A local favourite, and for good reason! This cozy spot has a fun atmosphere, great staff, and…read moreabsolutely delicious food and beer. We both went with the fish & chips, and you can choose fried or baked -- we went fried. Our server recommended upgrading the fries to Newfoundland style (bread crumbs and gravy on top), and wow... well worth it! The fish was super fresh and flavorful. For drinks, we tried the famous Iceberg beer from Quidi Vidi Brewery, brewed with 15,000-year-old iceberg water. While the concept is really cool and unique to Newfoundland, the beer itself was honestly a bit mid in my opinion. I'd recommend trying other brews from Quidi Vidi instead. Overall, we had a great time here -- fresh food, cozy vibes, and a true local staple. Can definitely see why both tourists and locals love it!

I think the Duke has my favorite flannel... lost it somewhere in ST Johns, thats how good of a time…read morewe had here. During our stay we came several times and met some interesting characters. The overall atmosphere in this place is amazing and I do love going to a place that I see in shows and movies... Bar tender was very nice and my wife and I chatted with her quite a bit between the endless beer orders. Definitely come to this place!

Gayle and I were walking back from dinner and live music on George Street, when we happened by a…read moresign outside of Erin's Pub about an Irish music trad session that as it turned out was in progress. So we came in, took a seat at the bar, ordered a couple pints of Guinness (the best pour in St. John's we were told), and listened to several musicians around a big table churn out a number of traditional tunes. Another Irish word for this is seisiún or session. It was very relaxed and informal, with individual musicians starting a tune and others quickly joining in. Gayle and I really felt part of a local crowd of very nice and hospitable Newfoundlanders. A significant percentage of Newfoundlanders come from Irish descent. That started in the 17th Century when ships from the English West Country stopped into along Ireland's south coast to collect food and servants for the fisheries around the coast of Newfoundland. As such, the traditional music of Newfoundland and Labrador is rooted in Irish, Scottish, and English music. The Bar itself has a sort of local divey vibe, with dark woods, a cool bar, no pretense, and even a 24-hour camera screen on Quidi Vidi. It was a place where we really enjoyed staying awhile, which we did until this Celtic jam session was over.

Somehow this turned out to be pretty incredible. While practically all bars in St. John's are…read moresimilarly Irish and quite casual, Erin's is a standout. For all that is said (and really overstated) about Newfoundlanders being the nicest people in Canada, I actually had that friendly experience here more than at other bars in the city. (As an outsider, you can be easy to spot.) The bartender was friendly and on the ball. The live music was impressive. The artist who played (July 2?) was furiously devoted to continuously cranking out great music. The local patrons were generally lively and willing to engage in conversation with outsiders.

Nice views and friendly service for lunch. We found our turkey panini and sweet potato fries to be…read moreextremely tasty. Very enjoyable visit.

Excellent ipas and perfect fried cod. Busy, but staff didn't forget us. Live music, views, and a…read morevery satisfying vibe. Not sure about navigating summer crowds, but enjoyed it in mid-May.

We thoroughly enjoyed this quaint Gastropub on an unassuming corner of Duckworth street. We…read morehappened to arrive right when they opened at 11am, and we were able to select from their brunch or lunch menu. Hubby and I both ordered from their lunch menu. I had my eye on the PB&J burger that I had seen on Yelp, as peanut butter is my favorite thing ever! This burger did not disappoint. While the combo sounds strange, the flavors were well-balanced with the brie cheese, caramelized onions and bacon. The meat was cooked to a perfect medium and the hamburger bun was soft. I chose the kettle chips for my side, and they tasted house made. Very delicious! The only thing I didn't like about this burger was the price tag = $22. Hubby had the seafood chowder for $17 and it was enough for a full meal. He said the chowder was very flavorful and full of seafood. He was in heaven! We both ordered a Quidi Vidi 1892 amber ale on draft. They only had 7 beers on tap and I wished that they had a medium or dark beer, but this area doesn't seem to be big on that. They do have Guinness in a can, if that's your thing. Service was friendly and the food came out relatively fast. The booths were comfy and the pub reminded me of a cozy neighborhood bar. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!

Every visit back home, I always make a stop at BSG. Everything I've ever ordered here has been…read moresolid and flavorful. The staff is warm and inviting with an incredibly cozy atmosphere.

Come from away, leave as an honorary Newfoundlander…read more.... Christian's Pub is where I was "screeched in". Gayle skipped being in the ceremony, but watched enthusiastically as we both had a great time. Plus enjoying a couple of wee pints of Guinness ahead of time was a great starter. After all, Christian's Pub is a cool bar and lounge in itself. As legend has it, an American serviceman stationed in Newfoundland during the Second World War downed some local rum one night and let out a 'blood-curdling howl'. Someone nearby asked what that awful yell was and a Newfoundlander sitting at the bar said, "The Screech? 'Tis the rum, me son." And that's how Screech earned its name. I now have the certificate as an Honorary Newfoundlander. But first the ceremony! That involved a shot of Screech rum, flambé bologna, kissing the codfish (a real frozen one), receiving a a personalized certificate, and taking a photo with Skipper Lukey. Joining me that Sunday evening were people from all over the world, all of us having a great time. It was a whole lot of fun and Skipper Lukey put on a show that was also thoughtful, folksy, and educational, all in just under 30 minutes. Other George Street bars do this, but Christian's was the only one that another businesses on the street recommended. And Hell Yes! I'd do it again.

