Three visits this year so far - what a great place to gather and eat. Love the $12 beer and burger special. Love the brunch. Note: on Sundays alcohol not served until noon but 11am on Saturdays. Enjoy! read more

The Auction House - Okay I don't see a dance floor. But Make Your Own Dancefloor people! - Pubs Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

The lighting in my photo is representative of the quality of the food. Fish tacos were largely crispy batter, missing fish. A member of our party got the fish & chips and had the same experience. Our server was nice. read more

The Auction House - Fish tacos. - Pubs Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

From out of town, never been until tonight Friday 17Jan and were psyched to try the advertised Happy Hour and the Friday night special Haddock. Got there, got seated and were told no Happy Hour. WTF? Everything we researched showed Happy Hour until 7pm. You suck a$$and I will post this on Open Table and Yelp to advise others that you don't keep your media up to date. You lost out. We will never try you out nor recommend you. read more

I'm generally hesitant of doing reviews on places I've been at after having a few drinks, but this is a pretty new place and my memory isn't particularly fogged. Also, I took notes on site. Coming by for some food after having Friday drinks with the work crew, I was looking for some sustenance, but not too much since I had a belly full of a few Clancy's. Being that we were just down the street at the Triangle, my girlfriend and I made the jaunt up Prince to come to the recently opened Auction House. To my great shame, I wasn't a complete stranger to the Dome back in my days of undergraduate indiscretion, so it was worth coming to see what they did with the place and find out how many coats of paint it takes to cover up all the built up layers of shame. It was well into the evening when we arrived, so this long bar was dark, although brightened a bit by the contrasts of white and ruby red; good choices that have the aforementioned effect and keep it from being just another hole in the wall pub. The bar does have the mix of levels that the Dome had, but being brighter and classier helps give it a unique character. It isn't busy for a Friday evening, with the lower section being half full at best, although more people did trickle in. The beer list isn't an overwhelming bible of brews, but is a respectable mix of domestics, imports (Sam Adams!) and about a third of the list dedicated to local craft beers. Standards like Propeller and Garrison are represented, along with Rare Bird, Hell Bay and the recently added Uncle Leo's. Being the good ol' Pictou County boy that I am, I went with the Uncle Leo's IPA. Draught beer comes in two different sizes, 11oz ($4 - 5.50) to the very large 21oz pours ($7.25 - 10). Naturally, I chose the 21oz'er. Looking at the menu, I was immediately pulled in by some relatively unique apps - truffle fries, sausage bites, a Scotch egg, deep fried cheese curds and potato croquettes being the most eye catching and diet destroying. The rest of the menu is fleshed out with a selection of burgers, sandwiches, mostly typical pub fare and some cursory salads. I've always been a fan of Scotch eggs, which are a hard boiled egg, covered in a layer of sausage, then breaded and fried, so I had to give the AH's version a go, and added on the truffle fries. My lovely date went with the pulled pork sandwich. My apps came first, and while the plating of the Scotch egg was nice, with some added slices of cheese and pickled red onions, I was a bit disappointed that there was only one egg for the $10 price tag. That said, it was a great little app - a golden brown and crispy shell encased the flavourful and well seasoned meat. The pickled onions made for tangy and slightly sweet contrast with each forkful; it's definitely an under-utilized topping in the industry. On the side was a honey mustard that was probably the best I've ever had. If it's out of a bottle, they chose a damn good bottle, as it avoided the cloying sweetness and funky flavour that I find most honey mustards have, and was instead a well balanced showcase of a good tangy mustard with a just a little sweetness. My fries, while quite pretty with finely grated Grana Padano cheese on top, didn't really register with any of the rich truffle flavour that they should have, although they were quite crispy. I wasn't a huge fan of garlic and Dijon aioli (FYI all aiolis are supposed to be garlic based..) and instead polished of the rest of the honey mustard that came with the Scotch egg. To be fair, by palate may have been a little dulled by the Clancy's and hoppy Uncle Leo's. The pulled pork sandwich was served open faced and was different than most pulled pork tends to be, being braised in a maple beer sauce, it isn't barbecue-y at all, and came with a slightly cinnamon-y apple sauce on the side. It wasn't my favourite pulled pork, but I appreciate that they're trying to do something different. When even the likes of BK and Subway are selling pulled pork these days, you pretty much have to. Service was friendly and attentive throughout our visit, and a small band started playing when we were finishing up. I debated what to do for the rating, as I'm probably not as into the Auction House as I am some other news restaurants or bars that I've rated four stars, but for the great work that they did turning a dingy dungeon of cheap booze and factory of Sunday morning regrets into the enjoyable space that's there now, they deserve the extra fraction of a star to push them over the hump. read more

