Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Field Guide

    4.2 (43 reviews)

    Field Guide Photos

    Business Info

    FIELD GUIDE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Field Guide

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Tequila + mezcal combination.
    Dan B.

    It's a 5 for me. Everything I have tried is great. Cool vibe. Top notch service. I think they have an edge on Lot 6 and Highway man for cocktails. It feels like a more personalized service. I had a chat with one of the bartenders here for a while. He made that tequila, mez, orgeat etc drink for me on 2 different occasions. Both times slightly different variations. I've never had a more delicious drink. Been a while. I have to go back here soon. One of my favourite places in HRM.

    Confited chicken wings.
    Murray W.

    I'd heard that Field Guide was a hipster haven, but I wasn't quite prepared for the levels to which it's been taken there. They've taken a lot of the interior design straight out of a field guide for modern restaurants - open kitchen, exposed filament light bulbs, milk bottles and jars for table water. Yellow and back reign on the palette, with some light woods and the....interesting choice of a plain chipboard panel below the chalkboard menu on the back wall. While EDNA across the street gets a mix of demographics, FG is all young and hipster, minus myself and my girlfriend, who comments that many people remind her of characters on Portlandia. I don't not like the vibe, but my strong sense of cynicism is feeling the weight of the clichés. The small restaurant runs long, and makes for diverse people watching on the corner of Gottingen and Falkland. They're well known now for their cocktail menu, but the strength of Nova Scotia's craft beer community is strongly reflected on their menu as well. Propeller, Boxing Rock, North Brewing, Hell Bay and Uncle Leo's all make appearances, as well as Vitamin O, which is a menu item with a shot of liquor, which deserves kudos. "When in Rome" though, so I went with a "whisky smash" - rye, muddled lemon, sugar and mint. It came in a tumbler with one of those huge ice cubes. I get that bar aficionados like them because they melt slower due to the reduced surface area, but I'm not a fan of getting hit in the mouth with ice went I'm finishing off the last few sips of my drink. That said, it was a good drink; tangy with just a hint of fresh mint, it went down with dangerous ease. The menu is all about sharing here, so we ordered a couple small plates at a time, starting off with the pork carnitas tacos and a chorizo and asparagus plate. Three delicious looking tacos came plated on a small cutting board, topped generously with green onion, red pepper, red onion and just a bit of cilantro. The pork was moist and had a nice pork flavour, and I appreciated that they didn't overload the tacos with the big punch that cilantro packs. The only downside was the slightly dry taco shells. Also, I'm steadfastly of the opinion that this city is in need of quality, fresh, corn tortillas. The chorizo and asparagus came with hunks of sausage, asparagus, pickled fiddleheads and arugula. The chorizo had a rougher texture than I prefer in a sausage, but it had a really nice spice to it without being overwhelming. The asparagus was cooked tender crisp and the arugula added its fresh, peppery bite. The fiddleheads were quite potent, with what tasted like balsamic vinegar taking front stage. For the next round we ordered their donair steam buns and confit chicken wings. Healthy stuff, I know. The little, folded steam buns with a meatloaf-like slab of donair meat, with chopped onions, tomato and donair sauce on them looked good but unfortunately the execution was a bit off. While the bun was light and fluffy, the meat was bland and lacking anything remotely similar to the donair flavour that Halifax knows and loves. The donair sauce was plentiful like any good donair, but was also lacking the garlicky-ness of the real thing, and only registered slightly sweet notes. Good hustle on this creative interpretation, but it definitely needs more refinement. I wasn't quite sure what to expect with the confited chicken wings. I was hoping for wings that were confited and finished in a fryer for a combination of ultra-tender and crisp. The pile of wings that we got were served with the sauce on and were crazy tender and flavourful, but alas no crispness. Still, very tasty and just as messy as a normal pub chicken wing. Service was friendly and very helpful over the course of the evening. Field Guide has some great ideas coming out of their bar and kitchen and with a little polishing, they'll be in the top levels of both in the city. Also if they cover up that chipboard wall.

    Lovely presentation on some classy beverages!
    Lara K.

