Reviews of Pagliacci's (Fish Shop)

JC YVR

Family owned and operated since the 70's. Must try if your craving steak and even seafood! Extremely friendly hostess too !

Marquise Vachon

Food was tasty and our server was really welcoming and friendly. Good customer service. Has a mama and papa restaurant feel to it, like a little Italy, lots of photo history.

Leah Kwok

Absolutley scrumptious italian food, a great, moody evening feel toe the place, and an incredible staff. I have never had a bad experience here and my most recent was my best yet. Highly highly recommend, as they are very accommodating, kind, and quick!

Bradley Lim

Went on the Saturday night of the August long weekend, did have a line up but the line moves extremely fast! Excellent pasta and the NY Cheesecake was gorgeous, would highly recommend - will return.

Hita

We got sit outdoor and that's not the best place to enjoy. Food was just alright but they were too busy.

Shir Choo

We waited in line from 5:45 till 7:15 pm for a table of two outside. The wait was very long since the restaurant is trying to manage huge volumes during a pandemic, and there was also a live band and many patrons were just lingering at their tables after their meals with a bottle of wine. While waiting, my fiance and I were also slightly perturbed when we caught sight of the host with his hand down the back of his pants, presumably scratching an itch. In addition, in the midst of managing a large waitlist, the host misunderstood our answer when he asked if we wanted a table on the sidewalk by the kitchen door, and gave it away to another couple - this also contributed to an extra long wait time. However, he redeemed himself by giving out bags of bread to everyone in the line. Hopefully he washed his hands. The bread was amazing and seasoned to perfection and is probably the best thing at Pagliacci's. Once we were seated, the server promptly greeted us with water, another basket of bread, and took our food + drink orders. Drinks came fairly quickly and food also arrived not long after that. We ordered Wagyu the Dog for an appy, and The Cabinet of Dr. Cappelletti and Sophia for mains. Wagyu the Dog was pretty good but quite vinegary. The baked cheese and the marinara sauce on Cabinet of Dr. Cappelletti was also good. The Sophia dish was a bit cold when it arrived and tasted plain. It could have come with more crab/shrimp and smoked salmon, but overall it was not bad. We both ordered the large size and had enough leftover for a quick breakfast the next day. Our server was also super friendly, offered more cheese when I accidentally dropped a bunch when trying to pack up my food, and was wearing a mask when serving us. I would come back just for that bread. The pasta is good but nothing special - I just personally didn't find that this place was worth the wait.

Matt Seibel

Delicious food especially the freshly baked bread to start, Cesar salad, steak and pasta ???? My two boys enjoyed their virgin Shirley temple ( it was offered by our server and it was free????!) Our server, Johanna was the sugar on the top at this restaurant- she was attentive to us throughout the whole night ( even though she was super busy with multiple tables) giving us updates on our food before it came out, providing us drinks and refills of the bread and drinks/ water and making sure we had everything we needed when and after our food came out! We loved how she came by with the fresh cheese when our food was served and offered it to us. My boys eyes lit up when she piled on the cheese on their pasta and pizza ( they never get this at home and it was such a treat for them)! What made my night was when Johanna brought out a slice of house made cheese cake for my birthday with a lit candle and she and my family sang happy birthday to me! It was my 40th birthday and this dinner experience with my family was lovely to say the least!

Christine Qillasiq Lussier

Very busy. Food was very good. Service...we waited at least 1/2 hour for our server to reappear. Of 4 people, 1 order was wrong.

Lori Goulet

Love love love Pags. I moved away but come in every time I visit Vic. Great food and service. Loving the street patio to accommodate the crowds during Covid. The owner is of the old school Italian tradition. Takes me back to Italy.

Icarus Skelly

Food and service was amazing but find it a bit crazy that you have to queue outside until a table is available. Taking a name/ number and giving a 10 min warning to be back seems a bit more reasonable. Not sure how long the wait normally is but we waited for about 70mins. When it’s -3 outside it was a bit cold on my toes! Appreciate you can get takeaway but it’s not the same. Will keep going though every time I’m back in Victoria as the food is delicious

Celine Yan

Service

Jason Elder

Amazing food. Great service. Get here early or it lines up!

James Taylor

Service

B C

Meal type

Josh Kepkay • Vancouver Real Estate Today

This place is a well oiled machine. I never had an empty glass or a dirty plate on my table. Everyone was helping each other out and this was some of the best service I've ever received, from the hosts and bussers to servers. Amazing!

Christina

Great service, fantastic food. Brought back so many memories of fabulous meals and times here. Strongly recommend!

