The Carleton image

The Carleton

Restaurant Bar Event venue Live music venue Live music bar Event ticket seller Comedy club

Contemporary stone- & wood-accented hangout with a patio, upscale pub grub & live music shows. People often mention great, music, venue, staff, Carleton, live, Great, time, amazing, drinks,


Address

1685 Argyle St, Halifax, NS B3J 2B5, Canada

Website

www.thecarleton.ca

Contact

+1 902-422-6335

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.50 (446 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Friday: 4 pm to 12 am
  • Saturday: 4 pm to 12 am
  • Sunday: 4 to 10 pm
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday: 4 pm to 12 am
  • Thursday: 4 pm to 12 am

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: great (18) music (17) venue (11) staff (9) Carleton (9) live (9) Great (8) time (8) amazing (7) drinks (7)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Stephen R. 1 year ago on Google
    Great sound, great staff, great food. Love the atmosphere here - cozy and comfortable and not too crowded most nights. The chicken burger was delicious!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Tracey S. 5 months ago on Google
    Small place but oh the sound in here is amazing. We came to listen to Tara Breen and her crew from Ireland. They were delightful. The show started at 7 so we got there for 6 which I recommend so u can get a good seat. We are as well and the food was great. The Carlton burger was so yummy; upgrade ur fries to the Carlton frites!! I highly recommend. My sister had the croquettes and they were ok. If I’m ever back in Nova Scotia, I’ll be back at the Carlton!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Caden H. 1 year ago on Google
    Every time I've been to the Carleton, I've had a wonderful time. Great performers, great staff, great food and drinks. They also have gender-neutral washrooms which is great. The location is near many bus routes too.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Koen S. 1 year ago on Google
    a chique venue with great sound. the environment felt small but also cozy. the mussels and windsurfer drink were great, as was our server!

  • 5/5 Paul K. 3 months ago on Google New
    Best place ever to hear live music! Quiet, intimate settings puts you right in the lap of the musicians. No wonder The Carleton continues to win awards.

  • 4/5 Rob A. 3 months ago on Google New
    Good band, good but slow service, particularly based on a small crowd for the night. Will def return but appreciate the staff paying a little more attention to the patrons.

  • 5/5 Andrew 5 months ago on Google
    Absolutely stellar performance by Anyma, perfectly paired with an amazing venue and a wonderful sound. I couldn't ask for more. P.S. the Darkside Dry cider by Lake City Cider is stellar!

  • 5/5 Breanne C. 6 months ago on Google
    Great venue - went for a concert + cocktail. (Rasta Gumbo Band + Negroni) Both were exceptional!

  • 5/5 KIM S. 8 months ago on Google
    Best place in town to see musicians play in an intimate setting. Food is great (love their special skinny spiced fries), drinks too. The staff are amazing😎

  • 3/5 Michael G. 10 months ago on Google
    Watchd The Stanfields play tonight, great band. Only had some appetizers for food from the Carleton which was good except the charcuterie board wasn't to our liking. Staff was pretty low key and had a decent vibe.

  • 5/5 Doug K. 7 months ago on Google
    Great venue! Bison carpaccio was excellent and the service was too. Always a good time when the Desperado Band is on stage.

  • 5/5 Samantha W. 10 months ago on Google
    Went to see The Stanfields play on May 12 2023 and it was my very first time there. I absolutely love the atmosphere! The staff was so happy and accommodating, and our waiter was the sweetest. I can’t say enough good things about this place! The sound is amazing and it has an extremely intimate feel - even though it is quite large. The food is sooooo great, I mean, what can I say, the menu is small and eclectic, but everything on it looks fabulous! I had a hard time choosing, but finally decided on the crispy chicken sandwich. It was YUM!! I finished the night with the orange crème brûlée and a cappuccino. Had a couple of great drinks in between. Lucky for you, I have included some photos for your viewing pleasure! I will be back for sure. Thank you so much to the Carlton for such a great night and introduction to your wonderful establishment!

  • 5/5 T R. 8 months ago on Google
    An absolute treasure! We attended 2 shows there for the Jazz Fest, and we cannot believe the quality of this place. The reservation process was seamless, the service outstanding, and the food delicious. However the icing on the cake is the incredible music venue it is, from the sound quality to the layout of the room. We had the best time enjoying live music, and cannot wait to go back. Kudos to the whole team!

