I wrote a private message to the restaurant politely explaining the situation and my complaint, and left my email to be contacted about it, and I've heard nothing back. I expected better for a high end restaurant. Good good, good location, but disappointing service.

I honestly cannot think of anything negative to say about this place. The food and service were both excellent. The interior had a very historic and cozy vibe to it. It's clearly well-liked in the area, as we had to make reservations in advance, and it always seemed busy. I highly recommend it to anyone visiting Halifax!

Cozy atmosphere, live jazz on weekends. Food and service is great.

If you enjoy high end food and drinks this is the spot for you, live music most evenings, great atmosphere just a little more pricey.

What a great place!! Amazing food, amazing service, historic building!!!

Went for a date with the girlfriend. Cool atmosphere, and excellent foot. Prices to match. expect to spend north of 200 for a complete meal for 2 people (entree, main, desert, wine)

Curious design, good food. Service without complaints. Worth to visit

Phenomenal food and service. The oysters were magical

One of the best addresses in town. Great food. Professional and friendly service. Very nicely and comfortably furnished. Quaint ... in the vaulted cellar with stone walls. Live music with piano creates an additional good atmosphere. Outstanding were the scallops, the beef fillet and the wonderful and good desserts. Simply recommended without reservation.

Had a great time. Good rare whiskeys not on the menu, local oysters and an entertaining staff. Great place.

Honestly, came here with of couple of my girlfriends and expected the food to be great. The food was good, but it was definitely not worth $300. I found the food pretty normal and quite bland... nothing special...

Historic building, cozy atmosphere, upscale menu. Seared scallops were melt in your mouth. Excellent service.

Delicious! Salmon entree was very good, service was attentive. Recommend!

Amazing food and friendly service, highly recommend that seafood chowder

Service was outstanding. Cocktails and fresh oysters were amazing. Wine was lovely.
Unfortunately the mains we ordered were lacking. Tuna, which is supposed to be rare, overcooked and very disappointing. Halibut was just okay. Atmosphere is clearly what you are paying for.

The food and service were excellent. I found the restaurant a bit warm. We were sat in the lower section by the kitchen area so it may be the reason it was warm. Also down in that area the kitchen can be loud.

Nice atmosphere. First time at Press Gang. Downtown Halifax. Very old hand-hewn beams throughout. We ordered the Drill for two, chef s choice multi-course meal. C1- beets with grilled sea bass app. Very nice. C2- seared scallops with More

I was truly looking forward to eating at this restaurant. First, the history of the building was amazing. To be able to eat in a structure that dated back to the 1700s was thought provoking. Since I was traveling for business and was More

Amazing food, awesome dessert, interesting environment. A little pricy but a nice experience overall

Oysters v good, lounge singers some nights. Dece and varying wine list.

I have been invited there by our local suppliers and we had a good time. Oysters are very different than what I have been used in France. There are less salty and less iodine taste. Which is better for me. The Halibut was just fantastic. I did not set 5 stars because for the price it could have been much better.

My first time eating at this restaurant but was not disappointed. My app, main, dessert and cocktail were extremely good. Their menu is two thirds seafood so keep that in mind. Will definitely be back.

Called and made a reservation for burger week, specifically asking if there would be two burgers available for us when we arrived, and was assured there would be. We waited around the area for an hour, since we finished our other activities early, and went for our burgers. We were told they had sold out, and were offered nothing but an insincere apology, for wasting an hour of our time that could have been better spent doing something else. In the future, I will make sure to spend my restaurant dollars elsewhere, since Halifax has so many amazing restaurants, that offer excellent customer service, and amazing food.

I'm visiting from out of town, and I went there late one evening. The service was good. I ordered the salmon and my wife ordered the duck leg. The salmon was alright- not much taste and was quite dry. The duck leg was also very dry and had not much of a flavour. As for the atmosphere, it was nice.

Beware! This restaurant has a history of deleting bad reviews!
My family and I dined here three months ago, and we paid 180 dollars for three rotten lobsters. Do not go if you want fresh lobsters. I made a complaint directly on trip advisor and my review was deleted.
Do not go if you want a nice experience

If you think the press gang is your place to go for dinner tonight, think twice. My previous review was deleted by the press gang in fear of me telling the truth about the quality of the food, however, since I was notified that my review has been deleted, I have reported this restaurant to Restaurant and Food Inspection Services of Canada, Nova Scotia Food Safety Department, and the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia. You deserve to know what is happening with this restaurant and the food they serve.

