The Bothy at North star — Restaurant in Louisbourg

Our first trip to Nova Scotia we drove from Yarmouth to Louisburg for three nights to visit CBI and notably the Fortress. Staying at a nearby inn, the innkeepers recommended Bothy as the best dining in Louisburg - they were right! Never having been to a fine restaurant in a Quonset hut Bothy has set a high standard. As others have said, it is not just about the food and drink that makes this restaurant so appealing; it is certainly due to Justin's and Colin's enthusiasm, sophistication and charm.

As most reading this are interested in the food and drink, I assure you it is the best in Louisburg, and probably all of Cape Breton Island. My wife and I are one of "those couples" where there always needs to be little tweaks to the menu to satisfy our dietary needs and wants. The chef was happy to accommodate and the resulting dishes were delicious. At the end of the meal I decided to sample a single malt - I am no expert but Justin made a suggestion and it was the right choice for my palate.

What made this most fun for us was the dialog with Justin and Colin surrounding our transportation... A few minutes after arriving Justin was surveying a nearby patron who had arrived at roughly the same time as my wife and myself asking if they had arrived in a vintage Volvo sedan. We let him know it was actually the two of us resulting in a wonderful conversation about their car collection, our car collection and other interesting subjects. Colin even knew the actual color of the car (Safari Yellow) which shocked me as it was only available for a couple of years. At the conclusion of the meal they both insisted on walking us to the car so they could see it up close and sit inside. As a car guy it made my day, week and trip -

I highly recommend (even if you have...

The Bothy continues to worsen. Been coming for 3 years in a row and this will certainly be my last. Was there for dinner at 6pm with 4 others in a half empty restaurant on a Saturday night and didn't get served dinner until after 8pm. The drinks came slow ( and 1 returned for poor qaulity). The appetizers were slow but fair in taste except for the onion soup. More starch than broth or cheese and $20 a bowl!!! We started to wonder if the service was slow to pump up the bar tab. We'd had cocktails to start and had almost finished 2 bottles of wine by the time dinner came and some had lost their appetite it took so long. The halibut came recommended, was over cooked and tuff and $44. Chicken Pot pie was okay but for almost $40??!! I spent over $600 on food and drink and they had the audacity to charge me $3.00 for "extra bread". Seemed to be that staff and owners were walking around, but speed and organization was terrible. Sadly, we went again this year for the music. It was a woman who you could hardly hear and didn't engage the patrons at all. Background music would have been far better, if audible. Sadly, the food & drinks were fair to poor; the service and entertainment was terrible. The entire package is expensive and of poor quality. Bothy in Scotland means a simple building and generally free of charge. This place should be called The Big Bad (Food) Bill. Next year I'll go to the Crab...

!Not to be missed! Stylish. Cozy. Vibrant. Delicious!

We had an incredible experience in this absolute gem of a place in Louisbourg on our Labor Day weekend trip. Although we showed up without reservations & evening was fully booked ( so I would seriously recommend reservations) we were welcomed as old friends by one of the hosts who quickly found the solution & were treated to superbly delicious meal with a side of laughter. :) Beef bourguignon was a definete highlight, so were Colin and Justin. We ended up relaxing at the lounge area after & then moved to the patio for more drinks & to watch the sunset. We really enjoyed friendly banter with both hosts throughout the evening and lovely bartender ladies who made sure that we were well taken care of. Although it did get incredibly busy at some point the atmosphere still had a relaxed vibe and this is definetely not the place to visit for just for a quick bite. It needs to be savored for sure. I have to say that it is accomplished by quite crazy pace that The Bothy team maintains at all times while finding time to slow down & attend to each and every guest. Amazingly done! Great service. Great food. Great drinks. Great atmosphere. Great design. It should be a must stop when visiting Fortress of Louisbourg.

Highly recommended!

Thank You Colin and Justin & Team for making our evening one for the memory books! Your place is Cape...