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We went here last night for some apps and drinks and come to find out there was live music ( apparently every Friday!) We expected it to be busy considering the weather is nicer and it was a Friday in Halifax but it was pretty empty for a bar. I ordered the steak salad without cheese and it was sooooo good! I'm not sure what they put on the steak but I will go back just to get this salad. The drinks were pricey but still very good. Also, apparently you can only get wings on wing night and they aren't available any other day of the week which was a bummer for my boyfriend. All in all, I highly recommend this bar! read more

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My husband won a free breakfast for two by sharing a contest posted on the Auction House's Facebook page. We have been to this restaurant many times before for dinner and have always enjoyed their food, so we were looking forward to trying their new brunch menu. It was delicious! I had the Gringo Eggs Benny: perfectly smooth and tasty hollandaise, and the eggs and peameal bacon were served on the most beautiful and fresh biscuit. It also came with a side of lightly deep fried baby potatoes, but our server said I could replace it with any of their other sides if I'd prefer (I didn't, but it's nice to know it was an option). My husband had the "BFFFFT": perfectly cooked French toast with a sweet crispy coating of frosted flakes cereal served with sliced bananas and caramel sauce. As always, the service was excellent - thanks to our server Helen. The manager, Stephen, also came over to congratulate us on winning the contest and to check if we were enjoying our meal. We will be coming back here the next time we are craving a good breakfast out! read more

The Auction House - Gringo Eggs Benny and the "BFFFFT" (frosted flake crusted French toast). YUM! - Pubs Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

I strolled in here for a leisurely late lunch yesterday, and I'm sure glad I did. As an east coast transplant living in Toronto, I long for wicked seafood, and the chowder at The Auction House delivered. Chunks of lobster and two whole scallops in a creamy broth. Top notch chowder. I sat inside at one of their window booths, and thoroughly enjoyed watching the people on the patio and the street as I munched away. I'm happy to report that Halifax is still chock full of joyful characters. Happy people, seafood chowder and a blaring Great Big Sea soundtrack. The Auction House delivered everything I needed in an east coast lunch. read more

The Auction House - Chowda! - Pubs Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

I went here last night with my bestie for a "catch up" date. I really enjoyed it. The atmosphere was lovely. Many levels (much like the Old Triangle). Each level had open seating, or private booths - what ever your heart desired. The decor is modern mixed with the antique (my favorite) Most importantly, the food was delicious. My bestie has eaten here three times and is yet to be disappointed. We started with the deep fried cheese curds. They were delicious, deep fried enough that the cheese was warm, but still had its squeaky quality. It was served with a chili lime dip that was yummy as well. I had the steak sandwich. It was open faced, served on focaccia, with lots of steak and caramelized onions. It also had a tarragon aioli which was delicious. The only thing that was lacking was that my fries were a little cold. They seemed hand cut, but were just meh - nothing special. Oh, and I should add that everything was reasonably priced. I would say most meals are between 10-15$ (very reasonable for the city!) The other thing I should mention is the wonderful service. Our waiter was pleasant, offering any advise that we wanted. Had refills served to us before we even realized our drinks were low. Attentive, but not over bearing. A gem! And, a wonderful service is that they offer to call you a cab at the end of the night if you need it. Good job! ( I cannot remember the waiters name, but he had medium length hair that was pulled back into a ponytail) Keep it up Auction House and you'll have a "regular" out of me. read more

The Auction House - Deep fried cheese curds with chili lime dip - Pubs Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Surprised at the 4-star rating here. The yuppies that don't know how to taste I would suspect. This place sucks. All looks, no final product. Food, crap. Beer doesn't taste right. Figure it out guys. I can remember having an amazing burger here on burger week, years ago. I believe the first burger week ever. Has gone downhill since. Surprised it's still open. Staff is hit or miss. We'll see if they are around in 5 years time. read more