Isabelle Forrer

Lunch

Clauzi Guerini

Food was so so. Not good compared to nice reviews. And all the time I stayed there, they wanted us to finish the meal and go out. They went out table and asked to bring the check even though we didn't finish our dishes even half of them. Way too bad for our dinner....

Paul

The food was phenomenal and the staff were lovely but the restaurant was absolutely packed, far too many tables and people for the current climate. It made for an extremely uncomfortable time. I wouldn't return.

Steve Chen

As good as ever although the ambience of the place is a lot of different now that the tables are far apart with Covid. We were in the new area where the band played and the music was very good although the set seemed a little short. The bread was as excellent as always and so was the pasta. Probably the best pasta in town. Service was good too. Love to go back as always.

Michael Walker

Ahh, Pagliaccis. Friendly service and fun atmosphere but little else. All the meats certainly come frozen. Steak, lamb, prawns, crab... The pastas are bland and drenched with oil. Certainly they're store bought and not made in-house. The Sysco truck that regularly delivers there should be a clear indicator of that. I'm convinced that the lasagna is re-heated in a microwave and any reputable kitchen wouldn't use them. I wouldn't mind paying the ticket price for fresh food but not frozen meats, reheated lasagnas and store bought pastas. Also, even before COVID the quality of delivered food from there is pretty poor, considering the price. Not to mention the portions for delivered pastas seems random and oftentimes is much less than what you would expect. At least they get the salads right! However, credit where credit is due. It's a great place for a quiet brunch. Their soup/bread combos and a coffee are a filling and affordable way to fill you up and the quality is consistently good. Perfect for a summer morning in Victoria. They're also incredibly accommodating to complaints, which is nice. All-in-all, I have a funny feeling the magic that made Pagliaccis great has long since disappeared. If you have an early start to your day, drop by for a bite. You won't be disappointed. Dinner on the other hand is an entirely different beast. It's not hard to cook a nice steak with a blue cheese sauce. Watch a few "how to" videos on YouTube, cook for yourself and save your money.

Sabrina Segovia

We have been here twice (take out) and both times have been amazing. The shell game pasta is my new favourite dish and the scallops were absolutely to die for. The steak was cooked perfectly and the risotto was creamy and tasted great. The fresh bread is also delicious. We will be back many times!

Kokomojoe

Dine in

R P

My husband and I have been customers of Pags for almost 30 years. We love the atmosphere the food and the drinks. We have visited with family and friends on many occasions. This was our first visit for dine in since the Pandemic. We were celebrating our Anniversary and decided to arrive during their daily Happy hour. It was busy but we got in to a table in just a few minutes. It was a bit chaotic with diners and people arriving for pick ups. Staff seemed a bit overwhelmed. It took several minutes to get a server. She took our order including drinks. Our appetizer arrived before our drinks and we had no water, napkins or cutlery. She apologized and quickly brought them. The food was great as always. Her Service was spotty but we did manage to order dessert. The Espresso Cheesecake was also amazing! Overall a great restaurant with Amazing food.

Vi Tran

We needed some dinner on a Saturday night and ordered here. Ordering online was very convenient as it's just through their website. The wait for unfortunately quite long, however we expected that and were set since the menu looked quite good. We got a text our order was ready and walked to the restaurant - the staff was friendly and courteous. When we got home we unfortunately received the wrong order and since we had already waited an hour were not super happy. Although this sounds like a bad review.. we called the restaurant and without hesitation they apologized and went out of their way to give us what we ordered, personally deliver it to our hotel themselves and also give is a refund on our missed order. All of this and the restaurant was basically already closed by then. Safe to say their staff go above and beyond to make a wrong right. The food was delicious, a decent portion depending on how hungry you are. The side bread was probably my favorite part - perfectly buttery and salty. Will likely try it again the next time we're in town.

Megan

Service

Healthy Glow

First time sitting in & we were not disappointed! Went for happy hour drinks and snacks on the patio although a bit windy, it was great, fast and friendly service, we felt well looked after. As always super tasty food and drinks. Good distance between tables and strong covid protocols in place. The blankets provided to keep the breeze off were just the perfect final touch! Try the risotto balls and the bread...it just keeps coming and is sooo tasty.

Anne Calder

Good lasagna in a New York Little Italy decor. They seem to be opened all day long, which is great when you're a bit out of the traditional schedule.

Andrei Narkevitch

First time there and we felt like the server was super cold and dismissed us when we asked anything about the menu. Took a long time to be attended to, even at 8pm. Didn't find it friendly as I had hoped. The food was just okay - out of the dish I was hoping to try so went with the Prawn Curry but it had 3 penne noodles mixed into the noodles it was served with. Lack of detail for sure. Dang, had high hopes!

Jeff Irwin

The food and service were excellent! I felt a bit like a sardine in the restaurant but it's definitely a hopping place and extremely popular.

