The Ostrich Club — Restaurant in Halifax

Most recent visit: Mother's Day 2023. First customers of the day to arrive for 10am reservations. We tested the door at about 9:55 and it was open. Greeted and seated immediately at a two-seater in the far rear corner. Within minutes, all the other two-seaters in that row filled up. Quick, very good service. Mom's only complaint is that the tables are too close to allow private conversation and the server's butt was within inches of her face as he took the order of the next table. I get that it's impossible to avoid. She just thinks one table could be removed to add a bit more space for the rest of us to enjoy. Her eggs benny with mushrooms was very good, tons of flavor. The home fries were just four large ones, cooked to perfection. My shakshuka was the perfect portion size, served on a hot cast iron pan, delicious flavor with bread for scooping up the sauce. Coffee cups are a bit small and we didn't ask for top-ups or know if that is offered or not. But overall, definitely satisfied and I'll go back anytime with anyone.

From 2019....I have been here about half a dozen times in the last year) We may have been the first customers of the day? Within the hour there, a few more tables were taken. Friendly service. My friend is obsessed with their $5 bread & cutter on Birdie's bread. It's different each time, and this day there were maybe five medium sized slices of a very flavorful bread that had caraway seeds in it. Delicious. He then ordered the Chowder ($16 Ns seafood, dashi cream, potato, lardons, house soda crackers) and liked it very much, but felt the lemon taste was a bit too dominant. I tried a spoonful and liked it a lot, with the different textures. My Lobster Roll ($17 horseradish + tobiko dressing, slaw, brioche, chips) was quite good. The bun was long, there was adequate lobster, the flavor of the dressing had a strong dill quality to it for me...kind of messy to eat but not too bad). We chose to try some desserts. My Seabuckthorn Semifredo ($10) was a very interesting dish with very strong, sour topping of possibly pureed mango paste? Ice cream base with edible flowers and a large dollop of a caramel? Friend had the Chocolate Tart w Pine Nut Caramel & cultured Cream Sorbet ($10) which was very good, the chocolate half was creamy but not too rich, mystery drizzle with more edible flowers. (next time I will ask the server for a more detailed description of what the ingredients are, as it's not written on the online menu). ...

The Ostrich Club continues to prove why it’s one of our favourite spots in the city. As people who travel (and eat) with intention — from tucked-away wine bars in Europe to Michelin-starred tasting menus — this place still manages to surprise and delight in all the right ways. This cozy little spot in the North End (bonus: it’s walkable for us!) toes the line between sexy cocktail bar and elevated neighbourhood restaurant… and nails it.

We popped in for what was supposed to be “just a drink” (LOL, classic us) and ended up swooning over Old Fashioneds crafted by Lindsay (the bar magician), a perfect wine pour, and a lineup of small plates that honestly deserve their own spotlight.

Let’s talk about the mushroom parfait. It straight-up rivalled the Michelin-star mushroom mousse we had recently, and that’s not hyperbole. We're talking Lukes Small Goods sourdough, onion jam, oloroso sherry, pickled mushrooms — all the umami, none of the pretension.

And then there was the ice cream. Caramelized onion ice cream with stewed plums. Sounds weird. Tastes like a buttery, nutty, caramelesque religious experience.

The vibe? Effortlessly cool — like the kind of place you could bring a date, meet friends, or sit solo at the bar and feel completely at ease. Service is top-tier: attentive without hovering, polished without stiffness. That rare fine-dining-meets-neighbourhood-bar combo.

Would I go back? Hell yes. I want to eat my way through the whole menu and probably write a sonnet about that parfait.

Five stars. Zero...

We visited the Ostrich Club last week and were lucky enough to find two seats at the bar as walk in guests. It had been over a year since our last visit so we were so excited to be back. (We will never again wait that long between visits) Lindsay who is without a doubt the best bartender in Halifax made us the most unique and delicious cocktails to start our evening. With warm smiles and thoughtful recommendations, she took the best care of us even with a full busy restaurant. We have been hearing lots of buzz about their new Executive Chef Moira and her outstanding menus. Everyone was right. The food was unbelievably good. Next level tasting experience. We shared oysters, beef cheeks, shrimp dumplings and the chanterelle agnolotti. It was hard not to lick the plates clean, and if we weren’t full we would have ordered everything else. Best meals we have had in a long time. We were spoiled to have Alana (their general manager and sommelier) on site to pair the perfect wines with each dish. What a treat that was. We loved them so much we ended up buying two bottles to take home. You can’t get wines like this at other restaurants. Her selections are unmatched. We finished our night with a perfectly crafted banana dark chocolate dessert and a sherry pairing to seal the deal. The level of hospitality the staff provided made us feel so special and grateful to be there. The perfect evening all around. I can’t thank the team enough for curating such a wonderful experience. We can’t wait to come...