How is Purple Thistle restaurant rated?

Name: Purple Thistle
Address: 383 Keltic in Rd, Ingonish Beach, NS, Canada, B0C 1L0
Telephone: (902) 285-2880
Price range: CAN$31 to CAN$50
Rating: 3.5

Purple Thistle

3.5

72 Reviews

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Canadian

Top tags:

The stunning views and sophisticated flavours give this upscale restaurant its exceptional reputation. Enjoy the surrounding views of the Atlantic Ocean and the majestic Highlands while you enjoy your meal. So treat yourself to a unique Nova Scotia dining experience—you’re on vacation, after all.
Reservations are for Dinner only.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Canadian, Seafood
Hours of Operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–10:00 am Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(902) 285-2880
Website
https://www.kelticlodge.ca/dining
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress Code
Business Casual
Executive Chef
Chad Robinson

Location
383 Keltic in Rd, Ingonish Beach, NS B0C 1L0
Neighbourhood
Ingonish Beach
Parking Details
Hotel Parking
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Gluten-free Options, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 72 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

3.5

3.5 based on all time ratings

3.6Food
3.8Service
3.5Ambience
3Value

Noise • Moderate

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w
winelover
Atlantic Canada
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 17, 2022
overall4food5service1ambience5
The food was amazing but the waiter needed some basic training on how to wait a table.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Toronto
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 13, 2022
overall3food3service3ambience4
Food was expensive and portions were tiny. They didn’t even serve bread despite setting side plates with the little butter knives on top. We left with a hefty bill still hungry. I had the halibut which was very tasty despite the small portion and minuscule sides. The view is very picturesque.
DT
DavidT
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on October 13, 2022
overall4food3service5ambience4
Awesome server who made dinner enjoyable. Dinner seriously lacking in vegetable content. Taste was very good for both meals we had. Lovely views from anywhere in the dining room.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Hong Kong Islan
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on October 12, 2022
overall3food5service2ambience1
Looking for fine dining experience, but very disappointed. Good news first: food was good, though not outstanding. However, it took over 30 minutes until one of the waiters finally approached us to take our order. We were not the only ones that suffered from « the high art of ignoring » that was practiced here. When the starters finally arrived, the escargots arrived without bread to mop up the butter sauce. It took another 8 minutes until a dry bread arrived. Unfortunately no alternative nearby - otherwise we would have walked out
GA
GaneshA
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on October 11, 2022
overall2food2service4ambience2
Food was average with increased Waiting time due to less staff.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Edmonton
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 10, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food!
MW
MaeW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 10, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
I went to the thanksgiving buffet at the purple thistle and everything was delicious. Overall a great experience.
d
drsamps
Atlantic Canada
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on October 8, 2022
overall3food3service3ambience3
Disappointing experience. Service was slow to start. They purposefully brought us food menus to start then told us it would be a 10 minute wait for drink menus which it was. Our mains arrived before we were done our appetizers. Food was unimpressive- watery corn purée with scallop appetizer, over cooked veggies with steak main. There were bread plates/butter knives set at the table but when I asked if we were supposed to get bread the waiter told us no (but then did offer to bring us some). They ran out of ice cream for 1/2 their desserts. Forgot to bring the coffee that was ordered at the end.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Toronto
4 reviews
2.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 20, 2022
overall2food4service4ambience2
Visiting with family
W
Wooster
New York Area
11 reviews
3.0
11 reviews
Dined on September 19, 2022
overall3food3service3ambience2
Decor is past sell-by date. No tablecloths as pictured in brochure. Food quality was so-so. Service ok. Would not recommend.
GL
GerardL
Vancouver
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on September 18, 2022
overall1food3service3ambience2
All aspects of our visit nd meal fell below any expectattions we had. Poor performance.
JK
JoyceK