On day one of my recent visit to Halifax I had walked from what felt like one end to the other in the icy rain-snow mix and by the time I came upon The Auction House I just wanted a hot meal, a beer and maybe from friendly bar conversation. Well, I must have a Halifax fairy godfather because my wish was granted on all three fronts from the moment I plunked myself down at the bar. The Auction House is great gastropub slash brew house located on Argyle just near where I was staying at the Delta Halifax. They've got a wide selection of local craft and craft beer and a dynamite cocktail selection for sipping AND they also just so happen to brew their own beer. I had a chance to try a couple of local crafts, and a signature old fashioned before the GM (Nathan), who for the record is just a great dude and hilarious, poured me a pint of his proud new beer creation 'Boozeberry'. A combination of local mead (made from honey), and blueberry's combined in such a way to produce an almost syrupy sweet blueberry infused beer (boasting about 8-9%ABV). After a pint of this beauty I was definitely feeling no pain, so if Nathan offers you a pint proceed with excitement and caution ha ha. After all these beverages, it was safe to say I was feeling warmer and wanted to grab a late lunch bite before the dinner crowds rolled in (very late lunch). I went with the steak sandwich medium rare which was an open faced, cheesy, fork and knife affair and subbed some of their famous seafood chowder for the fries. The sammy was a dandy and I made quick work of that bad boy, savouring every morsel of perfectly cooked steak (seriously it was a thing of beauty). The chowder was a real show stopper in my opinion. I only had a small cup to compliment my steak but it was chock full of seafood with a beautiful light broth. All the while during this food and booze epidemic, I had the best time hanging out at the bar chatting with Nathan and a few other staff members at the bar. They provided some great reccos for my stay in HFX and were honestly just gems! Thanks everyone for the amazing hospitality and I hope this review finds others well and encourages them to visit when they're in town! Eatcrest Out read more

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The Auction House has an interesting gimmick, the actual auction it has during lunch hour. Okay, when I first heard about this I was like, how cool is that? It used to be an auction house or, there used to be auction houses in Halifax. Whatever, and now they're trying to bring back some of that old world charm us humans love so much. Only, when you're having lunch or in my case an interview lunch meeting it can be a bit on the annoying side. Already there are a thousand distractions. My Auction chop salad was really great! It would have been even better if my avocado wasn't hard as a rock, but you know how those avocados can be. It was so large I didn't even finish it. The staff was super friendly and on top of things. UPDATE! I needed to add a star on to my last review because this time, when I was lunching I ordered the seafood chowder. Have you tired it? It's amazing! All summer I've been testing out seafood every chance I get, from every restaurant I go to. I am going to say, Auction House has the best seafood chowder. There. I said it and put it in writing. First off, it has chunks of lobster in it, which already makes it a step above most chowders, and whole scallops. Actual great tasting scallops. I was in love. You should try it. read more

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The Auction House puts on Beer School in partnership with different mirco and craft breweries. They do a pairing that is off menu, made to go with the brews being served. They're held the last Wednesday of the month and generally cost $15 for three pairings. We were lucky to get a spot in last night's Yelp Beer School where the Auction House served a Boxing Rock and then two of their own in house beers that they've just started brewing. The Boxing Rock Hunky Dory was one I'm already a fan of and when paired with a tzatziki chicken in a cucumber boat it goes down even smoother. This food pairing was great with the sharpness of the garlic but cool cucumber and yogurt. The first of the Auction House brews was a winter warmer, made with Chai from World Tea House, also located on Argyle. This one had the surprising taste and aroma of a spiced banana bread. It threw me off for the first few sips but then I found it to smooth out and loved the cinnamon and nutmeg flavours. I didn't eat the food pairing for this but it was a shrimp in a refried bean mash. It smelled great and got lots of "mmmmms" from the table. Our last pairing was their own Boozeberry, a beer with honey and blueberry fermented in the beer. This has a high alcohol content at 10% and a very sweet taste, almost like an icewine. They paired it was a dark chocolate and lime ganache bite that helped bring some bitter and zest to the honey and berry taste. This one smelled amazing but you'd only want one glass with the sweetness and high %. The only thing I'd do differently with this tasting was to make sure each table heard what was being served. We were in the back section of the bar which was great for our size group but it was still loud in the restaurant. I was in the mood to be "schooled" and found it was hard to hear and had to ask as it was being served. If the staff had spoken a bit louder or told each table seperately it would have been better for the students. Staff were excellent throughout the night and we stayed a little later to enjoy the deep fried cheese curds! read more