Lee Falco III

Amazing lunch options when your tired of the quick grab-and-go options in the downtown area. I highly recommend their salmon!

Ron Hatch

Oh my goodness. Everything we had was so delicious and filling. You can really tell it's made with love and the setting of the restaurant is very cozy

Jigyasa Chaudhary

If you come to Victoria, it’s one of the places must check.

skye bentley

I went this place 12 yrs ago for first time. And every single time I visit Victoria, no matter what I must order my favo dishes. However, I lost one star. I understand they are busy. But they missed food from my order so I did trip twice. When you order many items for pickup, please make sure you check yourself.

Meaghen Stock

Great steak and bread! Service is a bit slow but it was crowded indeed. Lucky that we came in before the peak busy hour where people line outside.

Nicole LeBlanc

One of the best risottos I’ve had in town. The space is really cramped. I had people brush past my shoulder like 5 times in the hour I spent there, getting in and out of the bathroom required me to say excuse me to three people so they’d move their chairs. The weekly specials are a great price and generous portions. They have a nice looking bar but I do not drink alcohol so I can’t speak of the variety. My friend had the seafood pasta which wasn’t too special he said he liked the risotto better and we had enough for two in one order. Service was friendly and fast.

Nikhil Gandhi

Always awesome. Eat the bread. It's incredible! Line-ups are common.

Mickey Blumental

Service

Qian Zhao

This place was already too crowded before COVID, one would think the ongoing pandemic would have made them put some space in between tables but unfortunately that's not the case, they just moved the tables on an angle. Needless to say, the moment we noticed this we left, so I can't comment on the food or service. As you can see by the business reply, this is how "its always been since 1979" but apparently the rest of us have to adapt and adjust while also supporting a small business that refuses to do so?

Terri Watts

We visited Pagliacci’s for the first time today for dinner. We were expecting to wait in line as we had heard that is usually the case, but as soon as we got to the door we were immediately given a table by Rowan! Our server Johanna was very quick, friendly and even gave us recommendations on the best places to shop. We ordered the Sophia pasta and it’s was DELICIOUS. I highly recommend this restaurant!!

Tobias Staley

We heard of this place before we moved to Victoria a decade ago and it quickly became our favorite spot. The food is really good, the staff exceptional, it’s always a fun time. They specialize in pasta with a New York flair, and everything is made in house. Their bottomless soups are top notch.

Ken Gee

The food here is always so delicious, even for takeout. Hemingway pasta with extra pancetta is the best, and always get extra focaccia - it’s so addictive!

Izzy Komo

The good is incredible. I got the tortellini and my only complaint was the serving was too large to finish it. Great food, great service, great atmosphere

Reese Alexandra Irwin

Meal type

Robert Charlton

Do not miss out on this amazing gem. Great food, amazing ambiance and very friendly service. Loved the New York relevance and all the movie named plates! So good.

Anne Grimes

I had the most incredible pasta dish from here today that literally transported me to a happy place...I felt lighter, better, happier! I decided to try the Hemingway's Short Story and seriously it was my first time and it was so amazing. Not to mention that the staff were so helpful with a special order for their wonderful cheesecake on short notice. Cheesecake was also AMAZING! Will be back again soon for that pasta....still dreaming of it now :)

Kevin

So, unfortunately my review has changed a number of times, but ultimately feel good to recommend this place. The food is delicious, very rich and tasty. The bread is always a huge highlight as well. We have been going fairly regularly for some time and enjoyed the food and the atmosphere each time. The last time we got food from Pagliacci's we had a one off, bad experience, but it was quickly addressed and rectified by the management. This place is a Victoria landmark and I am happy to know that the quality of the experience is very important to the team.

Damian Herman

Adorable little spot with wonderful Italian food. Me and my husband enjoyed our lunch very much! Thank you.

Michaela Starling

Excellent food quality and service. Went on a weekday for lunch. Gluten-free and vegetarian options available (you can have gluten free pasta dishes here!)

Z D

The staff was extremely nice, food quality and general atmosphere were great. My pasta was delicious, neither too salty or too much seasoning/pesto. Also, the homemade bread is perfect for everyone who wants a taste of Italia.

Mina A

Disappointing. I've eaten at Pag's for over 35 years but this was the first time doing take-out. The food was cold and just not the usual flavourful deliciousness I'm used to (we did heat it up but not the same). Thank goodness there was lots of bread. Will go back in person but take-out's a pass.

marine maiden

Ordered the full size Sophia and it was so good! Super flavourful and loaded with seafood. It's a large portion. Atmosphere is super quaint and cozy. It might be a little cramped, so make sure you don't have too much stuff with you or else it might be hard to put stuff down. The bread itself is so good. Super soft and super seasoned.

