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Bâton Rouge Halifax
Category: Restaurants Steakhouses Steakhouses [Edit]
1877 Hollis StHalifax, NS B3J 1W5
(902) 407-0007
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
14 reviews for Bâton Rouge Halifax
14 reviews in English
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Review from Ellen B.
12/15/2011
Hubby and I have been here several times now. We overlook the fact that it's a chain and just enjoy the service and food.
This is the only restaurant in the city that serves a mandatory salad that I actually like (you know, those soup-or-salad-with-entree deals whether you want one or not. I wish every restaurant would do away with it); their house salad comes with bacon, boiled egg and the tangiest Italian dressing I've ever had. As someone who is anti-salad, it's actually very good. Hubby has had their seafood chowder and enjoyed it very much.
We always get the sirloin steak and really wish they would expand their steak options. While it's certainly not Ryan Duffy's, it's very good steak for the price. I agree with another Yelper who mentioned presentation is lacking; you get your steak, your choice of side ... and that's it. Other places at least toss a few veggies on your plate, but not here. It makes your entree look small and lonely. However, the taste makes up for the presentation, and their peppercorn sauce is awwwwesome.
Service is always great, decor is lovely, the only other thing I DON'T care for are their Sysco-type desserts. I don't believe any of their desserts are made in-house, someone can correct me if I'm wrong. The red velvet cake is bland and as I'm not a fan of apple crumble-type things or cheesecake, that really leaves me with ... nothing. I always order a dish of their French vanilla ice cream with some chocolate sauce (not on the menu). At least it's "real" French vanilla and not Sobeys brand white vanilla.
I recommend it to anyone who enjoys steak but can't afford $100+ for two people. -
Review from Nic C.
Stillwater Lake, NS
11/27/2011
I was so excited when I heard there was a location here! It was a monthly ritual for me in Toronto.
The interior is beautiful as usual and the smell of ribs as you walk in is delightful.
The menu is fantastic And the same as the chain,yay!
The service at this location does offer a little more to be desired. Waiting 25 mins for our drinks is ridiculous at lunch time, regardless of how busy they may be. The waitstaff and management have an air of incompetence and offered no solution for ruining my birthday lunch.
Hopefully they will compare to the Vaughan ON location one day, but for now that seems very far away. -
Review from Jen M.
Bedford, NS
5/10/2012
It was ... okay.
The setting is great and I loved the way the features of the historic building are highlighted and integrated.
The food needs work. We had the spinach dip, which tasted fine, but was very oily and therefore messy to eat. I had the steak salad, and I expect more from a steak from a steak house. The steak was not browned at all and was chewy. The salad dressing was good, but the lettuce was ice cold
I won't be hurrying back. -
Review from Robyn C.
Hammonds Plains, NS
3/24/2012
We went there last night as part of a bachelorette party, reservations were for 12 and we had some extra ladies join the fun, they were able to accomadate us. Our waiter Jody was great he made sure we always had drinks, and when there was an issue with one of ladies who did not like her drink he had another one made right away and even left the other one at the table so one of our other lush friends didn't let it go to waste. The appetizers were awesome we had the cheese dip, the name doesn't do it justice, it is so good! We had two orders of it at our table, just the right amount of spicy kick to it. Everyones meal came out together, which with 12 people can be hard to do, the food was hot, and we had a range from salads to ribs at our table and everyone enjoyed their meal. The atmosphere is great, service was great, definately one of my new favorites!
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Review from Kimberley M.
Halifax, NS
9/23/2011
I've experienced Baton Rouge in other cities, so I was looking forward to seeing what the Halifax version was like. Normally, I don't opt for chain-style restaurants - high- or low-end - but I had the opportunity to dine with some coworkers at this newish location here at home.
First off, the location is beautiful. The patio is lovely, and although it's a bit rowdy with the traffic at some intervals, I love it. The exterior of the building is amazing and I think it's a great use of the space. Additionally, the interior is also fantastic. It looks impeccable and I love the darkness of it.
