Granted we didn't have reservations on a Monday night and few restaurants were open along Main Street at 7:00 pm, so we didn't expect the best seats in the house on this summer evening. Fortunately, after a 10-minute wait outside, the hostess offered us a table-for-two inside. The majority of guests sat at tables under the outside awnings while a singer entertained diners. We waited a bit for menus and water to arrive and even longer for a server to take our orders. This night was tapas night (small plates), and surprisingly exactly what we wanted. We ordered rather expensive lavender lemon drop cocktails, which was fine although we failed to taste much of the lavender. Then came the zucchini soup with bleu cheese, quite nice except we missed the cheese unless it had been melted into the broth. Finally the artichoke/lobster dip with toasted bread arrived. In the interim, we ordered jalapeño margaritas that never arrived. The server offered them on the house after we had finished our meal, yet we declined since we had wrapped up our evening there. The artichoke/lobster dip, mostly artichokes and mayo (and perhaps Parmesan cheese with wee bits of lobster), was pleasantly good. Overall, had we made reservations and the staff had not been overwhelmed with many diners, our experience might have been better. read more

Mateus Bistro - Zucchini soup with bleu cheese unless - Canadian (New) Near Me - Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

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This is one of two above-average restaurants in we ate at in Mahone Bay. Their seafood and pub grub are all excellent. They have a good wine and beer list and the service was great. We ate here twice during a recent stay in Mahone Bay and both meals were excellent. read more

Excellent burger, good coffee (French press), tasty dessert. Lots of outdoor seating, although the tables and chairs left something to be desired. read more

Seafood Chowder was the best we have had hands down! Nice serving size and toped with two muscles! Shared half a haddock burger and was equally divine. read more

Nice location. Warm restauarant. Live music outside so the patio was unfortunately full, but inside was lovely too. Amazing menu. I could come her agian because there was so many different things to try. Our server was professional and friendly. Very welcoming with our child in a wheelchair. The mussels were probably one of the best I sampled on this three week trip. The Thai Curry Cream sauce is the bomb. Kiddo wasn't so hungry so she went with the surf and snort which is pork belly on egg noodles with seared salads. Beautiful to look at and kiddo loved the flavours. Hubby went with the panko crusted haddock. Again beautifully plated. Well flavoured. I went with the Halibut that was seared wtih a chimicurri risotto. So fresh. So beautiful. So Delicous. Great cocktails too. I went with the 75 firs. Lovely Totally recommend it. read more

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Great little gem... local recommendation and very good food. Service was very good too... lovely time was had by all who attended. Great looking place with nice appointments. read more

Beautifully prepared menu and dishes. Never disappointed. For our budget, more suitable for special occasions. But a delight nevertheless!

Cute place. Small restaurant in an old house. Not the most attentive waitress -They didn't seem to have enough staff. I ordered the panko haddock and my husband ordered the beef stroganoff. It was so delicious. Not huge helpings (i usually end up bringing home leftovers). The stroganoff sauce was thin but scrumptious - I could taste the wine. The haddock was served with asparagus and mashed potatoes. Could have used a little more tartar sauce. I loved it all. Would come back. read more

Mateus Bistro - Panko crusted haddock. Yumm! - Canadian (New) Near Me - Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

We ate here after a long day of traveling. Ambiance was perfect, even in the hot summer evening the live music, friendly, welcoming waitstaff, delicious food made a perfect ending to a long day. read more

Great place to have lunch! The staff is so friendly and they have a nice outdoor patio. We sit there and order some local beer to start with, followed by fresh fish cooked on a BBQ outside on the patio! Tasty and full of flavor dishes! Must try! read more

Mateus Bistro - Canadian (New) Near Me - Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

