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    Maxwell's Plum English Pub

    2.7 (133 reviews)
    ModeratePubs, British, Beer Bar
    Closed • 11:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

    Maxwell's Plum English Pub Photos

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    MAXWELL'S PLUM ENGLISH PUB ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Maxwell's Plum English Pub

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    Fish tacos

    Was in town for work and this place was conveniently across from my hotel. Staff was great, very attentive, and the Steak Tacos were good. I'd classify the food is really good bar food...nothing out-of-this-world, but WAY better than many bars serve! Great atmosphere with a really cool bar! I'd recommend this watering hole for a drink and food!

    Murray W.

    Oh Maxwell's, you are like the ex-girlfriend I keep going back to even though I shouldn't. You're mediocre at best, and we only really have a good time when I'm drunk, but I keep on going back to you despite the fact that I should know better. I've been a patron of Maxwell's for nearly a decade. I dearly miss the free peanuts and the beer signs they took off the walls. The place isn't any classier, still has the same funky smell it's always had and there's no peanuts. Nostalgia aside, on my most recent visit to Maxwell's, I wanted them to redeem themselves on the culinary side of things. Their burger deal was always a good bang for your buck, but lacking in quality. Seeing that their menu had been changed yet again (more on this later) I was hoping that their burger platter had changed for the better...unfortunately, it had not. Their burger platter advertises itself as the best in town...first mistake; they have set the bar much, much too high. The platter comes with two burgers and a pile of of Maxwell's "famous" fresh cut fries. If you get here on a Thursday before 10pm, this impressive amount of food will go easy on your wallet at $5.99, but unless you're in serious need of cheap calories to survive, just don't bother. The patties are of the frozen variety, and not a good variety at that. With a mushy texture and a flavour that is more mystery meat than what burgers made from unfrozen, freshly packed ground beef patties taste like. And while I'm a big fan of red onion, I'm not a fan of having a whole slice of one on top of a burger as it assaults your taste buds. The only enjoyable parts of these burgers were the add-ons of real cheddar cheese and bacon, and at $1.95 each, I still felt robbed. As for their "famous" fries, yet another bar set much too high. They actually have a paragraph on their menu telling the tale of their fries! While they are definitely hand cut fries, this is not a characteristic which automatically makes a good fry, and this is something that Maxwell's and other restaurants in Halifax need to learn. The potatoes don't appear to be the best type for frying (Russets or baking potatoes) and are limp and too brown from a high sugar content. Either this heavy browning or infrequently changed fryer oil gives them a burnt taste. Not exactly the makings of "famous" fries. It seems that every few months or so Maxwell's shrinks their menu down a bit and changes their daily deals. This would be perfectly alright if they were improving the quality of the remaining items, but this certainly isn't the case, and the deals aren't very enticing. Their fish and chips deal isn't even available after 5pm on Fridays anymore! *shakes head* The only two food deals that you should pay attention to are the Fun Food Hour (1/2 price apps between 11pm & midnight) and their $2 (!!!) breakfast before 3pm on Saturdays. With sub-par food and lackluster service at best, the only reason why Maxwell's has eked out a two-star review is their famous beer menu, and for once this fame is valid and actual. With 60 beers on tap and daily deals on their 80oz brewtender and pitchers, you can get your bang for your buck, especially on nights when import or microbrew beers are on the cheap. It is this that has kept me coming back like a fool and will so in the future. But we do have our good times, don't we, Maxwell's?

    a meal in a styrofoam container
    Robert C.

    I understand why they write two piece of Haddock on there menue soooohhh tiny. The fries where ok but the batter was not good, super cooked and greas. sorry chef you can do better. The servi was extremely fast if I can say a positive comment

    Advertised 5$ breakfast on the menu. Go and sit down, 3 menus said 5$ and one had a sticker with 10$ - we were told it was 10$...

    Chose to go here as their website advertised a 5$ breakfast - my partner had gone there in the past with a good experience when the old owners apparently had a 2.99 menu. Got there and far from it. Advertised 5$ breakfast was actually 10$. Food quality was bad. Eggs came with black all over them and we were told it was "from the grill" - toast was thin and cold. Orange juice tasted like it was made from frozen - too much acid, like those Orange juice cups at hospitals that you pull the top off. Service was unhelpful - disinterested and didn't offer information until asked.

    Teena D.

    I had supper this evening at The Maxwell's Plum. It's a cute pub. I sat on the main level. There is also space upstairs and downstairs. I ordered wings with Maxwell's honey garlic sauce. I found it odd that you can either get nine or twenty-one. Nine wasn't enough but twenty-one was too many ... I ordered twenty-one. The wings were okay. It was strange and annoying to have the tips left on. I figured I'd be taking some wings with me ... breakfast tomorrow perhaps? Brittany was my server. She was friendly and took good care of me.

    Big plate of mussels for less than 5$!
    Jonathan L.

    The staff was really nice. Came on a Sunday for the mussels special. It was a big plate, and worth every penny. Lots of beer selection, free WiFi and nice waitress. Will def come back

    Jennifer C.