Every visitor "from away" must be Screeched in. It's the law. Being from Newfoundland myself, I had…read moreto use this opportunity to have my younger brother and partner Screeched in on our recent trip home. Christian's, being the oldest pub in St. John's on one of the oldest streets in North America seemed like the perfect place. Now, Christian's is no fancy joint, so let that be known right away. It's charming and a little edgy. Drinks are poured with love, and hope you're not hungry because you're lucky to get a bag of crisps. Or maybe a piece of flambéed bologna! But it's all served up with the typical Newfoundland charm. Fast forward to the Screeching in... Skipper Lukey is impressive! Memorizing everyone's name (all 40 or so guest) during our ceremony. Adding in his rough around the edges reminders on how the process works. You better be good at following instructions, because Lukey will remind you, not so gently, if you're out of line. All in good fun, I promise! Respect the ceremony and keep chatter to a minimum. It's a sacred duty to Screech in mainlanders after all. Overall a great experience and I highly recommend it to anyone and their group looking to become an honorary Newfoundlander!

Such a wonderful spot, full of nice people and great music, my wife and I had so much fun in here…read more On this night it was the bartenders anniversary for working behinfd the bar, I feel like he had been ther for 25 years, maybe it was 50 years, but he was too young for that- great guy! My wife and I ended up buying a few rounds for guys that were having trouble getting the bar tenders attention- tons of fun!

We were off to a difficult start because we ordered drinks but it took at least 15 minutes to get…read morethem. I don't know why. How long can a beer take? They didn't have any pale ale so our server suggested an 'Rielly's lagar but it tasted more like a pilsner. I'm really not that hard to please but that's how it was. Once the drinks arrived the food also came shortly thereafter. The server apologized for the delay in bringing the drinks. That helped but this is a pub so if they can't get the drinks out there is a problem. My fish and chips were good. My guests were pleased with their dishes. This is a very popular establishment so for that reason alone I would recommend it. Our meals were good and it was really just the strange delay in getting our drinks that put us off. There is live music with a local flair. Interestingly many of the patrons were older folks. I don't know what to read into that. Perhaps it's the folksy music. Three stars because of the mistakes made in bringing our drinks, being out of common items, etc.

Really delayed review as my visit was back in July. Our first meal after we landed in St. John's…read more We came straight to Mallard Cottage from the airport to celebrate a special anniversary dinner. I'm glad we had the dinner menu because I had no idea the brunch menu didn't have any seafood (from looking at the prior review). We had the rack of lamb, cod tongue, mussels, and carrots. I never had cod tongue before this, so I had no idea what to expect. It's hard to describe the taste, but it's more like a fish nugget in a way, that resembles a hybrid fish and a somewhat scallop-like texture. I really enjoyed it. They even gave a cheesecake on the house since it was a special occasion for us. I love the charming little restaurant and décor, and we were seated overlooking a window. We didn't make any reservations; we just landed and went straight to the restaurant on a weekday night closer to 8pm. Though it's just as easy to book a reservation on Yelp. The service was also friendly and attentive. I would definitely recommend this spot for dinner.

We had a great dinner at Mallard Cottage! The staff was warm and welcoming, and they were happy to…read moreanswer questions and provide recommendations. We were seated in the original cottage room, which was quiet and comfortable. We ordered the cod tongues because we'd never tried them before. We were told they were quintessential Newfoundland, so we figured we'd give it a shot. They were lightly fried and crispy, which was nice. I thought they had a similar texture to a fried oyster. Paired with the delicious lemon thyme aioli, we enjoyed them! We also shared the duck breast and a few sides: the asparagus and the carrots. We enjoyed it all, particularly the duck breast. The foragers puree of the day was a blend of mushrooms, which very nicely complemented the duck and the parsnip puree. This dish was a lovely balance of textures and flavors. We also had some nice chocolate mousse for dessert, which was paired with blueberries. It was enjoyable, but the definite highlight of the meal was the duck!

We've been in St. John's for two days and we've been here twice already. Come for a late lunch and…read morehad the seafood soup, it was lovely and flavorful. Lindsay and her staff are absolute gems, you can tell they care for the pub and the customers. The vibes are perfect and what you would want in a pub called The Ship. We'll be back before we leave to go home.

Great food, and always new specials every week including dessert. Nice little place, sometimes they…read morehave bands playing or open mic. The waiter Chico is super friendly and always nice to talk to. The service is always fast and food is always hot.

Tasty range of beers with a focus on the local/regional, though I discovered not everything listed…read moreon the QR menu might actually be available. The food choices are pub grub with focus on burgers. I had the bulgogi burger -- it was a loose riff on that inspiration, but I appreciate the creativity, it was delicious regardless. Not huge, but sort of modern industrial feel on the inside, and a bunch of picnic tables in a nice outdoor space.

Staff and service was very good, food was pretty good too but I have to say that I have had…read morebetter. Being in St. John's for the past several days I took a break from Cod and just settled for a burger. Burger was very good, but the fries were not good at all. Thin and totally overcooked. They were almost tough and hard to eat. Perhaps I just had a bad batch. My wife had a root veggie salad and it looked like mostly a bowl of romaine. She liked it though and also liked her beer. Would I go back? I don't think so, would I recommend it? I think I would. Staff were great and everyone there seemed to enjoy the beer.

Pretty sure this place is on George Street?…read more Anyway, great beer specials..$1.75 on Thursdays..the place is usually packed..good crowd Perhaps the best place on George

Does not get any better than this place. Unreal beer prices...I think $1.35. Great bands and…read morefriendly staff. Cool, hip young crowd. What a fun great place to hang out and have a beer at.