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The live music was great although very loud. The menu is simple and what I would describe as "classy pub food" and the service was excellent. I had a steak and fruit salad for which they provide a medium rare little steak and then mix the rest of the salad, fruit and dressing in a jar table-side and pour it out onto your place. Very well executed idea. A friend ordered the steak frites but substituted the garlic fries for the truffle fries. I think it was a wise substitution because those fries were super addictive! I can't say much about the beer since I didn't order any, but they appear to have their own litle micro brewery. To top it off the prices were all excellent and good value for money and I would definitely return again. read more

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Anyone I met who went said the auction house won burger week. Unreal burger. Their cocktails are all wonderful, lots of beer cocktails and fresh citrus drinks. The 1675 is the cocktail I've been waiting for forever: gin, porsecco, lemon thyme simple syrup. Can't go wrong. Sit at the bar or in the front, best atmosphere. read more

The Auction House - BURGER WEEK - Pubs Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

Had been curious to try this place for months, mainly because I was dying to see if and how the layout changed since it's days as Lawrence of Oregano's. Finally, on an average fall Friday evening, we decided to meet another couple there and glad we went. The atmosphere is much nicer than I anticipated out of a standard bar/pub and you'd never guess you were in an old part of the 'Dome' (where I frequented too many Saturday nights in my 20s). Lots of space and tables are spread over different areas, with some going into the back and up a few steps. Live DJ I think there was as well. They have little wooden bidding paddles on each table as well, which I figured was just cute décor for the name of the place. But mid-meal, they actually starting having some sort of small auction for a few little items. I wasn't paying full attention to it, but did overhear the announcer mention something about a Humane Society and being an animal lover, I reached up my paddle and yelled out "$10!" LOL Someone out bid me at $15 and then I went back to the conversation in my party, without paying as much attention to the rest. (the glasses of Citra pinot grigio I had may have had something to do with it as well. $8.75 for a 9 oz and was very good). The GRILLED VEGETABLE PANINI ($11. Grilled peppers, red onion, zucchini and mushrooms with goat cheese and mayonnaise grilled between focaccia.) was quite delicious. Semi-small portion compared to what I often experience for restaurant sandwiches, but the taste made up for it. I was actually glad it was a little small since I am choosing to eat healthier these days. The side house salad was good, if a little heavy on the vinaigrette, but I'd definitely get again. Service was standard, fine, efficient, friendly. I'd like to go back maybe for lunch one day here and try something else on the menu. read more

The Auction House - grilled veggie panini with house salad - Pubs Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

First time in, not major complaints! So, a classmate and I were on the hunt for a post haunted house beer, in a not to noisy or busy pub/bar. We decided to give this place a go! As soon as you walk in the door your greeted by a bouncer, who looks out of place for the restaurant. We then have to find a table on our own, thankfully wasn't to hard! Once we sat down, there was a very perky waitress come take our order quickly! We got nachos, beer, and dessert! The nachos were great! Loved them! (Except the olives) The beer was great! Ordered two in the end! When it came to dessert, what we ordered was out of stock :( I was bummed! But she had others to suggest, and we happily switched to their Oreo one... mmmm! My only pet peeve was the caramel sauce, it was broken... I could taste the graininess of the unmelted sugar... it annoyed me a bit but the waitress didn't really ask how everything was, except at their usual moment of mouth being full of food or drink. Now, it appears we walked in during live music night.... it was louder then comfortable. It coulda used a bit of a dial back, it isn't a big place so the level needed for cheers isn't really the level needed for here. The only other problem was, the waitress seemed to always look at me when talking instead of my classmate, even when she ordered. Not sure what was up with that. In summary, it's not a bad place, but it is owned by the same company as the dome, taboo, and cheers. read more

Come on Thursday if you like wings because a basket of 10 wings only cost you $4.95 and with so many flavours to choose from. My favourite is the honey hot because it combines spiciness and sweetness for a great experience. The wings are also meaty and they have a beer/cider menu that is around $5 a glass. Try to grab a seat on their deck to people watch because the inside of the restaurants gets quite toasty in the summer. read more