The food was just ... fine. I had a seared ahi tuna salad while many around me sampled the burgers, ribs and other dishes that had a side of fries, which, for the record, smelled amazing. I was a teensy bit jealous at both the sight and smell. My salad was large - all the portions seem voluminous - but bland. I was disappointed that the cabbage-style greens with dressing did not have more flavour.
Service was ... interesting. I think that serving a group is defintely much more tasking than serving small tables, but I felt that our server was not well matched to our table. Shouting and interruptions seemed to be his chosen method of communication, along with comments like "hey Red Sweater, what you ordering?". The style did not seem to match the location's desired image at all.
Overall, I probably would not choose this place again; like I said, I like the local restos best, but if someone else wanted to dine there, I'd make sure I ordered a plate of fries. -
Review from Mel H.
9/23/2011
Got the opportunity to check this spot out for lunch with some co-workers. Full disclosure, we were a walk-in of 12 people, however.... We pretty much had the place to ourselves.
The service was..... How do I put this... An acquired taste? Big tables are never easy to serve, I get that, however this guy was just.. rude.
His preferred method of communication was to shout at our table and auction off our food/drinks rather than keep track of who had what.
The food itself? It was decent. Neither mind blowing or terrible, it just was. I had the seared ahi tuna salad and while the tuna was nicely cooked, I ended up with a fatty chunk that wasn't the most pleasant of textures that ended up being largely uneaten. The greens were akin to a bag salad mix (lettuce, shredded carrot, purple and green cabbage). The dressing was ok, but again nothing to really rave about.
The interior was beautiful and the patio was very nice, albeit loud but that was due to traffic.
Will I go back? Meh. I'm not in a hurry..... -
Review from Maureen J.
Halifax, NS
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friends from Montreal have always raved about the food at Baton Rouge so I had been looking forward to trying it out ever since the sign went up during construction.
My first experience was during a lunch with my colleagues and I was pretty disappointed with the overall experience. The atmosphere and the service were both spot on. Our server was able to accommodate us and we didn't experience any real time delays that can come with dining with a large group.
The food however was a little bit of a disappointment for me. I decided to have the Ahi Tuna Sandwich from the lunch menu, which came with a $17 price tag. At first glance, the tuna was cooked well and the mango salsa on the sandwich was delicious. Unfortunately this was served on a hamburger bun with shredded iceberg lettuce. I couldn't help but feel a little let down when I thought about what this sandwich could be.
Feedback from around the table was mixed. Everyone seemed to enjoy the ribs and fries but others complained about the lack of food in each serving. One thing I do enjoy is the side dish options. I had the choice of either fries, baked beans, coleslaw, or apples and cinnamon. The baked beans were quite yummy..
I will definitely be trying the restaurant again. I do believe that it takes some adjustment to get everything together and think that they will hit their stride. The location, atmosphere, and service are all up to the standards that I would expect. I just need to see a little bit more from the menu. -
Review from Chris D.
Halifax, NS
7/7/2011
Driving by the construction of Bâton Rouge everyday stirred a curiosity within that certainly provoked a curious desire to try this "New to Halifax" franchise that seems to be loved by friends and family in other cities.
After a discussing Bâton Rouge with colleagues and friends collectively, the majority agreed this location had a great propensity to be a slam dunk watering hole for Halifax's suited and booted draining from the pedways at 5 O'clock.
Upon arrival the atmosphere seemed to lie somewhere between a mid/upper scale restaurant with historic property charm and yet there was a box-type franchise vibe as well (which it is).
The service was hospitable and 5/5 in my opinion. Our server was vibrant, well spoken, served beverages quickly and topped off my fountain drink consistently with no delay.
My party of 3 began with southern style spicy battered calamari which was delivered quickly, relatively low sodium and quite nice. *This dish is not found on the website menu*
Now, if you're wondering: why the two stars??
One of my guests steak was far from med-rare, however, was perfectly rare which would have been fine for myself but my guest was quite discouraged.
Personally I chose the rib chicken tender combo. The battered chicken was hot and tasty but my ribs were in no way "fall-off-the-bone", in fact, they were sitting on the line far too long and should have never left the line. The sauce was good!? *Again this selection does not exist on the website menu.*
The shoestring fries were very long and looked fantastic but they were cooked in oil that was either too cool (far below the 356F) or they were left to long and steamed themselves limp - I have cooked my fair share of fries and shoestring should have a crisp to them. They do have the potential!