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We like to go play tourist, and last year when doing so in Mahone Bay we stumbled upon this cute little spot. We sat on the deck, had a lovely light lunch of local fare and added Mateus to our list of favourite out-of-town spots to eat. Based on that experience we were excited to go back and try it again. Alas. Today's experience was not quite so wonderful. It was about 2 pm on a holiday Monday when we arrrived. The place was busy, and the waitress, who looked a little flustered, invited us to seat ourselves. We chose an indoor spot (to take advantage of the air conditioning ) and the wait began. About 10 minutes after sitting, the waitress asked If we'd like water while we waited for someone to take our order. Normally I expect water to be automatic, especially on a hot day like today. We were delivered 1/2 full glasses of water and began the next wait. We were not in a rush by any means, but we did feel a little ignored, Troy mentioned that he was not exactly getting a warm and fuzzy feeling and reluctantly I had to agree. Several minutes later our order was finally taken. The waitress apologized that she was unable to answer some of our questions, but added that it was her first lunch shift. We totally understand that there's a learning curve and tried to put her at ease. Troy chose the Tostada with chicken, I had the mussels in wine and garlic. We decided to share the bread sticks with cheese dip. Although it was busy, once our order was placed it didn't take too long for it to arrive at our table. I ordered the large mussels and I wasn't let down. The portion size was good, and the flavour was fantastic ( maybe a little on the salty side, but I'm a Newfie so that doesn't phase me). We both agreed that the bread sticks were a little odd. The cheese dip was delicious, a fondue of assorted cheeses with great flavour, served in a tea light - warmed cauldron. The bread, however, was a little too chewy. It reminded me of oversized homemade croutons, more chew, less crunch, and not absorbent enough to really pick up the cheese sauce. A few slices of good baguette would have been miles better. The real disappointment, however, was Troy's tostada. one of the tortillas was burnt. Not just charred ( as is the sign of a well-grilled tortilla), but black. The decimated side was placed inwards so it wasn't visible, but as Troy noted, the taste of burn overwhelmed everything... it's not something you can hide. Troy brought the burn to the attention of the waitress, who apologized profusely, but to the best of our knowledge did not bring it to the chef's attention. There was no compensation on the bill. It left Troy with a bad ( burnt) taste in his mouth. Despite the fact that we had no alcohol, (just coffee and an iced tea), the meal came to over $60. For that price at lunch I would expect excellent service, mind-blowing food, and an experience to remember. Unfortunately this was none of the above. Do we go with our initial experience and try Mateus again or do we listen to today's experience and try elsewhere next time? I place high value in the fact that this restaurant uses local food and tries to pull off freshness and creativity without aiming to be pretentious. That said, today's experience overshadowed those qualities. Perhaps it was just a bad day. I'm willing to give Mateus the benefit of the doubt. That said, Mahone Bay has other interesting looking spots that we may have to check out next tine around. read more

Mateus Bistro - Mussels, Bread sticks, and Tostada with chicken. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

Ordered a steak, tastes good. $$$ A small restaurant. Service is good. The only steak they offer is tenderloin. With seafood sauce on the steak, the taste is special. Worth to go and give a try. read more

Mateus Bistro - Tenderloin Steak - Canadian (New) Near Me - Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

This is one of the few nicer restaurants that are open during the winter months. If you're a larger party of people, it's definitely advisable to call ahead since it's a small establishment and tables fill up fast. The indoor and outdoor decor is very eclectic and cool. There's all sorts of local art hanging from the walls. It's an old building, which contrasts nicely with the more modern touches they added to the place. It has a very maritime-ey feel (I made that word up). It's also very cozy; especially like on a cold night with sleet falling like it was. Among the typical Atlantic coast fare on the menu, there is also a nice variety of Slovak food, which I've heard is delicious (because the chef is Slovak). We ordered a variety of dishes, so could compare notes. Our favorite appetizer was the Mexican scallops and pork belly. It was delicious and had the most decent portion size of all the appetizer dishes. I had the beef tartar, which had a very unique taste, but was quite tiny. For the entrée, I had the special of the night which was Atlantic trout with scallops, shrimp and hollandaise sauce. The fish was really good, though I wasn't much into the vegetables that accompanied it (bok choy was slimy). My sister ordered the steak. On the menu it says "rib eye", but they had none of that in Stock and so we're serving striploin. She ordered it medium rare, but it came out well done.. They fixed that up quickly. They have a large and varied dessert menu. Definitely larger than most restaurants I had been to. So I would recommend saving some room for that. I'd definitely visit again.. Next time in the summer though to compare. read more

Mateus Bistro - Cozy on a rainy evening - Canadian (New) Near Me - Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