Jennifer Haydu

Great place that doesn’t take reservations but they are so worth the wait. The homemade bread is fantastic. I had one of their pastas and my hubby had their mussels. He loved them so much I was lucky to get one to try. They have wonderful servers, were contentious of my peanut allergy and a lively place. They’ve got some great pics beer and BC ciders as well

Justice Walker

Had dinner with friends there three weeks ago. We were so excited to see them after 18 months of Covid. There were four of us so we ordered the "Nero" special dinner for the group. Food portions were okay. The duck wings were great and the pasta was good. Unfortunately the other items were subpar, e.g. the steak was over done/dry/chewy (we asked for medium rare) and the seafoods were either too salty and/or overdone. Service was slow. The worst was that they overcharged us (the dessert was supposed to be included in the price) but somehow we got charged additional $12 for the strawberry cheesecake. I had to go back the next day to try to get them reverse the charge. After talking to three people and getting a lot of excuses for why it was perfectly fine for the overcharge (including telling me the menu is confusing). I didn't give up and after waiting for almost 30 minutes, I finally got the charge reversed on my credit card. So my advice for you is to make sure they don't overcharge you or you end up wasting precious time on a vacation for a refund. That's not the way a reputable/ethical business should be run. I'd know because I used to be a restaurant owner/operator and that I'll never do something like this to my customers.

Madeleine Thier

So nice to have professional servers at a restaurant instead of kids playing make believe. I was impressed. Food was good as always. I'm sure there are many reviews on here regarding the food. This one was regarding efficient, friendly, PROFESSIONAL service. Well done to the person serving lunch in the rain this holiday Monday.

Brenda Quinn

Wow we were here for lunch. Just missed the lunchtime rush The staff were not only very attentive, they were Covid aware and cleaned as soon as a table was empty. The food was awesome, I chose the seafood lasagna, half order. I struggled to finish. Will definitely be returning.

Rich Fleming

A family favorite every time we visit. My father will monologue about the Damon Runyon (with steak) to anyone who'll listen.

Patricia Balanza

Service was so nice and the food tasted so good. Highly recommend when you visit Victoria. I love all menus including breakfast as well.

Ashley N

This place was awesome. 5/5 for service and 5/5 for food taste and efficiency. One very impressive quality was how quickly the food came out when the restaurant was fully packed. 10-15min! That's on point service from all the staff! Amazing taste. I had the " Jaws " Halibut it came with broccoli, rice, and duck fat potatoes! Very delicious items! I rarly give out 5/5 and James was awesome. Super Friendly.

Ernest Chan

Pagliacci's offers the comfort of warm and welcoming staff and better yet, a full belly. Friends of ours who used to live in Victoria recommended we stop by for the endless focaccia, hearty plates of pasta, and delectable cheesecake. We were not disappointed. The line up was long, but the wait certainly wasn't and we were seated at an outdoor table in a flash. Three prompt and wonderful baskets of focaccia later and our mains arrived. Great service, filling food, certainly happy we got to experience Pagliacci's.

İrem S.

Pagliacci's is always on the top of my list of places to visit when in Victoria. Always great food and great service.

Y L

Fabulous as always! Tropic of Cancer absolutely delicious. Wonderful attentive staff. Great brunch experience, highly recommend!

Donavin Robinson

The best restaurant in Victoria. Higly reccomended!

Christine Kwok

Dinner

l L

Service

Null Pointer

Ate outdoors and got a table surprisingly quick for a Saturday evening. Service and meal were both good.

Carlos Miranda

They have a long line up due to Covid. It’s worth the wait and yes you should fully indulge in the free bread they serve. You will over eat the bread as there is no way you can only have one and I give you permission to enjoy the carbs. We also got 1/2 orders of the pasta dishes and they were more than enough for one person. Recap eat the bread and order 1/2 the past dish with your fav glass of ???? and you will not be disappointed. Their veg mushroom ravioli was ????.

IL

Very nice Pasta place in Victoria. Service was very friendly and you’ll get free unlimited bread with your order which was very tasty! :) the portions are huge as you can see in the pictures and the atmosphere was chill and cozy!

Garry F

For our last meal in Victoria, we decided to visit Pagliacci's. We were not disappointed. The bread is so delicious and all of our meals.....bravo!

Gagan Bindra

Disappointing. Poor service. Was excited to visit here as I remembered the great soups from many years ago and were very hungry. We were seated in the art galley business next door which was just us, loud music and dead plants. When seated we weren’t told where washrooms were or anything (doesn’t appear to be any). We were given our water and some great bread then the waitress disappeared out the front doors. After 20 minutes and no return of any staff to take our order, we left as there was no one to even ask to help us.