    If you like beer, this is the place to be. If your favourite beer is random and hard-to-find -- these guys probably have it. In fact they might even have it on tap. (They have Strongbow on tap - so it's a winner in my books). The food... well, it's greasier than that kid who works at the fast food place on the Simpsons. It's not fabulous food, but it's pretty cheap and it becomes good the more beer you have. The peanuts that once littered the floor are gone. One of the things I've heard from people who talk about this pub is that it has a rodent problem. Well... that's a half truth. It used to. Hence the removal of the peanuts. They are rodent-free as of late. In fact since October 2008 they've had four inspections, all which have come up spic and span (don't believe me? check it out: http://gov.ns.ca/agri/foodsafety/reports/Details.aspx?Id1=1310874

    Lacey H.

    Beer! Beer! Maxwell's Plum is a beer drinkers dream come true; with a bazillion beers on tap you won't even be able to decide what to order. I'm not really a huge fan of Maxwell's Plum as it isn't the type of environment that I normally gravitate toward. That being said however, I do enjoy the diverse selection of hoppy bevies that they have to offer. I also like the novelty Brew Master, a personal beer fountain delivered to your table that you can enjoy with friends. This place is always busy, especially during weekend nights. Peanut barrels are a thing of the past at this establishment, but you can still find VLTs if you're looking for an activity to occupy your hands while visiting. They have a pub style food menu with all of the standards, and if you're not a beer connoisseur you can always order a mixed drink of any variety. This joint is a good place to hang, especially for rowdy college kids and those interested in a late night mix 'n mingle paired with some drinks and eats.

    a car parked in front of it
    Courtney M.

    Maxwell's Plum has a few things that they do well, but as other reviewers have stated: the food/service needs a whole lot 'o work! I personally have flat out found the servers at 'The Plum' surly. I'm not a man so I get that I probably don't seem like I fall into the 'big tipper' demographic. That's the problem with generalizations though, I worked as a server for years and rarely tip poorly. Another issue with the service is the over zealous carding. Do you really need to check ID when a couple is in for brunch at 11:30 in the morning, and aren't drinking? I have been kicked out for not having my ID with me at this time of the morning. Food is also pretty bad, unless perchance you've already drank a pitcher in which case you were already probably craving McDonald's quality burgers anyway. Maxwell's Plum does do one thing well: draft. They have over 60 beers on tap and they have a special whereby for $12.75 you can try 6 mini mugs of some of the more unusual beers, that perhaps you wouldn't have wanted an entire pint of. In general, head to Maxwell's Plum (with your ID) for some of their draft specials! A good bargain just don't expect the servers to be too friendly. Especially if you're female. ps: Bring back the peanuts, Maxwell! It's one of the only things your pub had going for it!

    Shawna D.

    Maxwell's Plum - It's patio season again! Beer and more Beer. People who go here are really not here for the food, that is really second. I will say, I ad their fish and chips before, they were ok, for a pub. I am not sure, but it seems everyone is on the same page with this pub. Not a lot of great service, but lots of beer!

    Michael V.

    Great pub experience with perfect portion sizes. We had a sampling of burgers (both beef and black bean), mussels and an order of dusted wings. All were delicious and finished with barely a crumb remaining. Fantastic selection of local brews with an option on several breweries to have a 'selection' or flight offered. What a great way to get a taste of local brewing magic. Great prices and food- well worth the hike up the hill!

    Beer

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    I love their daily food specials! Delicious, cheap, filling.

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    Maxwell's Plum English Pub Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Maxwell's Plum English Pub

    “The burger platter comes with not one enormous burger, but two (and a mountain of fries), and the 2 piece fish-and-chips could easily satisfy your calorie quota for a week.”

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    The Stubborn Goat Gastropub

    The Stubborn Goat Gastropub

    3.6(241 reviews)
    0.1 km•Downtown Halifax
    •$$

    I went here to celebrate my birthday with my adult son and my girlfriend. The waiter was nice and…read morefriendly. I ordered whiskey and bacon smashburger with a side of Mac n cheese and a Garrison Georgia peach beer. The burger was delicious and the mac n cheese was some of the best I've ever had as well. It had a fairly quiet ambiance which was nice since it was the middle of the afternoon. My girlfriend had the chicken bacon ranch pizza which she said was good as well. We'll be coming back another time because there's other things on the menunI really wanted to try as well.

    The Stubborn Goat Gastropub had all the ingredients for a great experience--an appealing concept,…read moredecent atmosphere, and attentive staff. However, the food simply did not deliver on what I expected from a gastropub, nor did it live up to the positive reviews I'd read beforehand. As a gastropub, one anticipates elevated, thoughtfully crafted dishes that showcase culinary skill and quality ingredients. What I encountered instead were dishes that fell short of those standards. The execution lacked the precision and care you'd expect at this price point, and the flavors didn't justify the gastropub positioning. I came with high expectations based on what others have praised here, but the food experience left me disappointed. While the service and ambiance have merit, they can't compensate for a fundamental letdown on the plate. For a gastropub to succeed, the food needs to be the star--and unfortunately, that's where The Stubborn Goat missed the mark for me.