It was back in May when my father, mother and I went for a happy dinner and we ordered a dozen oyster and three lobsters. The oysters were fine, they weren't fresh, but they are okay. My father and I had moldy and mushy lobsters that smells like chlorine and other chemicals, and it is very apparent these lobsters were dead from the tank. The reason being, my mother got a very fresh lobster and the contrast was clear.

My family did not talked about our food to each other until the day afterwards, when my dad and I couldn't stop complaining about the lobster we ate at the restaurant and my mother was confused. Since she got a perfectly good lobster, and she took a part of it home to us. After we ate my mum's lobster left over, we realized what a stark contrast this fresh lobster is compared to the mushy lobster we ate last night with strong chemical smells.

If you care about your body or your health, please do not go to this restaurant! And just be aware other reviewer's reviews might have also been deleted for the same reason as mine.

Wish you all a lovely day!

Great ambience and better food. Service was first rate too. More costly than others and worth every cent.

I found the food to be just OK, but not outstanding. I had the sirloin steak and vegetables and others in my party had fish dishes. Nothing was above average except for the prices. The ambiance is OK, kind of like being in the bottom of a ship. We didn't have oysters so I can't say anything about that, but for dinner there are better places for the money in Halifax.

It was such a good seafood chowder. The broth was excellent and there was ample seafood. The blackened sea bass dish was perfectly cooked as well.

Wow! When I heard and read about The Press Gang, I had very high expectations. I was not disappointed. We were seated and the atmosphere is very homey and cozy. The staff knew the menu well and were helpful in coming to a decision. I had the special which was a huge T bone steak that was cooked and marinated perfectly. They have a splendid osyter selection which great condiments. Their dessert is a killer, and I loved the peanut butter pie. A great place for a gathering with friends, or a romantic dinner. One of Halifax's best.

We drove four and a half hours just to eat here tonight, it's that good! We had, "The Drill" and it was everything we could have hoped for. Thank you for making our night so special!!! :D Ps. Get the peanut butter pie, you won't regret it!

It's a pricey place, but that's not surprising given the quality and the ambiance. The food is absolutely delicious and first class. Some of the best seafood in town. I've had exceptional service there. For something a little more casual, sit at the bar and order from the bar bites menu. Delicious.

Seriously top notch!
Professional, friendly service in a rustic, nautical atmosphere.
I ordered seafood, which was fresh and prepared to perfection. Absolutely delicious.

Lots of steps, should that be difficult for some diners.

Amazing oyster shooters and the Caesar salad was phenomenal!

The staff could not have been any nicer while to food was amazing.

Great fine dining experience for a reasonable price.

A wonderful meal everything was delicious. Get the halibut and make sure to sit in Eddie's section. Saunda was a superstar as well :) Thanks so much for hosting us!

I would suggest reservations. Very nice ambiance. Very attentive waiter. Food was very, very good. Tad expensive, but worth it.

Dark and cozy spot which makes you feel like you are stepping back in time. The friendly bar staff will help you pick out the most delicious oysters.

I was told to try this place, and i will definitly recommend this place. Food was nothing less than perfect, as was the service! Had a great evening there.
Very cozy place.

Truthfully I would give this place a 4.5 rating overall but Google doesn't really allow that half star ratings. The food, service and atmosphere were superb. That being said it was a bit drafty in the building and it is especially More

This is a fantastic spot! The food is high quality, everything from the oysters (my favourite spot in Halifax) to the hickory smoked butter they serve with their bread. They have a good selection of beer and fresh oysters; staff is very knowledgeable. Prices are reasonable. They have live music Friday and Saturday nights. The atmosphere is great with the bricks and beams. It does get busy here so I'd recommend a reservation if going at peak hours. You won't be disappointed!

Service was good. Their was a jazz duo playing throughout the the entire evening and they were fantastic. The food was absolutely delicious. They will impress even the most seasoned seafood connoisseur.

Kangaroo burger from The Press Gang was definitely worth the money spent! #HFXBURGERWEEK

Very good steak tonight! Also try the peanut butter pie it was excellent

Impressive architecture and friendly people. Intriguing cocktails, good wine list and a fantastic menu. Well worth a visit, even if to walk up to the bathroom and see the 18th century building techniques. Go to this place

Woah. Words don't do it justice. Worth going to find out yourself. Prices match the quality of food and service so more expensive then some restaurants but better quality then many similar priced spots.