A

Pags has an outdoor patio with a roof and blankets!!! I sat out there last week January 5th and it was sunny and lovely! I highly recommend the outdoor patio as it was peaceful and cozy. Please keep the patio for forever!

Elizabeth Mackay

Food not bad, service mixed unfortunately. Our drinks sat at the bar that long I was tempted to pick them up myself! They were good enough to comp them though. However starter and main came out of sync and waited for what felt like a eternity for the bill! I probably wouldn’t bother again and definitely would not wait In that queue!

Evelyn

Amazing value, great service, and fun atmosphere! The owner was buzzing around and was genuinely friendly with everyone, taking extra effort to ensure that everyone was taken care of. Our server was great (Kholby). The value of the food was the best we’ve seen thus far in Victoria and judging by the busy-ness of the restaurant at 2PM on a Monday, everyone else must have thought so too. Food was good, with two size portions for lunch for every pasta dish. Soup or salad was an option but if you chose neither, you got a discount on your meal. Kids also got a complimentary Shirley temple and free focaccia for the table. Thanks for a great meal!

Enoch BATHULA

An absolute must! Everything is amazing and the bread is just unreal...come hungry

Ben Star

Meal type

Irene Seo (GreatIrene)

Dinner

Krista Baptist

The food is delicious and rich! It tastes like everything is home-made and good quality. My favourite thing there is the meat John Doe (spaghetti and meatballs) and The prawn broker. It is a bit more on the pricey side but the portion sizes and quality of the food makes up for it The atmosphere is very warm and they give delicious homemade bread that everyone seems to love. It is a bit more crowded and is not the most ideal place if you want to bring young kids or want quiet while you eat. I do not recommend getting takeout from here however it seems to be slightly smaller portions and not taste as good as when ordered in.

Souparno Bandyopadhyay

Pagliacci’s is an institution been going there since I was 14 and I’m 50 now! Miss the good old days with the local musicians and bands but the food never disappoints especially the espresso cheesecake. Next time I bring my left overs home though, I’m lacing them with ghost peppers cause my family steals … ????

Eleanor Henriquez

Happy Hour dishes very small (although just $4) For some reason imagined the place to be more Italian and bigger after seeing the menu online Outside street deck was very good but wait is longer Pasta very good

Tiffany McLaughlin

all the other reviews about the food are great. although i find the place to squishy. probably won't eat in again , but will do take out

Curtis Gutjahr

The amount of promotion I do for this place…Always good and are very accommodating. I’ve made some “interesting” changes to some items via DoorDash orders or pick up and they just do it for me no questions ask. Easy five stars. I just wish they would tell me where to get the bread….just saying lol.

Keira Lecian

It was busy, and it seemed extremely like the waitress was too overwhelmed. The host at the door was amazing.

Maria Vittoria Cantarini

Probably one of our favourite restaurants to eat at when visiting Victoria. We prefer lunch menu as the portions are big and wait time is reasonable. Regardless it’s worth the wait

Mario Whitworth

ok.I went to this place during the new year and I cant stop myself coming back google this place and leave it a two star. Honestly the food there I would give it a -5star, the beef pasta we ordered is absolutely GARBAGE. I am sorry to say that but this might be the worst food I have EVER had in a restaurant. It really tastes like someone never cooked before made it. I've tried food from different countries but this one.... I just couldn't finish it. The whole reason why I gave it a 2 star is the waiter was very nice and the bread was not bad!

Ni N.

This was in our top two favorite restaurants in Victoria! Great food for adults and kids!! The free bread was the best bread I have had in years! The line up will tell you its good, but the whole experience in there is just the best.

Edgar

We came for dinner on an early Monday evening and there was already a lineup. The host told us that it was the “fastest moving lineup in Victoria” and, not too long after, we were seating inside. The atmosphere was very lively and the decor had lots of interesting things to look at. Overall, the food was delicious! The house-bread was so good that we just couldn’t stop eating it. We ordered an assortment of appetizers including the Crab Cakes, Meatballs and Mezze Platter; and for mains, we tried a couple seafood pastas and mixed seafood bowl. The portions were substantial although the amount of seafood in of the pastas wasn’t as abundant compared to other dishes. Also, some shrimps could have been cleaned better. We also tried several drinks and cocktails; and, they were nice. We sat close to the bar so, the bartender took good care of us personally. The rest of the staff was very friendly and diligent as well.

Eduardo Cordova

The staff was so hardworking and friendly. Christina was amazing. Really great service! Food was awesome and so many options on the menu. Had lots of options for vegetarian and gluten free dietary restrictions as well. Will absolutely go back and recommend to everyone!