We had dinner at Mateus last Saturday after strolling the shops of mahone bay. The meal was awesome! We started with Dem Breadsticks which is a delicious cheese I fondue with crusty toasted French bread sticks for dipping. Yum!' We both had the steak which was thick and tender as our main. They had lovely live music )which was at just the right volume) Would highly recommend this spot !!! read more

Beautiful location and seating very comfy. Greeted immediately by a beautiful and friendly hostess. The menu is fabulous and great offerings and gets your tastebuds going. We had the chowder, halibut and burger. All were cooked perfect. For dessert we had the cheese cake, don't skip it. read more

Mateus Bistro - a drink in a glass with a straw - Canadian (New) Near Me - Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

Appetizer, 5/5: We started off with the mussels. We ordered the 'small' plate of mussels and were not disappointed, as the portion size was great. The mussels were fantastic. They were large, and the sauce was outstanding. I believe it was a Thai sauce, anyways the waitress mentioned people travel from abroad just to have these mussels, and I can see why. Entree: 4/5: we both ordered the burger. The ingredients were locally sourced and fresh. The buns were a little stale/crunchy, and tough to bite into. Overall a unique and interesting take on a hamburger. Service, 3/5: the waitress was nice, but far too busy. Our waters remained empty the whole time. We felt kinda forgotten about to be honest! The waitress did end up apologizing about her service. read more

Mateus Bistro - Canadian (New) Near Me - Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

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Loved this place. Chowder was amazing, nice and light but still flavorful with big ole chunks of lobster. Small and personal, with a nice outdoor patio. The whole thing has a cozy and welcoming feel. The chef came out multiple times to bring dishes and ask how we liked things. We were there on a Monday and there was some lovely live music, a great surprise. Everything was fresh and flavorful, not to be missed. read more

Recipes are a bit hot or miss. The patio is nice enough if you don't mind the street noise. On the night we were there, the service was haphazard though the teenage waitresses were trying hard to keep up with the orders. The problem was in the kitchen where the chef was not turning out the dishes for each table at the same time. This is a fatal service flaw that needs to be corrected immediately. Most of our party of six found their dishes to be unexceptional and not particularly good value for money. However, given the limitations on restaurant choices in Mahone Bay, this is as good as it got this summer. read more

Good food and great friendly service.We had a haddock sandwich as well as a Reuben. Tried out the local beer on tap which was very good.

Delicious food, wonderful atmosphere, and a great patio! Mateus Bistro was our first stop upon arriving in Mahone Bay and, boy, did Mateus deliver. The restaurant is located in a quaint home just off the waterfront. The interior of the restaurant has a cozy, refined, and intimate vibe that is perfect for a date night or a dinner with friends. The patio shares that vibe. When we arrived at Mateus, I was in the mood for a burger and I got exactly what I wanted - a thick, juicy burger with tons of flavor, delicious aioli, gooey cheddar cheese, a fried egg, and, oh yes, bacon! My mouth is watering as I write this. My burger was accompanied with a fresh salad that had a light vinaigrette dressing - the perfect complement. My fiancé ordered the mussels in Thai curry (you also have the option of a wine sauce). I am not a shellfish fan, but I did ask to try the Thai curry, which was absolutely delicious. It was sweet and light with a subtle spicy kick, job well done. Mateus also has a great wine list and an equally appealing cocktail menu. Before we left Mateus, we had to try the Rhubarb Cake after drooling while watching the table beside us savor each bite. It was out of this world delicious! Perfectly moist, sweet, lightly iced, a tangy compote, and fresh berries comprise this heavenly dessert. So good! If you ever find yourself in Mahone Bay, you must spend an evening at Mateus for dinner, you will not be disappointed - we certainly plan to return on future trips! read more

AMAZING! A friend and I recently stopped in for lunch on our road trip of the south shore and man, are we glad we did! I ordered the house smoked chicken club sandwich and my friend had fish. The flavours were amazing and the only disappointing part was that we finished it. We joked that we should order another meal to go... and we were both only half-joking. We are STILL talking about how delicious the meal was. She wants to come back from Ottawa just to eat there again! read more