Came in looking for fish and chips, and they delivered!! You can tell the haddock is very fresh, as it is just a tiny bit greasy, but also crunchy and the fish is bright white. Fries were good as well, nothing very special about them...lots of them, and crunchy. The fish was the star. Only reason for the 4 star rating was the service...friendly waitress, but didn't see her too much. read more

Although a few years back I wasn't quite impressed, now I am continually pleased with this place and always find myself recommending it for casual dining with great food at a good price. The food always seems interesting but not super complicated. And is very delicious. My only issue is continually the waitstaff. They seem super slow, inattentive, and not super knowledgeable about the bar. Everyone seems nice and like they are trying, but don't act super professional and tend to make me feel more sorry for them than mad. Buttt the food, atmosphere and music will keep me coming back. read more

After a week traveling from Maine to Canada, this was by far the best place we've eaten on the trip. Fast service, 3 meals were out in under 15 mins. I highly recommend the oat burger, truly to die for with the goat cheese topping. Also a large selection of local craft beers and ciders. read more

First off, AMAZING service!!! We came here after going to the HFX sports bar first and seeing that they were closed (advertised that they were open) But i'm SO glad we did! We honestly just came for snacks and drinks. Our server was extremely knowledgeable and made me drinks that were even on the menu. (BEST!!) Had the nachos and they were delish! Has an avocado chipotle sauce on top, great add on! Will be back for dinner some night !! read more

I am beyond impressed with the transformation from part of The Dome to The Auction House! Wow! They managed to turn a bar that you're use to having your feet stick to the floor into a classy, up-scale eatery! Unfortunately, this was my only stop for Burger Week this year, but at least I made it a good one! Their 6 oz ground beef and sausage burger was topped with honey-infused goat cheese, chipotle aioli and arugula on the perfect choice of artisan bun was mouth watering. My friend and I each got the burger and shared a side of their truffle fries, it was a perfect combo! I'm excited to go back to The Auction House to try more of their menu, and see how their 'Auctions' actually play out! read more

It got to a point where I was coming here once a week because I would just continually pick up the Auction House GetGifted coupon. I decided to go through all their burgers for literally a month, once a week. One week I splurged and got the deep fried cheese curds. O.m.g. The raves are real! Those curds are so tasty but it's that zing from the mayo dip that sends it over the edge! Normally, every time I go there, I do it on my lunch, sit at the bar and shoot the shit with the bar tender. Every single one of them has been a delight to chat it up with and get their recommendations about what they like and different things to try. The manager especially is an incredibly nice guy. My favourite burger would definitely have to be the Andouille Burger, by far. That honey infused goat cheese is just so flavourful. Ugh, I feel like going there right now through the 3 feet of snow outside! I'm so stoked for their burger week burger: Tandoori & Chorizo Burger. Gonna be a show stopper! read more

I have two words for you. BURGER WEEK! Over 50 participating restaurants this year, so we had a lot to choose from. The Auction House's "The Andouille" struck our fancy first. You walk in and you feel as though you have been transformed into a simpler day. (I admit, I am a sucker for a good historical attempt) Plenty of seating up through three levels (even if it does bring back a few drunken stumbles through the lower level of the Dome) we took a spot closer to the door and were greeted quickly and offered drinks. We let them know we were here for the $5 burger.. and opted to try a side order of fries as well. The food was a little slower than one would hope for a burger week dish, but it was absolutely worth the wait. "A six-ounce ground beef and andouille sausage patty topped with honey-infused goat cheese, chipolte aioli and baby arugula served on cornmeal-dusted artisan bun" I have never had a burger with goat cheese on it, but the first bite confirmed I have been missing out. A great seasoned patty (the sausage will help that) and the sweet creamy and sticky topping of the cheese was a delightful way to allow the bite last. I gobbled it up quickly and my girlfriend and I devoured the fries that are served to you in a mini fryer basket (a cute touch). With the meal coming to $13 total, a burger week success indeed! (sadly, the server who I spoke to believes that this burger will not remain on the menu) Also, although we didn't get to experience, they do have auctions (novel idea) that run daily, auctioning off meals with the proceeds going to a different charity a month. I'll be back to check out one of these I hope! read more