    Delicious, tasty, they know what they're doing! Worth investigating, with great atmosphere. Had a grand time chatting with the bartender, who really knows his stuff. He used to work at the Drawing Room on the third floor of the Henry House. The food is fairly unique and all very locally sourced and fresh. Try the Big Boss cocktail, we tried all the house cocktails between a couple of us and that was the winner. I also requested something with citrus and gin, a little sweet, and got a lovely custom drink I'd love to recreate at home! The staff were super friendly, and I may change this to 5 stars in the future, but when we got there with a group of 4 we were told there was a wait for a table (they only seat 35 or so including 12 at the bar) so we got space at the bar and waited and ordered some things. When a table opened up we weren't shown to it, though I thought we would get one eventually. It was opening night so service was likely still getting ironed out, not a big deal. This place has loads of personality!

    DM B.

    I'm gonna try not to get all gushy about this place but ... well, too late, it's a favourite spot. Why ? Because after a dozen or so visits they consistently deliver on the food and beverages. A seemingly simple menu written out on a chalkboard offers delicious, innovative & fresh fare made from local sources. The well thought out cocktail selection is varied, offering something for everyone. The lighting is dim, the stereo plays great tunes and the staff is knowledgable & friendly.

    Oyster
    Joanna C.

    This place food is unique and interesting. I guess it's a bar, we order some tapas, the chef is taking 30 minute to make one dish, love the beef Capraccio. After an hour and half, with two little dishes, we decide to cancel our third dish and just go home. Thenoofle is too sour, don't like it.

    See all

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan B.
    5
    69
    6

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Ceilidh S.

    Ceilidh S.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jim C.
    70
    11
    2

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kim T.
    0
    11
    0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    The service and atmosphere was great. The food was delectable, share it with a friend and try all the things.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Dear Friend - Party Mix - Dear Friend style

    Dear Friend

    (8 reviews)

    Downtown Dartmouth

    Decided to check out one of the top bars in Canada in my hometown of Dartmouth. Downtown…read moreDartmouth had changed so much since growing up - it's now the cool place to eat and drink as opposed to somewhat sketchy in the past. Located mid way up Portland Street. Very cozy, intimate environment with an energetic crowd the night I went. Mostly bar seating although there are about 4-5 tables - the most you could probably seat are four people. Had a couple of cocktails - amazing. Food was mostly seafood and extremely fresh, prepared well and innovative - see pictures. Price was reasonable for food of this quality. Will definitely return. Tip - you should probably make reservations. There's a patio in the Summer as well

    I'd been living in Dartmouth for a couple months before I finally made my first visit (cut me some…read moreslack, unpacking takes time!), with my wife and I stopping by after work on a Friday. I'd call it happy hour, but Dear Friend is too popular and upscale to bother offering a happy hour, so let's go with the Quebecois term, cinq à sept. I began my weekend wind-down with one of their house creations, All My Rowdy Friends (Have Settled Down). It seemed fitting giving my age demographic, and it was one of the few specialty cocktails with whisk(e)y in it. With an ingredient list even longer than its irreverent title, it combines Jim Beam rye, Hennessey VS cognac, beef tallow (!!), cedar and bayberry leaf. After an impressive rundown from the bartender on the work that went into creating this drink, I thoroughly appreciated it's warmth and depth of flavour on a cool fall evening. The beef tallow made for a velvety smooth mouthfeel, without having globs of fat floating in the drink, and the cedar and bayberry added herbal undertones that contributed without overpowering. For some solid sustenance, we stuck to the bar bites section of the menu, although they do have bigger apps and full-size entrees. Marinated olives were an easy choice, while the falafels beckoned with their deep-fried crispness. To round out our trio, we had to go with the house Party Mix. The Party Mix came out first, and deviates from the classic chip mix by combining sweet and savoury, with caramel popcorn, spiced cashews and mini chocolate truffles. It was endlessly snackable, and great for having a drink at the bar over great conversation with your significant other. I'm not one for the standard black or green olives that come out of ungodly large food service containers, but I've been slowly warming up to higher tier olives, and Dear Friend's very generous bowl was a great bar snack, bordering on small meal. The dish that disappeared the quickest was the falafels. This was partially because they were so damn good and there waere four pieces, as opposed to the other two dishes. They came in finger-form, as opposed to the small pucks/balls that are more commonly seen, and the extra surface area allowed for an even crispier bite, while a delicious cashew tahini cream that lent to the familiar falafel flavour, but with a certain je ne sais quoi. That's right, French twice in one review - I'm fancy AF! Small bits of pickled cauliflower and a delicate layer of microgreens brought brighter flavours to play off the richer note of the falafel and tahini. It's now a local cliché to talk about how much downtown Dartmouth has changed over the past decade or so, and Dear Friend has been one of the standard bearers of that continued change these past few years with their thoughtfully crafted beverages and shareable bites.