Food was really good and service was great! Highlights were the seafood chowder (substantial and delicious) and the halibut! Ceviche didn't have a lot of flavor

a tad pretentious and treat you like second class if you're only there for cocktails. nice space though!

You have not experienced Halifax until you've dined at Press Gang!

The most amazing atmosphere with live music on weekends, and very kind staff. The food is to die for!! We had The Drill, which is the 7-course Chef's choice meal, and loved every bite! The oysters are so fresh and shucked at the bar for you to see. We have nothing but praise for this restaurant and will return to Halifax again just to eat at Press Gang. LOVED IT!

Food was good, but it was a bit on the pricey side and there wasn't much to chose from on the menu

Gahhhh!!! This place was amazing!!!!! The music, the food, the drinks - so incredible!

My wife and I stopped in for a nightcap. We had no reservations but we were able to get seated at the bad. Enjoyed the live jazz music there and even got in some dancing! The service was top notch, the atmosphere is great, and they're service of oysters in outstanding.

The Press Gang is on my list of places to go back to.

This is one of the few surviving structures from the Halifax explosion, and it's a classic Restaurant that we really enjoyed.

Pricey, yes. But you will not find food this good anywhere else in the HRM. My advice, get the drill, 5 course mystery meal. It will change the way you look at food

Lovely atmosphere in the second oldest building in Halifax (or so the bartender claimed). Great staff, great service and the food was very good. Definitely try the oysters, the have a good selection.

When I was there the staff had left the door open. I saw a mouse crawling around under the table in front of me so I asked to another table and area. Big disappointment after the manager offered to simply cover a drink off my bill after asking her what she thought of the incident. I guess she didn't appreciate me for not causing a scene in front of a full restaurant.. Somebody else def would have and it would have been not fun for them I'd imagine.

While I did enjoy the food, I thought it was pretty pricy.

This is a semi-upscale place with matching prices.

We were not assigned a server after being seated, and after half an hour of waiting, we finally hailed someone over.

The staff was extremely apologetic and quickly corrected their error. We ended up getting most of our meal on the house.

Besides the mess up, the service was fantastic and the food was even better. Overall a good experience!

One of the best restaurants in town as far as quality. Price is quite high but that comes with the reputation and quality food. If you're looking for a place with outstanding ambience and great service then this is it.

Had an awesome anniversary meal here! The table and ambience were perfect, and the live music was great. The meal was delicious. We had the lobster cake, gnocchi and risotto. Best fine dining we've experienced in Halifax! Highly recommend for a special occasion!

Great live music, wonderful cocktails, and delicious seafood. Would come back to Halifax just for this place.

Lived the decor and bartender had an amazing knowledge of all things oysters, wine and cocktails.

Always a fantastic experience! Great atmosphere, service and of course food! Try 'The Drill'! Every course is a surprise - well worth it!

Attentive service. Excellent menu. If you're a fan of high school jazz bands , then Friday or Saturday night is for you.

Overly pricey for not so great food.
Great atmosphere an old 1700 s building really cool and small. They say fine dinning.. hmmm I question that part. I personally think the food is was lacking.. There were 5 of us tonight and I had the goat shoulder. However the tiny tiny morsels of goat over shadowed by the gigantic hard to eat messy noodles. The halibut is very tasty and the gnocchi is perfectly done, however the sauce on the gnocchi is not well matched to the fish or the pasta. We all had some oysters and sure they are good can t go too wrong there, and the calamari was tasty a bit salty in my opinion. The salmon was good I sampled all 5 meals and the best was defiantly the dinner special with the mixed seafood and the puff pastry.

Heard so many great things about the food, atmosphere and history of this place. Disappointment sums up our visit. Tried to stop in for an early dinner, told they didn't open until 5:00, so we made a reservation. Host told us she could just sneak us in at the bar - no big deal we're casual. Show up for our reservation, the entire place is empty, and the host says someone cancelled and we get a table (I would hope so!). Server had a hard time remembering the 6 beers on tap, no vegetarian entrees, spouse got the seafood alfredo said the seabass tasted rotten and burnt. Staff were weirdly attentive to pick up our dishes but didn't offer us a second drink. Overall we left hungry, confused and a little bitter. We got pizza later which made up for it.

Super place. Atmosphere was awesome. Food good. Variety in foods limited. Service very attentive.