Checked it out on a Saturday night and it was fairly busy, we were seated right away and given a choice of which table we'd prefer. The decor is a combination of old school victorian with a modern twist and it was cozy and warm despite that it's a pretty big place. We started with the deep fried cheese curds and they were just as good as you'd hope deep fried cheese would be. Crispy and chewy in all the right places... the dipping sauce was also a nice compliment though they were quite tasty without sauce as well. The selection of beers on tap was extensive (26, if I recall) with a mix of craft and your garden variety domestic and imported brews. There's something for just about every taste, I would have preferred more craft beers but oh well. I had the Jamaican Jerk burger which was really tasty, it's topped with jalapeno havarti and ginger avocado mayo. It's as delicious as it sounds but could have benefited from an additional fruit or vegetable topping as it's just (very yummy) meat and cheese. That's not a complaint but more of a personal preference. My date had the English burger and although it too is just meat and cheese it can be excused from my previous critique as it's meat on meat action (beef patty topped with sausage) with mustard stuffed in a pretzel bun. The service was also top notch, our server was very attentive and checked in frequently. Oh I almost forgot the fries! Crispy tasty, hand cut, giddyup. read more

After several more visits to this lovely place, I can say the food and service have consistently been very good. Tables are kept clean, washrooms are clean, servers are friendly and helpful (and cute), and the food is quality every time. Prices are reasonable as well. All around a solid pub/restaurant and a new regular stop for us. read more

The Auction House - Mimosa #1 (don't worry, I only had two!) - Pubs Near Me - Halifax, Nova Scotia

I've been to the Auction House a few times and enjoyed it. The place offers live music, tasty food and great decor/ambiance. Now, I bear that in mind as I write this review, which is what saves the Star rating from being a 2. My friend and I arrived Friday, around 515pm and let our server, know our 3rd party was at least 15 minutes behind. We ordered drinks and a happy time app. My plain Pepsi arrived tasting odd, so we got a replacement pretty quick. The server was nice, checking on us every now and then. We ordered for the whole table near 530pm, knowing the last to join wasn't far behind. I got the fish and chips, a meal ordered often, I imagine - which arrived in a timely manner as the restaurant started getting busier. It was mush - the batter not crispy at all, the fish mushy and flavourless. The other meals at the table (mussels for one, burger for the other) were fine. When she came over to check on us, I had taken two bites of the fish and eastern none of the fries - clearly not everything was okay. The waitress asked only if I wanted it packed up, to which I replied no. She left and got our bills, which took quite some time to deliver. When we pulled out our wallets, she asked about my meal (finally) and knew exactly what I was talking about. It was obvious she didn't care by this point and made idle chatter. She didn't apologize for my ruined meal or offer anything in terms of reducing the price or an alternate meal. I wasted my $14 on something every maritime restaurant should be able to cook blindfolded. That being said, my friends enjoyed their meals and our app (truffle fries) were delicious. I'll be back, but won't order that meal again. read more

Horrible customer service. We went during lunch break and the first thing we were asked was if we had ID. First of all, it's 1pm... Second of all, we weren't even going to order any drinks, Third of all, we are obviously on lunch break. We just wanted a burger, it's -10 out, obviously not going to go back and forth just for an id. 2 of our friends were pretty much kicked out... The attitude of the server is horrible. So one star cuz we're didn't even get to eat anything! read more

