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Atlantic Trap & Gill is now closed and replaced by Back Forty. Please visit the listing for Back Forty for up to date information.
I'm originally from Newfoundland and I used to go to this bar under different ownership (I think) for years when it was located 8 blocks southwest on the bottom floor of the Canadian Hotel on Davie. I liked it better there, especially in the late '90s and Y2K time. The old location was quaint and divided into 2 rooms and you could get more east coast beer there. There were photos and graffitti of east coast. There was regular live east coast music, poetry, etc. It just had a better atmosphere.
The "new" place on Robson is OK, I guess. It's a large rectangle, overly well lit (for a pub), but they've saved the benches (admittedly sanitized) from the old spot. I don't really get an east coast vibe except by reading the menu. The service is friendly but pretty laid back. The place has a wifi which is good. Most of the beer is BC or American, which I can get anywhere. There's plenty of space on the parkinglot patio open in summer. The food is OK. You can get a plate of mussels and the light sauce is good for dipping bread into; they had that at the old place. The bartender says they still have live music but it's rarer and on too late for me to come.
The location is actually pretty good because you can go before/after a game and the main competition, Dix (my old hangout) is lamentably closed.
Overall, it's a so-so for me.
I was downtown for a show and was walking around to look for a bite to eat. I came across the Atlantic Trap & Gill. This location has been the spot for the boys to get together for beers after a game or event at BC Place in the past. It's still a good place for beers and drinks. Although my lovely lady friend was disppointed that they don't serve mixed drinks ??? wtf? The bar looked well stocked, don't know what's going on in that dept. The server was a very friendly guy, although a little laid back. I guess thats a maritime thing? I ordered a seafood platter and chicken wings. The wings were ok, nothing to rave about. Just regular pub fair with that slight taste of previously frozen meat. I was a little disappointed with the seafood platter, the menu said mound of fries, we only received a lump of fries. The fish was soaking in oil and was very mushy, the shrimp was pretty good, and the lobster sticks were ok. BUt nothing to rave about. The lobster had a slight taste of ginger which is different. Would i go back? Probably for a beer after the game. I don't think i would have their fish again, it was truly disgusting. Captain Highliner can do better. I would give them another try to see if they improve, everyone deserves a second chance.
I am giving a 2 rating for every category because everything seems just passable, and nothing is exceptional. Food is so-so, and the portion is quite small. We went at a time when they weren't busy at all (only 3 tables were occupied), but the food took quite some time to arrive, and the bill took even longer.
I am not sure if I will come back - there doesn't seem to be a good reason to return.
This pub has a great location on busy Davie Street but is loud and not the place if you want to hear another person speak to you. The food was ordinary and took 45 minutes to arrive.....the bison ribs, coleslaw and fries for $12.99 was OK but 3 lukewarm ribs with not much sauce could have been better. The veggie burger was passable. With better management this place would be full every night.
the trap & gill is a fun place. The food is certainly decent as pub fare goes, but I think the furniture could use some refreshing. It's getting a bit run down.
I enjoyed the fish & chips, and my server was very pleasant and attentive.
Went for lunch with the gang and we all ordered all you can eat fish and chips. The room is great and I've been here before to party (and had a great time), but the food lacks. For $11 I wasn't expecting five star fishys but I was expecting better than we got. The "fish" was really just grease soaked batter and the chips weren't much better. Service was fast and friendly but could not make up for the poor catch.
This place is all about tying one on. They serve cheap beer with lots of options on tap. Try an Irish car bomb (can't remember what the PC name is). Its half a Guinness with a shooter of Irish whiskey and some sort of cream liquer dropped into it, money. The food is mostly deep fried and greasy but could help combat the hangover you will have the next morning. Service is usually pretty solid but not as good as when the infamous monkey (Michelle) worked there.
If youre going to go to this place... go on a night when theyve got live music!!
This was me n hubby's second Friday night here, and we love that the band gets the whole place goin. Really energetic n fun music, the guys are always throwing in a call for 'sociable!!' (everyone in the bar cheers their neighbour - it's an east coast thing if you didn't know) Reminds us of back home..