Joe Preswick

Dine in

jessica chen

I have been coming here since the 80's and amazingly, the food is still great, the atmosphere is still fun and the staff are all outstanding! Great food, fair prices and you always walk away full! And of course, the bread - MMMMMMM! I would recommend Pags as a good place to take friends, family and for that romantic meal as well. We had friends in from Ontario and took them here for a wonderful dinner! The extra outdoor seating is very well laid out, and now that it is pedestrians only on Broad St, outside is a great option for those who find inside too close during these strange times. Things are still great and we will continue to refer Pags!

Gwen Donley

Our Aunts favourite place. When we arrived from Ontario last Wednesday we tried to get in but the restaurant was closed for Yom Kippur. We made sure we were the first in line for Thursday night supper. You did not disappoint. Everything was delicious and our Service was exceptional. The next time we are in Victoria we will stand in line again to enjoy this fabulous restaurant. Highly recommend if in the area. Be patient. It's worth it.

Crystal Walts

Disappointing. I read the reviews, so I was prepared for the wait….but not for the poor service and adequate food. After waiting 15 minutes to be seated (which was fine - it was busy) we waited 15 minutes without being approached, so we asked a busboy if we could order a drink. Ten minutes later, we ordered our drinks and our food. Twenty minutes later, we asked the person seating patrons if she would check on the status of our drinks. She asked if we had received our bread….we said no. Her response that ‘unfortunately, it was just her job to seat us’, but she did go inside to see where our order was. After a short wait, a new person brought our drinks out. She inquired ‘what she could do to make it right’, but offered no suggestions or apologies. Shortly after, another person brought our food out. I ordered the Sophia, and, apart from two large shrimp and some smoked salmon, found very little of the promised seafood. When we were finished, we again had to ask the busboy to find our server so that we could pay. All in all- a two hour experience and no real apology. The best we got was ‘we are really busy’. Sorry, that’s just an excuse for poor service. I rarely write reviews. I never leave less than a 15% tip….last night prompted me to do both. UPDATE Within hours of reading my review, the owner/manager got in touch with me regarding my complaint. Mr. Siegel wanted to make it right. I explained that I wasn’t interested in a refund, so Mr. Siegel made a generous donation to the Bartender’s Benevolent fund. In addition to this, he offered to leave gift certificates for me to use AND said that he had removed 4 tables from the service area to lessen the burden on the staff. Mistakes happen. Problems happen….in every business. The measure of how good a business is is measured by how they resolve a problem. Mr. Siegel runs a good business.

Luciano Nisi

Got the last table before the line uo began. By the time we left there 20 waiting to get. Why? Because it is worth the wait. Staff is as amazing as the food. And ohhh that bread is so addictive.

Angel Wong

I ordered takeout through DoorDash, so take my review with a grain of salt because the pasta was cold by the time it got to me. I heard a lot of good things about this place and we ordered the seafood fettucini + Spicy meatball spaghetti. The fettucini was not my favourite, but I would definitely come back for the spaghetti and to try their other meat options. Also, their housemade focaccia bread is AMAZING!

Will Reiher

We came at 1500 so no line. Space is a bit tight so expect to leave stroller outside. Wpuld come back again though as food was exceptionally well prepared and "homey" tasting. Would order the crab cakes, meat balls and linguine again!

Rajbinder Sekhon

Avoid! This was a shockingly terrible meal. Seems like they are trying to keep this open until the imminent closure. They were out of stock of half the stuff we ordered. The host and server gave me the only redemption for the evening. Whoever cooked the food has lost all love for dining. So many better options...

Terry McLean

An almost perfect experience. I have been to this restaurant three times, each time I try different food, they are very fresh and delicious. The only downside is that we have to stand outside and wait in line, It would be nice if they could provide a bench. The tables in the room are too close together, and I'd be worried about COVID. Overall, the restaurant is very good and the service is very good. I highly recommend it.

Harmony L

Dine in

Khalil Houssaini

There was a bit of delay at the beginning to have our water and to add our orders which were lost twice between staffs. However, our “final” server who was very friendly and helpful figured everything out for us and made our lunch superb. While all dishes were very tasty and lovely, I believe I had the best Focaccia at Pagliacci’s. This restaurant is definitely recommended if you visit Victoria!

Odin Cabrera

So many fruit flies, needs to be more hygienic, food getting made by bare hands, food was okay. The only positive thing i experienced was smiling and happy staff.

Jenica Ma

Service was painfully slow. Then the table wasn't wiped, water had stuff floating in it, glasses were dirty and when it was mentioned to the waitresses there was no apology or attempt to make it right. But the food should make up for it right? We expected the food to be amazing given the high reviews but it was extremely disappointing as well. I really really wanted to enjoy this place and convinced my girlfriend to come with me despite her asking for Il Terrazzo. It was the biggest regret of the night. Honestly, I'm really not sure what the hype for this place is about but I would avoid at all costs. Food was extremely expensive for something of that quality. Btw, this was the FIRST negative review I've ever written in my life but felt it was justified.