My third guest had no real complaints about flavor but the chicken was quite cold and ate away finishing her meal by the time the steak was brought back med/rare.
The manager was very accommodating and provided a new set of hot ribs and another chicken breast for my waiting guest. While were were very grateful we were a little pressed for time by this point and had to pack it to go. I did sample the ribs and they were better but they still didn't resonate with me.
I still think Bâton Rouge Halifax Downtown can be a great place with time and practice. I feel it opened so quickly after the construction workers were finished and question if more dry runs would have produced better results.
On a side note the windows were strategically ordered with a high STC sound transfer coefficient and I could barely hear a 53' trailer rumble down Hollis....I was very impressed with lack of street noise but not sure of how easy a conversation could be conducted on the patio.
While it wasn't what I expected, I will remain patient and understanding that with time the kitchen will catch up with the level of management and serving staff.
Stay tuned.....as I will give it one more chance. -
Review from Bailey W.
Halifax, NS
7/6/2011
Checked out Baton Rouge for the first time last night with two of my gal pals. It was a gorgeous evening, so we had the opportunity to sit outside on their fantastic patio. The service was fine -nothing exceptional, but not terrible.
One friend had the Lobster Salad and said it was delicious. It looked as much, stacked with fruit, veggies and a mound of lobster. The other ordered the Linguini Primavera, which turned out to be penne noodles? She enjoyed it though.
I had the Ahi Tuna Salad, cooked rare. The tuna itself was fantastic, but came out on the plate with what looked like a side of greens...not really the entree salad I was anticipating. It also did not have the chives, tomatoes or toasted sesame seeds that were described in the menu. The lime and ginger dressing was good though.
All in all, I enjoyed the atmosphere and will likely return to try the ribs or steak. -
Review from Ben B.
Since it's unlikely that I'll ever be dining at this new steakhouse as a vegetarian, I'll toss up my review based on a visit for drinks and a couple of apps yesterday in this beautifully rejuvenated piece of downtown history.
The space truly is a stand-out. Made to incorporate every piece of the old building they could, it's cozy, urban, upscale and yet distinctly Halifax. While I'm never going to get all that excited about a steakhouse, I do give the owners some major props for working with the building instead of just creating a new, modern vision from scratch.
The service was good but maybe a bit clunky at times. While three of us waited for the remaining three in our party, we were told they were just getting our table ready despite the room being almost empty. No big deal though since we were able to sit at the GORGEOUS bar but then when it came time to move over, bills had to be settled up there first before moving the six feet over to our table.
After that, things started to make a little more sense. The tables and chairs instantly made us feel like a bunch of high class big deals, the service consistently felt more upscale than expected (although I look forward to when staff gets to loosen up a little bit - I love when waitstaff get to show some personality), and the appetizers we split were piping hot, well presented, and quickly delivered.
Here's what we had:
- Calamari: not deep-fried so be aware before you order. Expertly spiced and served in beautiful coils that even made me wish I could have a taste.
- Spinach dip: pretty standard but definitely delicious. Also served with a proper amount of tortilla chips for dipping so you won't run out like at some other places.
- Cheddar dip: I was neither here nor there with this one. I have pretty high standards when it comes to cheese feature items and felt like this one fell a little flat. It felt more like a nacho accompaniment rather than its own dish.
Overall, I really liked the atmosphere and could definitely see myself going back for a drinks and snacks scenario from time to time. -
Review from Diane K.
Dartmouth, NS
11/20/2011
OMG,OMG if I could give this place more than a five star I would. First off I must say that my husband and I are die hard Keg Fans - were compare every place we go to to the Keg - it is our favorite place to eat. But this place blew me away. We went on Sunday and got the prime rib special. I ordered the seafood chowder and my husband had the patatoe soup - we end up trading becuase he found the soup to thick. I loved both. We both had prime rib - my came with smoky mashed patatoes. For dessert we both had the chocolate cake. This was the Sunday prime rib special which was only 25.00 each. You had the choice of 2 different soups or salads choice of patatoe with your meal and the cake. We were both so full we couldn't finish the cake which was so rich. Now that I am done with this review I am going to go lie down and go into a food coma - see yah! We definetly go back again.