Hubby ate the seafood platter with POUTINE - lobster sticks (pretty good), shrimp (yum!!) and fish (really good). Poutine was awesome too, piping hot in its own bowl. I ate the grilled chicken burger (had bacon, cheese, and sauce...) w yam fries, it was huge and delicious.!!
We drank a few pints of the night's lager on special, can't remember the name, nothing to write home about but a good enough bargain at 4.50 a pint.
Sometimes differednt staff would bring us different parts of our orders (one took the order, another brought the food, etc) but everyone who served us was super friendly and not annoying n phony like some corporate type places.
All in all we have found a new favourite place for music on the weekends, we've had a wonderful couple of nights here.
The Atlantic Trap & Gill has just recently moved to its new location on Robson. Having just watched the Lions game, my wife and I decided to give it a try. We're both from Nova Scotia and were missing home, so we were hoping this would help ease the homesickness.
Not a chance.
We got garlic fingers and two donairs. Basic Halifax food. The garlic fingers were tolerable at best. The bread didn't seem like it had been baked in the oven; it more seemed like they had microwaved it. The middle was completely soggy. There was almost no garlic, and the donair sauce had the consistency of honey (and tasted remarkably similar to honey as well, instead of actual donair sauce).
As bad as that was, the donairs were worse. They were served in wraps. Not pitas, wraps. And red wraps at that. The donair meat was okay, but the sauce was still bad, and they made it with lettuce and red onions. Plus, they gave fries as a side dish. WTF? The only proper side dish with a donair is garlic fingers - or another donair!
Service was acceptable, but slow. They were busy at the time, so it was forgivable, but they should have had someone else working. And the place itself was adequately Maritime, but the food made it intolerable (and the food in and of itself isn't terrible - it's just not proper Atlantic food at all).
We'll never be going back there. Which is a shame, because the idea is so good.
I've eaten twice there now and I'll never go again. The first time on my own I had a tuna burger that had a big piece of gristle running through it. The second time I brought a companion. I ordered steak, she ordered fish and chips, which you’d expect a place calling itself something fish related would do well. No. The fish was burnt and the chips greasy and soggy. And lucky me, my steak had a gristle running through. Coincidence? Or just inferior suppliers? Not only that. We were fairly close to the bar, and the staff were having loud, less-than-appropriate conversation. When they realized what they were doing, one of looked at us and said, “Don’t mind us, we’re from the Maritimes, we’re just white trash.” Cute. Just what I wanted to hear from people serving me drinks and food. In fairness, they were friendly and the service was quick, but their conversation and the food completely spoiled the experience. So, I won’t be going again.
Some of the reviews so far have been the funniest ones I've read yet.
I'm originally from Nova Scotia, so a lot of the food on the menu appeals to me. But I guess the Mexican and Asian stuff is there to appeal to the more health-concious west coasters.
I've had the garlic fingers a few times, because they remind me of home and you just can't get them anywhere else out here. Unfortunately, some of them usually end up burnt, and they're just not what I'm used to. The fish leaves something to be desired, and most of the food is just not tasty.
The service is okay, the wait staff is friendly; although I have been forgotten, even when we're the only two people in the whole restaurant.
The fact that they don't take interac is ridiculous. I never use no-name ATMs when I can avoid it, and that's their only option. That's a big turn off.
This is really a place to get drunk and eat greasy bar food, and not a place to dine. I'm sure I will go back, but when I'm there, I'll remember why I shouldn't.
I love the employees here and intially it is indeed newfie like (minus all the bar fights). However as a Newfoundlander it doesnt bringup any feelings of home. I was impressed the authentic newfie and maritime menu that features such unique newfie dishes as Nachos, Quesadillas, Asian Chicken Wrap, Asian salad....us Newfies are very proud of our strong mexican and asian backgrounds......Yeah Right. Where is the newfie food?
As well I love the maritime memorbilia that seem to do a excellent job of portraying BC and Alaskan maritime history, but very little to portray eastern canada maritime history. They don't even use Newfie dialect in their menus. Reading it gives one the impression that Newfoundlanders talk like pirates. Untill I see very popular eastern Canada food like Fish 'n Brewis, Salt beef, deep fried cod tonques, corned Capelin, Caribou steaks, and the oh soooo good Seal flipper pie, it is not a newfie restaurant.