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on September 17, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience5
Noise level question was confusing. I did not know how to respond. It was not noisey. Price of entry a little high for amount but the salmon was the best I ever had. My partner loved the chicken. Server was great. Breakfast was awesome. Best croissant I ever had. Eggs Benedict was perfect even in warming tray.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
5 reviews
vip
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on September 15, 2022
overall2food2service4ambience3
Had all the signs of a struggling restaurant. Mediocre in every way.
TG
TomG
Des Moines
22 reviews
5.0
22 reviews
Dined on September 14, 2022
overall5food4service4ambience5
Classic park lodge ambience. Fish cooked perfectly. Locally sourced menu.
D
Darkwing296
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on September 8, 2022
overall2food2service5ambience3
Wait staff was great but the food not so much. We had the lobster dinner which was VERY overpriced. It was cold and rubbery. Seemed like it had been cooked a few days ago and then stuffed back in its shell. The “ potato salad “ was terrible as well. Shrivelled up baby potatoes and a few veggies that were cooked in vinegar or so it tasted. Very disappointed in our meal. The waitress was lovely and attentive so she was the best thing about the place. We would never return here and will not be recommending this to others.
LM
LandonM
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 6, 2022
overall3food1service4ambience3
Over priced for what you get. Poor wine selection
E
Elte
Montreal
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 5, 2022
overall3food3service4ambience5
Too expensive for the quality. $65 for a lobster dinner, with 2 asparagus and 2 baby potatoes is ridiculous. Lobster thermidor at the Bicycle Thief in Halifax is $54, with amazing sides. View is great though.
GL
GuyL
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on September 5, 2022
overall2food1service3ambience2
We were hoping for a high quality romantic dinner, but … Everything was overcooked ! Where was the Chef ? Really overpriced for such a poor meal … Monday, September 5, 2022.
TR
akaTeddyR
Minneapolis
26 reviews
vip
4.0
26 reviews
Dined on August 30, 2022
overall4food5service3ambience5
The rack of lamb was excellent. Service was slow and confused. Beautiful setting.
DB
DebbieB
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on August 25, 2022
overall3food4service2ambience4
The view is spectacular and the food is good but it is painfully clear there are experiencing a shortage of trained wait staff. The service was not anywhere close to good enough given what they are charging.
PE
PeggyE
Toronto
9 reviews
3.0
9 reviews
Dined on August 24, 2022
overall3food3service5ambience4
The restaurant is still advertised as award winning though it appears it last won years ago. Our whole experience was disappointing though service was fine. One of us ordered ratatouille which honestly was one big slab of partially cooked onion, one thin slice of zucchini covered in tomato sauce and topped with a massive mound of quinoa. Flavourless and awful….
s
sgretired
Washington DC
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on August 23, 2022
overall3food2service5ambience2
The staff were great as well as the views. But food was average and ambience was more cafeteria style. Way overpriced for what they offered.
DC
DanielC
Atlantic Canada
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 17, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent choice of dishes.Delicious food and good portions.Attentive service.
OT
OpenTable Diner
London
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on August 14, 2022
overall2food2service4ambience1
Tired and overpriced restaurant. Avoid
B
Birder
New York Area
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 14, 2022
overall2food2service1ambience1
Probably the. Best dining around, but that’s a very low bar to meet.
GD
GinetteD
Atlantic Canada
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on August 11, 2022
overall3food3service4ambience2
Dirty couches and tables. Need cleaning and painting. Very disappointed. Looks so good on the website but not in real .
HC
HollyC
Atlantic Canada
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience4
I had the beef tenderloin with roasted potatoes and vegetables. It was delicious.
F
Foodie123
Atlantic Canada
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2022
overall3food2service5ambience3
Our server (Haley) was excellent, but the food was poor quality and the portions were very small. An $18 dollar bowl of chowder was tiny, really tiny. The chef forgot to read the receipe for escargot (who puts cheese on it), and the roll was so stale it must have been days old. The charcuterie board was good and a decent portion.
R
Robert
Richmond
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 4, 2022
overall3food3service3ambience3
The scallop appetizer was well prepared and nicely presented but the scallops were tiny. I had the halibut for the main course. The fish was fine but the vegetables were either undercooked (carrots) or overcooked (asparagus).