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Review from Holly B.
Dartmouth, NS
11/25/2011
GO FOR LUNCH!!! Now, I am spoiled because I just happen to work across the street from the deliciousness of BR. But, it's not the close proximity of the yummy, fall-of-the-bone ribs and crazy moist (how do they DO THAT?!) chicken that prompts me to keep wandering over when my belly starts to grumble. Here's an example of why I love BR: so, I invited a cient to lunch last week. I got there first. The receptionist met me quickly and with a smile, and sat me promptly. She asked who was meeting me and I told her the lady's name. A few minutes later, my client was ushered to the table and she said "it was so nice - I walked in the door and the lady at reception said 'you must be Anne - Holly is waiting for you upstairs'" Now, it's the little touches like that, that make an experience great. Then, when we didn't know what to order, the manager came over and asked if we had ever eaten there. I said yes (but didn't want to admit I'm practically stalking the place) but my client had not, and didn't know what to order. (NOTE: great place to go if you have those 'picky' relatives or friends - there is something gorgeously scrumptious for everyone). The manager said simply "the ribs". My client said 'but what about...." and the manager said "no, get the ribs". lol. It was great. My client closed the menu and looked relieved and ordered the ribs. She is still in heaven, still talking about the ribs. I had the Chicken Salad. It is unreal. Take what you know about chicken salad and forget it, this is totally delectable. We had dessert but that is another review. I will just say three words: Velvet Chocolate Cake. Ouch! A whole lot of yummy people.
So, dinner is great, and lunch is greater. Fast food doesn't have to make you feel fat and gross poeple! You are in and out, customers will love the tons of GREAT PARKING options, which to me and my hair, is important. The owner Max can be found sitting enjoying his lunch - go over and say hi and give him feedback. He loves it and wants to make your dining experience memorable in every way. Love it. Hey...it's almost lunch...and didn't I forget to pack a sandwich again?!! Hmmm.... -
Review from Lyndsay L.
Dartmouth, NS
12/2/2011
I went to Baton Rouge with two co-workers as sort of a celebration after surviving day one of the conference we were hosting at the WTCC. One of my co-workers had been dying to go and didn't need to look at the menu. Ribs, ribs, ribs. Not being a huge fan of meat, especially red meat, for me the menu was nothing to be desired. However for all you red meat lovers it looked great!
For an appetizer to split between the three of us we ordered the spinach dip. It was very creamy and came with a large portion of tortilla chips. I definitely appreciated the vast amount of chips - I hate when you never have enough chips to finish dip! It ranked at the top of spinach dips I've had but didn't blow me away. For mains my two co-workers ordered ribs and I ordered chicken tenders (channelling my inner 8-year-old apparently). Even for not being a red meat eater, the ribs looked pretty damn good - as they should over $25 a pop! The chicken tenders came with two dipping sauces - Dijon mustard and BBQ - and as a side I ordered a loaded baked potato. The chicken tenders were ok - the deep fired batter was tick and tasty. The toppings were piled high on the baked potato but it was a HUGE potato. I didn't even get through half of it.
Overall the food was ok - nothing spectacular for the price. However, the atmosphere was great. I loved the exposed brick walls. What made the experience fantastic was our server Shawn. He went above and beyond with food and wine recommendations. When the wine we ordered was unavailable, he apologized and recommended a great alternative. The alternative was turned out to be a hit and he showed us the bottle and wrote down the name so we'd remember for next time. He took an interested in our table and was able to strike that perfect balance between engaging with his customers and giving us time to talk amongst ourselves while enjoying our meal. My co-workers and I work within the tourism industry and we can sometimes be a tough crowd, but Shawn definitely won us over and showed us the true Halifax hospitality we support. -
Review from Nicole P.
Halifax, NS
9/2/2011
Was there with a party of five for a birthday. The food was great, the service was great - I'd recommend it to anyone.