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Five of us met for an early supper here last night, Saturday Feb 15th, as we had been looking forward to checking out Argyle Street's newest restaurant. We were in seated at a great spot on the second level and my friends reminisced about the former establishments from years gone past that had inhabited the space. The decor is beautiful - warm and welcoming. We wasted no time in order apps and drinks and our server Neil was awesome. He answered our questions about menu items and even made recommendations based on our questions. The cheese curds app is apparently one of the most popular dishes so far, and it did not disappoint! It was so awesome - I almost wish we had ordered two! The mussels quickly disappeared and the guys thoroughly enjoyed them. The nachos, also a popular selection, was great with a bit of a spice on the chips. I ordered the Cajun Chicken sandwich with a house side salad with no onions and peppers (I'm picky) for my main dish and was thoroughly pleased with it! The chicken comes on a pretzel bun which really complimented the flavours in the sandwich. Not too spicy, the sandwich offered wonderful flavour straight through to the last bite. As we were finishing up, the first auction of the night started. The name 'The Auction House' is more than just the name - they hold auctions daily for food items off the menu and all proceeds go to the charity of the month that the restaurant is supporting. The first item - the flourless chocolate cake - was 'won' by our table for $40... the next item, a bread pudding dessert, went for $95! What an awesome way to raise money for local charities! The flourless chocolate cake was deliciously perfect - we all dug in and cleaned the plate in no time. We can't say enough about our server, Neil. He was fantastic - making great recommendations and remembered everything we asked/ordered/requested. One of the guys asked about the Rare Bird Stout that is brewed in Guysborough County right here in Nova Scotia and he gave a great review of it and he was bang on. He said that if you like Guinness but not the weight of it, this is a wonderful beer with full flavours including chocolate and coffee. I had a sip and as an infrequent beer drinker, I was blown away by it. It is great to see local restaurants supporting local breweries/wineries and farms in Nova Scotia. When asked today about what I thought of The Auction House, I simply stated that I would go back today to eat again if I could. I will be back soon! read more

Well, I'll start with the good: it looks very pretty and they've done a nice job with the interior. But that's about as good as it gets. I wasn't really impressed with anything else after I sat down. I went with two co-workers. Two of us got the Jamaican Jerk burger and the other person got the cajun chicken sandwich. Ok, yeah, the fries are supposedly handcut. But again, there was nothing extraordinary about them. Nothing made me think "wow, these fries are so good!". They were just kind of average. And the burger was just sad. The bun was soggy - both top and bottom - whether it was from grease or juice from something (not the hamburger), I'll never know. The buns felt greasy though. Also, the burger looked plain and ordinary. There was a sliver of pickle on top of it - which probably added to the sogginess of the top bun. Apparently, the Jamaican Jerk burger was supposed to be coated in jerk seasoning and there was supposed to be an avocado sauce. I opened up the burger to check what it looked like inside. There was a tiny dollop of something brown, which I assume was the avocado sauce - couldn't taste it though. I'd place the level of jerk seasoning into the "barely there" category. Couldn't even really taste it. The meat patty itself was overcooked and kind of dry. Also, it could have come with lettuce or something else with it. If you're paying $14 for a burger, I expect it to taste awesome and look pretty too. Or if you're charging extra for jerk seasoning and avocado, then at least make sure there's a lot of avocado on it and that you can taste the seasoning! The guy with the cajun chicken sandwich stated that it was "meh, ok". There was one sad piece of iceberg lettuce on the sandwich and one slice of tomato. He said he couldn't taste any spice either. Maybe it's just the opening blues but if this is what they're serving, I don't see much of a future. Oh, and to add insult to injury - they have cider on tap, but a pint costs $11... generally cider is priced closer to $7 for a pint. Why so high? It doesn't make sense. And on top of that, service was pretty slow without a lot of check-ins. Not awful but not great either. Oh well. They've got the looks but not much else. read more

I LOVE this place. The food is good and the service is great too! My sister and I love the selection of local beers on tap as well as their happy hour prices on 21oz beers!!! Daily specials are worth a go. Also: try the Angry Chicken...and deep fried cheese curds. SOOOO GOOD!!! read more

The food was fine, nothing really special. I ordered the eggs benny and the fishcakes were delicious but the eggs were overcooked. The potatoes were nothing special, but I enjoyed the maple beans. The reason we won't go back is because of the service. In spite of being very busy, one server spent a lot of time talking to her friends at the table beside us. Our server was extremely slow. We ran out of drinks and water and waited 20 minutes for more, at which time we had finished our meals. Our server was nowhere in sight for this entire 20 minutes. Other servers passed by, even glancing at our empty glasses that we had placed at the edge of the table to attract a server's attention, since they don't make eye contact. Clearly, the service is designed that servers have exclusivity over their tables such that another server cannot assist, or the culture of the restaurant is one that discourages servers from helping each other when it is needed. Either way, this was our first and last visit -- we won't be returning or recommending The Auction House. read more