  • 5/5 Amanda 6 months ago on Google
    We went to the Carleton for drinks and a show. The staff here is exceptionally friendly and the drinks were tasty. The venue is an intimate setting with a small dance floor area in front of the stage. We really enjoyed our night out and would recommend the Carleton to others.

  • 5/5 Paula C. 11 months ago on Google
    The Carleton never disappoints. I have been here many times to see some amazing live music. Tickets are affordable, food is delicious and the staff are fantastic. I recently purchased 4 tickets to a show and 2 people couldn’t make it. It’s was a sold out show and I told the venue I had 2 tickets for anyone on their wait list. They credited me that same evening! Thanks for supporting local also. 😊

  • 4/5 Ryan D. 1 year ago on Google
    Cocktail aren't cheap, but they have a great variety! Great live music. Friendly staff

  • 5/5 Katherine L. 1 year ago on Google
    Hey there! My boyfriend and I are from Montreal and decided to take a trip to Halifax. We were walking and saw The Carleton. We went online and saw that « Saraka » was playing that night; a jazz band with a Caribbean flair. I have to say… I was NOT disappointed. The perfect way to end our weekend trip in Halifax! The venue was delightful, food was incredible, service was impeccable and the band was amazing! We will definitely be going back!

  • 2/5 Burke 1 year ago on Google
    Great music venue, go for the music but eat elsewhere. All our dishes were very salty (burger, chicken burger, ravioli and steak) it wasn't a great meal at all for the price and the service was just ok. Great music venue vibe though!

  • 3/5 Peter G B. 1 year ago on Google
    It was a disappointing night. The website said the performer played until 9 pm. Perfect, I thought, after he finished, we could chat with out of town friends not seen in a long time. The performer was still playing well after 9 pm and we were told to stay quiet, that we were in a listening group and there was to be no talking while the music was playing. Fair enough, but this should have been advertised at the bar or at least be told when we came in and before we sat down and ordered drinks.

  • 4/5 Lori 1 year ago on Google
    The big draw is the live music and they are known for bringing in excellent music acts to entertain in an intimate setting. For me, that is a four star rating. In general, the cocktails are nice and food tasty. Sometimes great, sometimes fine.

  • 5/5 Jonathan M. 1 year ago on Google
    Really love the atmosphere for catching a performance. Our bartender was prompt and really polite. A great experience overall

  • 5/5 Ian David C. 1 year ago on Google
    Amazing venue for live acts! Classic night club feel, intimate lighting, but with enough space for you and your companion to avoid rubbing up on the next table. Great drinks menu, terrific food (I had the burger and frites!) and the servers were excellent! I can't wait to go back!

  • 5/5 Robert C. 1 year ago on Google
    Excellent spot to listen to live music and have fantastic cocktails. Service is excellent and reasonably priced food and beverages

  • 4/5 Lisa 3 years ago on Google
    More for uni students, but us seniors had a good time. Excellent wines, we didn't eat there... yet!

  • 5/5 Yeshua O. 1 year ago on Google
    Elegant for everyone, the Carleton has a classy embiance and very tasteful live music, would recommend this spot for all kinds of occasions

  • 5/5 Tolga I. 1 year ago on Google
    Best live music in town and very friendly staff. Definatelly recommend!

  • 5/5 alzira s. 1 year ago on Google
    I loved this country music lovers bar. I knew many new music and musicians from Canada and from Nashville, too. Marvelous experience!!!! I will come back

  • 4/5 Einat & Ron O. 1 year ago on Google
    Live music was fabulous. Venue is very nice. I ordered wings which were not of greatest quality. the Kale salad was tasty

  • 5/5 Paul C. 1 year ago on Google
    We went to see Steve Poltz. It was an amazing show. Had a burger that was absolutely delicious. The service was great too. I'm giving out my first 5 star review for the Carleton. Highly recommended!


Call +1 902-422-6335 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Food
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Dancing
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Food at bar
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating
  • From the business
    • ✓️ Identifies as women-owned

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