Jennifer Chow

I expected little bit more from this place because they have line up at their door all the time. Pasta was delicious and sangria was well made however; table we had was in a weird place. We just had a quick dinner and left.

Adam

Excellent food & great service. Would highly recommend if you love Italian food.

Houzayfa 'Alex' Mereeb

I’ve heard really wonderful things about this restaurant for a long time so I was excited to go. Unfortunately my mother and I ordered the gnocchi and it was completely uncooked and raw, so it was very hard, dry, and cold. It was pretty inedible. I’m sad to read another review here saying the same thing from a month ago about the gnocchi. I wouldn’t normally leave a negative review, but I just want to help this be remedied for the future! I’d also like to point out that my brother and sister in law really enjoyed the meals they ordered and the staff was nice enough to not charge us for the gnocchi. :)

Nandan Phadke

Super disappointed in today's service. Hostess was great but once we were sat we waited 20 minutes before a server came to out table, we watched other people order and receive complimentary bread baskets. Finally we ordered some drinks and our food since we figured it was our best chance at getting our order in. Never did get our coffee or the delicious looking bread basket though. Food came quick and was delicious, it's a shame the service ruined our experience.

Shayain Gustavsp

The food was hot n tasty & Karamvir was an amazing server!! I'd go back just to hangout with him

A Barrister

Pag's is has reopened and they brought everyone's favorite menu items back and so much more. I really appreciate the new menu format and was happy to see an expanded cocktail list. I ordered a full size pasta for my meal but next time I'll get a half size and an appetizer.

Michael Jacoby

I had heard such great things about this restaurant and especially having Italian heritage and growing up in Montreal, maybe my standards were set a bit too high? I realize times are tough with covid protocol but I felt the service lacked and so did the food. There aren't many tables so I don't see why their service game couldn't be a little bit more on point. The food was alright. I didn't hate it and definitely didn't love it. Their pasta prices are at par with some other local and properly authentic fine dining Italian restaurants and are definitely a better option.

Jennifer Wykes

The bread was extemely salty I could hardly finish half slice. The seafood lasagna ordered half size has small portion and has two tiny shrimps with no crab meat at all as stated in menu. Its taste was salty. After all we did not discuss the above issues to anyone. The worst ending was the rude owner wearing a white t-shirt with Pagliacci name took my husband's chair away in his absence in washroom. He did not bother to ask me first if chair could be removed. When leaving the restaurant my husband confronted him for the reason to move his chair ending up he yelled to us all the way down to intersection of Broad Street. From my point of view we did not do anything inappropriate. We finished our meal at a pace as other customers and paid the bill in cash with reasonable tip. Unfortunately this was the first and hopefully be last VERY bad experence we encountered in the beautiful Victoria.

Carly W

Dinner

Brandon Klemets

Big portions, good quality. I liked the live music outside the restaurant. They serve one of the best slices of bread in the town

Paula

I've already been here a couple of times and the food and service never disappoints! The environment is very "home-y" and the servers are absolutely wonderful and pays so much attention to details. Their pasta portions are quite filling for a very reasonable price and quality is always great. I would definitely come again the next time I'm visiting Victoria!

Doug Stone

Excellent place to eat a fine dinner. Food and service are top quality. Atmosphere is classic Italian old school bar style. Prices are fair. Will definitely be coming back here when I visit Victoria.

Marcus Drums

Sophia + Vecchioforio Marsala Superior Dolce + bread = favourite meal in Victoria <3 Thanks from a hungry Vancouverite

Jongseung Lim

The Reuben was great but we wouldn't recommend the Kind Kong Chicken. It was a half bowl of bland rice, a pureed sauce and chopped chicken on the sauce. The chicken wasn't even covered in sauce let alone simmered in it. Usually our experience here has been excellent. This was a disappointment.

jeff klein

The food is delicious! My new favorite restaurant im Victoria. Meals are affordable! And the restaurant a new space where the tables are very well arranged to respect social distance. I tried Frank which is a delicious penne pasta with chicken.

