This place has improved immensly since first opening way back when. I visited the pub back then and the beers were nothing to get excited about. Today the bar has a fantastic brewer Greg Nash who is creating some fantastic beers down at the Rockbottom. Staff are friendly and I hear the food is good too.

Attractive, somewhat dark basement restaurant in downtown Halifax. Service was pleasant though not super knowledgeable about beer. They have 4 regular in house beers (wheat, brown, stout and IPA - the latter being the stand-out, but all of which were solid) and two seasonal taps (which can have some real nice, really interesting beers on them) and maybe a dozen bottles featuring some of the better stuff available at Premier Wine and Spirits. Food is above-average pub grub (better than the Hart & Thistle for sure, even without being able to eat it on a waterfront patio). To my mind probably the first bar/restaurant someone should visit in Halifax from a beer perspective.

I really wanted to like this place after really despising the beer on a visit a few years ago now that Greg Nash is brewing here. But, the 4 beer I tried ranged from good to ok, meh and yuck. I really hate being in the basement, and you really feel like it. Staff was quite good this time, even accepting a return without issues on the crappy Wheat beer.

Went Thursday afternoon for an app and Saturday night for a drink. Very busy Saturday, only a few free tables. This place has changed a lot recently. Staff was very open that they used to only finish the beer on site with the wort being brought in. That has changed and they now brew from start to finish and have hired brewmaster Greg Nash. They had four regular brews and two seasonals, all of which were either average or better. They also had an excellent selection of high end guest bottles. The decor was also renovated this fall and looks rather upscale and bright for a basement pub. Overall, it seems like they are working hard to improve in all areas.

Had a very late brunch at the Mustache then headed downstairs to try the beers here. The place was neary deserted, but not surprising given that it was 27 degrees and sunny, and Rockbottom unfortunately has no patio. Very nice modern pub environment, spotlessly clean. Quick and friendly waitress, although not much in the way of beer knowledge. As others have noted, the brews here share the universal quality of coming across as a bit thin and simple, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say awful. Worth a stop to try a few new beers and support a new local effort. Incidentally, no relation to the Rockbottom chain that is found throughout the U.S.

That was a waste of money. Commercial beers using the same yeast for most of their brews. to say that I was dissapointed is putting it nicely. I had a hard time figuring out what the difference between the beers were. Awful beers.

Since the Rock Bottom has completely overhauled its practices I’ve decided to re-review it. The ambiance is still pretty great. The service is good, but spotty (a waitress once threw my plate on the table and I ended up with half my fries in my lap, and received only the most cursory word of apology). The food is still generally awful but at least the beer is good now. Fantastic really. Dominated by Greg Nash’s ballsy hop forward IPAs with some lighter and darker brews to balance out the selection. They also have a rotating selection of guest bottles that seem to come almost exclusively from Premier Wines. Realistically, you can eat well and drink a couple brews for ~$30. ~$20 at happy hour.

A beautiful setting below My Father’s Mustache. I agree there are ressemblances with C’est What, more modern, warm, friendly service....Barman was from Qc City, so it was fun to speak ones own language. Simple varied pubfare, a it pricy. Beers need more oomph.

A dark, downstairs pub that is truly beautiful. Exposed river-washed stone for the walls, long polished bar, and a lot of dark granite and wood. In many ways, it reminds me of C’est What in Toronto. A large modern fireplace dominates the center of the room, directly across from the bar. The beers are technically fine, but I do feel that they could be amped up substantially. The IPA is substantially underhopped, although I think the brown ale was pretty good. My server was very friendly and efficient and knew quite a bit about both the running of the brewery and the ultimate plan for the pub. Technically, only the fermentation happens in the pub and the wort itself is produced off-site... which makes the lack of flaws in the brews all the more impressive. I do hope this place is successful... it’s got a nice ambience and a cozy feel for the winter months, although the darkness is likely problematic for the summer months. Glad to see a new addition to the Halifax beer scene.