AM
AlexM
Atlantic Canada
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 4, 2022
overall4food3service3ambience5
The experience at the Purple Thistle Dining Room was just fair. We ordered the scallops and the chowder to start and both were fantastic, no issues there. I had ordered the Tenderloin for my main, however, what I received did not resemble the cut I had ordered. In fact, it was sliced and when put together was not a full steak. This was a far cry from what I imagined when ordering a $50 steak. Dessert was excellent. Please do not slice my steaks.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlantic Canada
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on August 3, 2022
overall2food2service4ambience1
The restaurant was filthy!!! Cobwebs in the corners of the windows, dead flies lying around…… certainly ii’s not the same place as we remembered!! Gone are the white table cloths and fine dining experience! Sad. During these Covid times when every business is bending over backwards to have their establishment spotless, Keltic doesn’t seem to care or got the memo!! Not rushing to go back or recommend to others. The server was very nice and professional, polite.
g
gerry
Atlantic Canada
17 reviews
4.0
17 reviews
Dined on August 3, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
Overall the food was very good - better than last year ! They need more servers but that’s an issue everywhere! Of note was the professionalism displayed by Deep, who is a student at Cape Breton University in their hospitality program ! He has all the attributes to be very successful in that line of work which is his goal ! Personable,knowledgeable, and attentive ! He was like the Maître D of the restaurant ( which does not have one)! Gerald P Reardon MD, FRCS(C) Halifax,NS
CD
ChristianD
Montreal
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 3, 2022
overall3food3service2ambience2
Bad service, small portion for the high price, poor quality of food.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Las Vegas
5 reviews
vip
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 2, 2022
overall3food3service4ambience3
Staff was great. Food was not great for the prices. The atmosphere felt more like a diner. We would have preferred to eat on the bar across the hall
OT
OpenTable Diner
Montreal
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 2, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience4
The food was excellent including a terrific charcuterie and cheese board as an appetizer. We really enjoyed the main dishes also including the halibut, salmon and seafood pasta. The servers were very friendly. Yes, some of them are relatively junior but they were all trying very hard to offer a nice evening to the guests at the restaurant.
G
George
Atlantic Canada
4 reviews
vip
2.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 31, 2022
overall2food1service4ambience3
Food was very poor. We would not consider returning until there is a different chef. Of our group of 7, only one had a good meal. Very sad. We have had many great dining experiences there over the years.
L
Lonestar
Atlantic Canada
6 reviews
2.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 28, 2022
overall2food1service4ambience2
Please keep in mind I do not care how expensive a meal is as long as it’s a good meal, the Keltic Lodge “Was” known as an amazing place to eat, Our friends who have beautiful summer homes in Ingonish told us we will not be happy, we booked four nights for dinner and canceled three reservations after our first evening that we experienced, the food was absolutely the worst I have ever had in a fine dining restaurant it was an absolute embarrassment being a proud Caper Bretoner, our waiter Evan was very good! I would never recommend to eat at the Keltic Lodge to anyone and whoever runs this place needs some serious training!
J
Jenn
Alabama
13 reviews
vip
3.0
13 reviews
Dined on July 27, 2022
overall3food1service2ambience2
Food was not good at all. The pasta dish with seafood had no flavor the sauce was just disgusting. It was supposed to have clams and did not. Escargot was rubbery and small and tasting gross. The chicken dish also small and lacking in flavor.
d
dcboy
Central Coast
3 reviews
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 27, 2022
overall1food2service1ambience2
The food was not good and very overpriced. Service was horrible. When I asked our waiter what type of oysters they were offering that evening, he said he couldn’t tell me because he is a vegetarian.??? This is not fine dining.
r
robc
Toronto
5 reviews
vip
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 27, 2022
overall2food2service2ambience2
beautiful lodge and location with great amazing views. Food was way too expensive and mediocre..........and they have you by the short and curlies as there is no where else to eat while you are up there.

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Purple Thistle is rated 3.5 stars by 72 OpenTable diners.