What's happen with the kitchen? Everything looks like plastic (sauces). The food took tooooo loooong, the taste toooo baaaaaaddd. We did try to talk to the server about and he didn't care and even didn't call the supervisor or whoever was in charge, to explain us why was to bad. The beer was cold, at least. The ambience isn't nothing especial, everybody knows, but this time the food...arghh..
This is a great place for Maritimers, or wannabes, to hang out for a night of fun. The place is overcrowded though, so good luck getting a seat.
The ATM downstairs ripped me off. Somehow my card info was gleaned from this machine and over $3000 was stolen from my account. This was 3 years ago, and I believe the Russian crime ring has since been caught.
All I can say is: GOOD MUSIC, GOOD BEER, GOOD EAST COAST FOOD................GOOD TIMES. Bring a dozen of your friends, drink a lot, eat some food and have a hell of a time! The staff rock and the music is always good and loud.
This place has had some ups and downs over the last few years, but they have renovated and hired new management, WOW what a difference. Had a blast the other night. Great friendly service, great music, good food and reasonable priced beers. Would recommend the "Trap" to anybody. Easy going atmosphere, very east coast, felt like I was back in Halifax. If you had a bad experience there, now is the time for 2nd chances or you are missing out! I've been to the one in Calgary too and it was a good time too.
My colleague picked this place for another colleague’s BD party. Her friends played there that Saturday night. The music was great, very loud though. By the end of the night, our throats were soar cuz we had to shout to each other in that loud music. There was 6 ppl celebrated their BD there that night, so our request for the band to sing the happy BD song was well received.
When I got there, my colleagues had been there for a hour and had already finished eating. The place was packed. PPl had to share tbls.
I ordered club house sandwich and cider, got my drink right away, but the food took quite while (30mins?)to show up on my tbl. The fries were hot and the sandwich was tasty. Portion was good for $10.
The young gal served us was very attentive. Even it’s was very busy and crowded, she constantly coming back to check (we were tucked in the corner) if everything was ok. The BD cake we took with us (the gal stored it in their frige) was brought to our tbl soon after I finished my meal. I was quite impressed with her service.
Overall, it was a positive experience. But it’s not a place to have conversation when the band is playing.
The Atlantic Trap & Gill is a fun, very-friendly pub that really shines on nights when there's live music.
Both of our times here were when Copper Sky were playing, and the atmosphere was incredibly lively and fun. Be sure to arrive early on live music nights, as seats fill up in no time. The food is average, and the drinks are great and reasonably priced.
Overall, the atmosphere and the friendliness of the people are what make the place great. I'd definitely recommend it as a good place to stop for a round and some appetizers...
I always like coming here because they actually cook with summer savory!!... and that means I can get awesome chicken fricot with delicious fluffy dumplings. I feel comfortable here but have never paid all that much attention to the decor, I just wanted good Maritime/Acadian food and that is just what I got. Yay.
18 dollars for a plate of nachos and guacamole is an extra cost? Excuse me but isn't the cheese (what little cheese there was) on the nachos usually melted instead of just tossed on?
You could blame this entirely on the kitchen but it's the server that let it go from the kitchen to the table.
Our dining companions had some sort of east coast meat dish that apparently tasted like saw dust. They had one bite and left the rest.
That's another clue to the kitchen - are the plates coming back empty or full?
Not going back. There's plenty of somewhat better food joints to get ripped off at.
| 1. | Back Forty (25 m) | |
| 2. | Zachary’s on Robson (29 m) |  |
| 3. | Cafe Orca (33 m) |  |
| 4. | Players Chophouse Restaurant and Lounge (41 m) |  |
| 5. | Beatty Street Bar & Grill (80 m) | |
| 6. | Frankie's Italian Kitchen & Bar (85 m) | |
| 7. | Waves Coffee House (92 m) | |
| 8. | Pure Coffee House (102 m) |  |
| 9. | Subway (102 m) | |
| 10. | Java Express (118 m) |