Great oysters with pickled onion Super chowder Five dollar monday night wine And carbonara with halibut Great service Met the chef and family Great start to the week read more

Disclosure - I grew up with the chef Matthew. I only figured out this was his restaurant some years later. On a visit to the Chester area this summer we decided to visit and have returned 4 more times. Local foods and seasonal, they balance casual and upscale quite ably. From brunch, dinner and dessert everything has plenty of taste. Simple and complex. Prices are reasonable and service excellent. I have recommended this to at least a half dozen people and everyone has had a tasty experience. Worth a visit! read more

Mouth watering food. Polite and effecient staff. The food was laid out nicely and was very enticing. I've been back many times since my first a great place for dinner or lunch read more

We spent several weeks in September, 2017 based in Mahone Bay during a sailing trip. This is, by far, the best restaurant in Mahone Bay. We ate here at least 4 times, maybe 5. The staff was really friendly and efficient. One meal there was a mistake with an order but they more than made it up to us. The dishes I enjoyed most were mainly fish: haddock and halibut prepared in a variety of ways but my friends had other dishes and enjoyed them. The chowder is excellent. They have a grill night every week that is very good and often have music. I highly recommend. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Mateus Bistro! The restaurant has an eclectic coffee shop vibe, local art on the walls and dark wood Etc. The service is casual and friendly. The food was superlative. I had the halibut special which was lightly seared with lots of peppery spices on a bed of Mediterranean Orzo Salad. The salad was delightful. It had more veggies than pasta all in a zippy light sauce with an olive oil base. The veggies were quite finely chopped but it manages to be warm yet a bit crunchy at the same time - a perfect accompaniment to seafood. My husband had Panko crusted haddock and was very happy with it. My creme brûlée was actually warm inside which seldom happens.... The food is a five but the only thing is that the chairs on the patio were a three. read more

My husband and I ate dinner at this restaurant and were very disappointed. First, we were plagued by flies --and killed several around our table but noticed there were many more in the restaurant, as well as a couple in the washroom. Our meals were mediocre. The bean and lentil burger was flat and nothing special. Worst of all were the potato wedges--4 small wedges, oily, soft, and overcooked. And it was expensive. Maybe they were having an off-night, but we will not return there, with several much better options in Mahone Bay and Lunenburg. read more

Perfect in every way imaginable. The setting. The service. The food. The food! Mahone Bay is a favourite of ours in our travels in Nova Scotia. A very beautiful waterfront scene with nice shops and eateries. Set next to a creek outlet, Mateus is in an ideal setting. The patio is absolutely perfect, near the smokers that are used to turn out awesome smoked meats, under trees and umbrellas. A great band was playing when we were there: folksy, bluesy, just right for a relaxed lunch. We were kindly greeted and told it would be a very short wait. Our server, Luke, was helpful and very kind. Always attentive. The No Boats on Sunday cider was a great recommendation from him. But the highlight was the the food. The pulled pork tostada was great, with the aforementioned home-smoked pork. They were accommodating and made a shrimp tostada (for a surcharge). The kicker was an absolutely unforgettable clam chowder - lots of "stuff" in it, great flavour but not overdone. Next a large portion of Thai spiced mussels. Also very good. For dessert, the flourless chocolate cake was certified as awesome. read more

While the food is delicious and what you would expect from a fine restaurant, the restaurant itself is EXTREMELY noisy so don't expect a fine dining experience. It has the atmosphere of a loud bar with live music so loud you cannot talk with, let alone hear your dinner companions. Granted, the table we were stuck at should never have been a table since it was too close to the music. When I pay almost $500 for seven of us to have a nice meal, I expect to be able to hear my dinner companions and speak to them without yelling at them. Great food but horrible atmosphere, extremely disappointing since I had heard so many good things about the food. I cannot recommend this as a fine dining experience but If you are looking for an expensive, loud bar with great food, this is the place for you. read more

This place is excellent! There is a nice outdoor patio. The staff is very friendly. I had one of the best hamburgers I have ever had! All of the other food I saw looked incredible. read more