    Photos
    The Stubborn Goat Gastropub
    The Stubborn Goat Gastropub
    The Stubborn Goat Gastropub

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    Pint Public House

    Pint Public House

    2.5(39 reviews)
    0.1 km•Downtown Halifax

    Bad bad service. I was asked 3 times by the exact server for my drink…read more I finally said I won't have anything because she could not remember a beer. They sat us next to the only other people in there that were yelling when the whole place was empty. The server clearly knew she was giving bad service but did not care . We overheard the server complaining about us when looking for the washroom. We had to find her to pay so we could leave to go across the street to get some real service. Food we do not know as we were not given a chance to order any food. Ambiance was ok. It should be called the PIT not the pint. Clearly the managers/owners don't care either.

    What a bizarre pub. Two of us arrived at 5pm for dinner and drinks after work. It was busy, but…read morethere were plenty of servers and we weren't in a hurry. We were seated right away... but then we waited. We waited 20 minutes for a server to come to take our orders, another hour and 10 minutes for burgers and fries to arrive, and then after we finished our meal, another 45 minutes for our bills. In that whole time no one stopped by the table to ask about a second round of drinks. I would have taken the poor service personally, but the tables around us were all having the same experience. The only upside of the bar is the TVs. It looks like a fun spot for watching sports but I definitely won't be back to find out. There are too many restaurant options in downtown Halifax to waste your time and money here.

    Photos
    Pint Public House - Empty yet zero customer service.  Just a dump.

    Empty yet zero customer service. Just a dump.

    Pint Public House
    Pint Public House - Front of the pub.

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    Front of the pub.

    The Narrows - Narrows house

    The Narrows

    5.0(2 reviews)
    2.1 km•North End

    OK LET ME TELL U, WE WERE MOVED TO TEARS. upon entry, our hearts melted. amazing decor, gorgeous…read morelighting and great service. we were seated in da cutest nook of all time. we ordered the fish chips; they were banging. the salmon toast; what a delight. the grilled romaine; flavor explosion. finally the haddock chowder special which brought Maple soaring back to her childhood, eating clam chowder made by her truly whimsical mother. then to completely top off this epic experience our server bridget, treated our table to the STICKY TOFFEE PUDDDDIN. A COMBINATION OF TEXTURES TAKEN TO THE EXTREME. loved this pub, would definitely come again if i ever randomly drive to nova scotia with my girls.

    I can't believe The Narrows Public House isn't here in Yelp, and I may regret adding it. This place…read moreis a special dining experience. Even though we knew about where it was, we walked right past the beautiful two-story historic house initially. We knew by taking a look at the website they do not accept reservations, which was fine with us. We were, however, going on a Friday night. On walking into the main entry, that space was packed wall-to-wall. Within a few short minutes, one of the staff greeted us. They don't exactly have a formal wait list here, from what I could tell. The staff member offered us the drinks menu and asked if we'd like to order something while we waited on a table. We ordered up a couple of pints, then looked around for some open space to stand. They have two standing bar rails, one in the main area near the bar itself and another one in the middle dining area. This place has about the most creative layout of booths and tables I've ever seen. They do have an outdoor patio out back, but we didn't take a look at that. They have quite a few very comfy two-person booths around the interior. It appeared the way the wait list worked was that they either have a phenomenal memory, or they actually use the bar tab you open to work like a wait list. It seems to really be more about how many you have in your party, and the exact size of any tables/booths that open up. We might have waited about 30 minutes or so for our table for two up in the front of the main dining room. Every single person on the wait staff here is amazing. Let me just get that out of the way. The beer list is great, loaded up with so many good local and Nova Scotia craft beer options. The food menu is what really makes this place special, though. We were on vacation, so we may have a tendency for our eyes to be bigger than our stomachs can handle. There was just so many amazing looking dishes. We started out with a pickle jar, fried taters, and the tomatoes appetizers. I have to say, and my wife agrees, the tomatoes dish was the best of everything we had. Its made up of sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, shallots, capers, and garlic chips. All that is sitting on top of creme fraiche. By the time you're finishing the dish, you start thinking about a straw to finish up that creme fraiche. Good grief, that was so good. Don't pass on the fried taters, though. Those seemed to be mashed potatoes formed into rectangular big fries, cooked almost like panko and served with horseradish sour cream. After all that, we could only muster splitting the deli style chop salad with cold water shrimp on it. Our great waitress talked us into an order of the brown bread, a very soft kind of Irish soda bread I believe. That bread just melts in your mouth. If you decide to venture out to The Narrows, you're in for a total experience. You'll feel like you stepped back in time to a real British pub... the house must be from somewhere around the mid 1800s. Every room is warm and cozy, with beautiful woodwork and curious antiques in all sorts of nooks and crannies. You may have quite a long wait depending on the size of your party and how busy the place is, but trust me... its worth every minute.

    Photos
    The Narrows - Outside

    Outside

    The Narrows - Narrows drink menu

    Narrows drink menu

    The Narrows - Narrows sign out front

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    Narrows sign out front

    Maxwell's Plum English Pub - pubs - Updated October 2026

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