Came at 10 am on a Sunday per opening hours. At 1015 a sign was put on the door saying it would open at 11. We came back, were seated and were then informed that the cleaning of the hood fans was not finished and they didn't know when they would be able to serve food. When the doors did not open at 10 we called to try to get some information. No reply. We then contacted the Facebook page who informed us via messenger that the restaurant opened at 10. Having come from New Brunswick and been recommended this restaurant we are sorely disappointed. Perhaps the cleaning of the hood vents could have been done outside of business hours and social media been updated accordingly. Or maybe even answering the phone... read more

Went to the Auction House Saturday evening for a get together. Overall the experience was pretty good. The staff were very charming and just attentive enough. We were laughing and carrying on and the waiter came over between lulls to check up on us. For my drink I had their signature Caesar, which was dressed with a perfectly crisp price of bacon. WOW! I think this could be the best one in the city. It was on the spicy side which I loved and they didn't kill it with ice. The bacon was a fun touch--if you liked bacon. To start I had the lobster cakes. I could see flecks of what was supposed to be lobster but there was no discernible lobster taste at all. It was a nicely seasoned potato cake, but that's not what I paid for. My main was the steak sandwich. There was just enough sauce soften the bread but not make it soggy. The steak was tender and trimmed--nothing worse than biting into a piece of fat in a sandwich. I upgraded to truffle frites and they were pretty good. It would have been better if the seasonings and cheese had been mixed through them but still they were good. Hard to believe this place was part of the Dome! read more

I've been to this spot a few times, the first time was awful and I never thought I'd go back after waiting over 30 minutes to get noticed by our server and another 15 to get a drink, but I thought I would give it another shot because the food was pretty good. The second time was excellent, great service and great food. This last time I was there was even worse than the first. I went for brunch and it was 2pm so it was dead, there were 4 tables in total. After getting our first drink and putting in our orders 15 minutes went by, no food and no server to ask if we wanted another drink. I completely understand when it's busy and hard to keep up on tables! But I'll truly never understand why our food took forever to get to the table, by the time it got there it was hardly warm, and why our server couldn't check on our table. Really wish this place was more consistent with its food and service because sometimes it's great! But it's not worth the gamble. read more

I went here today with the crew from work. It was my first time and I didn't know what to order. Everyone at the table was able to tell me their favourite dish, and although burgers may be an easy thing to rely on to get, that's what I decided to try. I got the Canadian Burger and it was delicious. Maple BBQ sauce was an amazing touch. I definitely recommend this place, it's not even that crowded when it gets busy at lunch time. The perfect volume too, quiet enough to hear everyone at the table comfortably, but loud enough that you had to speak up just slightly to be heard. Which is expected from a busy place anyways. Will definitely be going again! read more

No thanks... Upon seeing this place, my wife and I were really intrigued. We decided to give it a shot. Atmosphere was cool, and the service was good, food was pretty poor. I got a steak, and it was poorly cooked, very fatty, and bland (the meat was a very strange off-color inside as well). It only came with a small cup of fries, and was $19! I left still hungry, and my wife said her food was less than enjoyable as well. From some of the other reviews I see about this place, it makes me think that maybe I just caught them on a bad day... But that must have been a pretty bad day! I will not be returning for another try, but wish luck to anyone who wants to give it a whirl. read more

Great location, right downtown. Nice atmosphere with delicious food. No complaints!

Previously, this place was the downstairs part of the Dome where you would buy pizza in a drunken stupor from inside of the club. I find it ironic to be ordering food in the exact same place, this time in a more classy setting. The restaurant seemed a little dark, but tables near the window have a lot of light and a view. There is a good selection of beers on tap. The burgers are good. Good service. Nice view of St. Paul's Anglican Church and Halifax City Hall. read more

I was back in Halifax visiting friends and family. I met up with a friend who recommended this place. As a starving tourist I was thoroughly impressed with the service, atmosphere, price and overall quality of the food. I got the Haddock Po Boy which is a crispy battered piece of haddock topped with coleslaw on a homemade bun with house tartar sauce. It came with a house salad that tasted divine. My friend had the vegetable panini which looked fantastic and my husband had the New Zealand burger (lamb). My entourage enjoyed their meals too! 3/3 ain't bad:) I will be back when I'm in Halifax again! read more