One of two excellent restaurants in Mahone Bay (along with Oh My Cod)...Ate outside and were entertained with an excellent folk trio that evening. The thai mussels were truly excellent....the red curry sauce was eaten by a spoon long after the mussels and grilled bread were consumed. Excellent seafood chowder in an area where that item appears on every menu. Perfectly prepared grilled fish (halibut fillet, if I recall). A really nice Haskap margarita (a local berry that goes great with tequila). Finished the night with a rich, moist dark chocolate and cherry concoction that we were still talking about the following week...Check this place out. read more

We made a little side trip to Mahone Bay on our way back to Halifax, randomly walked into Mateus Bistro, and are so glad we did! My husband had their mussels in white wine as an appetizer and loved it so much he asked for more bread to finish the sauce. I had their daily soup which was unique and delicious. The main courses all looked so delicious that it was hard to decide but my husband had their duck breast done 2 ways (the special for the evening) and I had the halibut with lobster. I think this was the best meal we had during our 3 week visit to Nova Scotia! The good was great and the service was excellent! They have a nice selection of wine and beer to pair with their food as well. If you travel to this to the area, be sure to stop at this Bistro; you won't be disappointed! read more

We spent an incredible September evening on the deck under warm skies at Mateus Bistro. We loved the look of the deck and did not mind the road close by as it was screened off by natural vegetation that added to beauty of the location. But we were there to eat and we enjoyed everything we tasted from pork belly with blueberry sauce to oysters, to shrimp, scallops in succotash, panko haddock, clams in pasta, rack of lamb and beef tenderloins. The cocktails were delicious, wines were delicate and finally the cheese tray paired with apple wine was a real hit. The service was wonderful and Chef Matt made us feel at home in this quaint and lovely location. We are returning soon. read more

My friend and I shared the lobster crepe and the greek burger. They were both good but the lobster crepe was the best, very rich and creamy.

Excellent food, thoughtfully prepared and featuring locally sourced ingredients. A charming setting - purple and yellow cafe by the sea. Highly recommended. The food is not just tourist fare, it actually tastes good! read more

Every year a friend and I go to Mahone Bay for the Annual Scarecrow Festival, and three years ago we were looking for a nice not formal but not pub place to have a late dinner. We tried Mateus Bistro and were happy that at 9pm we could still be seated and have a meal. I have a severe allergy to seafood, and when I told our waitress this, the owner and head chef came to our table and assured me that he would make my meal, use pots and utensils that had just come out of the dishwasher, and he would not only wear gloves but also cover his work space with parchment to insure that no residual oils would contaminate my food. (Amazing). The food was so good that we went back the next day for lunch. The prices are very reasonable, portions generous and they have some amazing drinks that are exclusive to Mateus Bistro. The next year we went to Mahone Bay, we had dinner on Friday at Mateus Bistro, Lunch on Saturday, and Brunch on Sunday. Absolutely without hesitation this is a destination restaurant. The Owner and head chef is also nationally recognized among his peers and is a multi award winning chef. If I could give it 6 stars I would. ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL, A MUST FOR SUNDAY BRUNCH, ~ LUNCH OR DINNER ANY OTHER DAY!!! read more

Mateus Bistro, with its owner Matt K. Is AMAZING the food is really farm to table fresh and delicious. Matt slow smokes all of his meats himself and in house, always done to tender, taste perfection. Everything is locally sourced and because of that, the menu changes seasonally. Whatever you order it WILL BE EXCEPTIONAL. Hostess /server Sarah is so wonderful, and anticipates your needs (refills on water or other beverages, dessert or even your check). I willingly travel the hour/hour&ten minutes from the City of Halifax proper to Mahone Bay just for a meal at Mateus Bistro. On more than one occasion I have ordered another complete meal so I can take it home. When I first went to Mateus Bistro over 4 years ago, I didn't want to tell anyone about this treasure of a restaurant I discovered. But I really wanted the Bistro succeed. Over time I came to know a bit about Matt his family and his ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL little girl. I am not related to anyone who owns or works at Mateus Bistro, I just LOVE it there, and I want it to be extremely successful. You will not be disappointed at Mateus Bistro. If you do find some non-existent issue to complain about the food or the service; then get in your car and go through the drive thru of your local McDonald's because that is obviously the type of food and service you're used to, and are looking for! read more