    Side Hustle - Mac fries again!

    Side Hustle

    (5 reviews)

    Downtown Dartmouth

    One of the hipster restaurants in downtown Dartmouth on Portland Street. Huge interior with plenty…read moreof table and bar seating. Wasn't terribly busy the Saturday night I went - probably because between Christmas and New Years. Tried a variety of appetizers and shareable. The chicharron and Brussels sprouts were stars. The Mac fries weren't bad. Had the Hustle Fried Ride with pork belly. Beautifully presented with good flavour - rice was a bit saucier than I would have liked. Great service, nice ambience. Will go back to try their Sunday brunch!!!

    Feb 7 & Apr 18…read more Side Hustle's move to downtown Dartmouth from their original location in Cole Harbour was only just before my wife and I moved back to Nova Scotia. So unlike many places that opened during our exile in Ottawa, when we tried it out, it still felt like we were getting in on the ground floor, rather than playing catch-up to an established local favourite. The interior is sleek and modern, with warm tones of wood contrasting against a very black and white colour palette, and the pops of verdant green from the many plants are a literal breath of fresh air. Like many of its contemporaries, the menu at Side Hustle is casual but chef-ed up - a smash burger and fried chicken are approachable items, while a good chunk of the rest of the menu is either overtly Asian, or gets a dash of Asian ingredients - beef udon, fried rice and chicken wings with a fish sauce caramel, garlic and Thai chilis. The drink list has a little bit of something for everyone, but not so much that you're going to get analysis paralysis. There's several local beers and ciders on tap, plus some cans, specialty cocktails, and an assortment of local and imported wines, as well as an impressive selection of non-alcoholic drinks and NA cocktails too. Everything sounded so good, we decided to go with a handful of smaller dishes - dumplings, cucumber salad, Brussels sprouts and the Mac fries. The dumplings stayed with the classic ingredients of pork and chives. The meat was tender and juicy, with supple and pliable wrappers. A pleasant mix of lightly tangy black vinegar with the heat of chili oil added layers of flavour to the already delicious dumplings. The Brussels sprouts weren't a big serving for the price tag, but they packed in *tons* of flavour and textures with crispy shallots, mint, a smattering of Thai chilis (you don't need a lot!), and their "funk sauce". It was a little funky, a little fruity, and it did take away the crispness of the charred sprouts, but it definitely tasted good! The cucumber was a surprise hit - your taste buds get livened up with crispy shallots, chili oil, and maple tahini, while getting bursts of freshness from the bites of cuke. If I recall correctly, the Mac fries have been a mainstay of Side Hustle's menu since before their days in downtown Dartmouth, and they absolutely deliver! It's got a couple chopped up smashburger patties, cheese, special sauce that you'll get sued for if you give it a certain name, onions, pickles and good ol' shreduce. All of this was heaped on top of incredible, hand-cut fries that somehow stayed crisp to the last fry. It's a decadent dish that's shareable, but that doesn't mean you have to! On a return visit on a bustling Friday evening, we stuck to portions that were better suited to two people, although the veg was a bit more scarce this time around. I opted for the beef udon noodles, while my wife tried to resist the temptation, but succumbed to the Mac fries again. The composition of the beef udon came together fantastically. The shredded beef had the warmth of its five spice seasoning paired with a subtle but noticeable tingle of Sichuan peppercorns, some heat from chili oil, crunch and a mild funk from pickled daikon, and the thick, slurp-able udon noodles that got wonderfully coated in the aforementioned ingredients, as well as a savoury sesame sauce. Some bok choy and green onion kept this from being solely meat and carbs, but we know who the stars of this dish were. The Mac fries were once again familiar perfection, and really are much better than their namesake inspiration, as they're cooked with much more skill and don't make you feel gross afterward. Side Hustle is quickly becoming a go-to spot for us for quality casual food, and it's one of the many reasons we're loving our new Dartmouth digs.

    The Drawing Room - Love coming here. It's classy, dim & cozy. Feeling nostalgic? This is your spot. Instantly step into the 1920s,with 2015 prices.

    The Drawing Room

    (22 reviews)

    $$$

    South End

    The Drawing Room has become almost a regular piece of conversation and an assumed destination for…read moreme lately, thanks to the discovery of this secret bar on Yelp a month ago. Not yet is known about the upstairs-from-the-Henry-House bar yet other than it's wonderful decor and fancy drink menu. This isn't a beer-drinking spot, folks. This is where you go to feel important, share some drinks with a few friends and enjoy a couple hours of elegancy without feeling out of place. The Drawing Room has a timeless feel to it. You could be having a flashback to any period over the last hundred years and know that no matter what year you're in, you're enjoying it like royalty. The drink menu offers martinis, wines, and drinks of all sorts. I ordered a Burie'd Mojito, which was white rum, an assortment of berry juices and mint leaves. It was fantastic! My second drink was a vodka-based green lime drink that was just as delicious. Mind you, the drinks are $10+ so unless your wallet is loaded, don't come here to join it. Of course, the Drawing Room isn't the type of environment to get drunk but the drinks are made strong so be wary of your perception because you may be surprised once you stand up.

    This place really is as good as it gets. You walk into the Henry House and there are no signs to…read morelead you in the direction of this hidden upstair gem. Either go through the front door and keep going up or walk through the main dining room and go to the left to the staircase and go to the top and you are there. The room is dark, atmospheric and filled with exposed beams, dark leather chairs, a cozy fireplace and a menu inspired by different time periods. The bar staff is friendly and know their drinks. My favourite is a Negroni, a delicious blend of campari, gin and vermouth. A perfect place for a date night or a few drinks with some close friends.

    Toridori

    Toridori

    (5 reviews)

    Waterfront

    Located amongst the swath of restaurants at the Queen's Marque, the intriguing pan-Asian offerings…read moreat Tori Dori (including a surprising handful of gluten-free dishes) caught my eye for a pre-concert dinner with friends. It's a moderately-sized space, certainly smaller than many of its Freehand Hospitality peers at Queens Marque, but the closer, almost communal seating allows for a good number of people to dine here. The decor is quite reserved, with the ceiling actually being the show piece, as the layers of boards giving a scaled effect and a gradient of charring lending a really cool (hot?) look to the space. The menu is comprised of fancied-up twists on familiar cuisines from across East Asia, with dishes giving nods or deeply tied to countries like Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, and China to just name a few. Some of their smaller dishes were catching my eye, so I ordered the chicken and black garlic dumplings, and the mango salad, while my wife got the pho with spent hen broth. Ever since I first tried one, I've been a big fan of mango salads. The mix of flavours, colours and textures is top tier, and all in one, easily-chopsticked salad! Tori Dori's doesn't stray far from the template, with julienned mango, carrot and red onion that got a mix of heat, freshness, and savoury sweetness from chilis, mint, cilantro and a tamarind sauce. Anything with black garlic in it is bound to get me to order it, and while that unique preparation of garlic didn't feature as prominently on my taste buds as I would have liked, it did lend to a more savoury depth than chicken dumplings usually have. The tender and pleasantly toothsome wrappers held up well to their soy and vinegar dressing. The pho had a slightly more subtle broth than the beef ones that tend to be more common, but it was just as aromatic and satisfying as a good pho should be. Tender slices of chicken breast accompanied the typical pho accoutrements. The understated Tori Dori avoids the Instagram-bait vibe of some of its siblings, and delivers flavourful East Asian dishes with splashes of contemporary flair.

    I came in feeling under the weather and craving something hot and spicy to fix me up--this place…read moredelivered. The chicken pho was excellent: flavorful, comforting, and exactly what I needed. I asked for extra red chilies and soon found myself sweating, tearing up, and convinced that all this spice was curing my itchy throat. I was the only one in the restaurant at the time, so I hope nobody caught me blowing my nose and sweating it out at my little table--but honestly, I was in the zone, healing myself with every bite. Service was very attentive, and the staff were genuinely kind. The space itself is beautiful, modern, and welcoming. I'd absolutely recommend this spot if you're looking for great Asian food along the waterfront.

    Field Guide - newcanadian - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...