Bruno Mendes de Moraes

Tonight was a really disappointing dinner for my husband and I. This is our first visit in Victoria and we decided to go to Pagliacci’s. We waited 30 minutes to have a table which we totally understood because of these difficult time. Once we got our table with menus we waited for 12 minutes before someone came to say hi or bring us glasses of water or and offer us a drink. Our server was very rude and when she asked us what we wanted to drink she rushed us to also order right away which we did. 5-7 mins later a different girl the hostess brought us the wine she was very nice to us. Then our waitress brought us our meals.. our pastas were extremely watery and my meatballs were cold.. it was a big disappointment for us as we were very excited for this meal. Once we were finished not even our waitress came back to pick up our plates it was the nice hostess again.. my husband and I expressed our thoughts about the meal and how disappointed we were and she was very understanding and said she would talk with our waitress and let her know. Our waitress brought us the bill couple minutes later and said: we’ll as you guys can see we are really busy left the bill and the debit machine and walked away. We paid and left... we will unfortunately not go back.

Nathir Haimoun

Lively classic Italian place with good food. A Victoria institution, and the founder Howie is still there after more than 40 years. Great for a meal, or just a slice of amazing cheesecake!

Caro T

Good food. Good price. Service was excellent. Restaurant has a very lively feel. Love the music!!

Heather Shortill

Made the mistake of getting the smaller size order for takeout. It was about the size of a Michelina's frozen pasta tray. Get the large size if you are a hungry adult.

Amin Aghaee

Amazing food and great service. We had such a blast. And it was our server’s first day! And she rocked it!

Heather Jarvie-Laidlaw

For some people standing is line is part of the experience, whether it’s a new phone or a fancy restaurant. I’m not the type, but Pagliacci’s was so highly recommended we fell for the hype. We got in line and we were given a 40 mins estimate. Apparently a few diners took longer to leave as they were “enjoying their drinks”. After 90 minutes we were finally seated. Was the food worth the wait? No. Some of dishes were overly peppered or bland. Some were… OK, I guess? No “whoa, that’s amazing” moments you get in fantastic restaurants. I guess the no reservation system works for the restaurant. Reminds me of the spontaneous lines created in Russia where people will start standing behind each other assuming the other person is obviously lining up for something good like a bread line. To each their own.

Sam C

Best pasta I’ve ever had! We got two chicken pastas and one vegetarian and they were all really good. Even a half portion is a lot! Great service and good drinks. It’s very crowded, busy and loud inside, they have a funky decor.

Kirk Bratvold

Cozy atmosphere with great food. Their servers were kind and attentive. Seafood lasagna was very seafoody so if you are into that, you will love it. Salads were amazing. ???? Also free bread service was nice.

Sue Williams

Made the mistake of ordering the penne which was mediocre at best. Important tip: never order the penne at any restaurant The bread bowl served as appies were addictively good though; basically a plain focaccia that's been generously salted on top but not enough to ruin it. Iced tea was freshly made and wasn't too overly sweet. The service was extremely friendly and accommodating because it's Victoria. All in all a great meal on the outdoor "patio" where the live entertainment ranged from bluegrass to klezmer that evening. Ping pong table and foosball were a great addition to the area that really instilled a sense welcoming that the kids ate up. To me, this resto isn't the heart of Victoria but it's unofficial stomach. As a mainlander I have a long running fondness for this place and I would bet most Victorians do as well; its just as much about the experience and ambiance as it is the food. This place is a must visit but arrive 4:45 on on a Sunday afternoon or be prepared to wait! No reservations allowed but they will still seat you even if the party is incomplete. Bon appetit! (Yes that waiting line is actually going around the corner)

Garpin Lithor

Always a favourite when we're in town. I can remember coming here as a teenager and having such a great time. Still great

Jean Medland - Victoria BC

We waited in line about 40 minutes. The service was good once we were seated. The entrees we chose were plentiful. I had a pasta dish with pesto and cheese. It was bitter and sour. The other entree was a raviolis with mushrooms. It was so hot. We couldn't eat either one. The salad was excellent.

Living With Tiger

The food was underwhelming at best, in addition to being wildly overpriced. The service was laughably bad and even the water was subpar. 0/10 I would not recommend to anyone.

Dominic Quin-Harkin

The food was fantastic. We shared the meatball starter - my husband had buttermilk fried chicken with fettuccine and I had The Doors of Perception pasta dish. My only reason for not giving 5 stars was that my husband's pasta had no sauce. We had our meals delivered by Door Dash, so couldn't ask for sauce. Highly recommend this place!!

Evan Runge

Long story short, parents spent some time in Italy, they came back to Canada and nothing really tasted right to them... Except this place and an Italian family in Calgary. You would think Risotto wouldn't be as hard to make as it looks but this place is the only place my parents love and wi compared to others who they won't even finish. They also have a feature menu, it won't let you down. You can order sides that actually let's you choose a "menu pasta" for $8 so if you wanna taste and try the pastas, do this and you'll fall in love with probably all of them ...like i did. Huge menu but the items are not overused or boring, they're specific and each ingredient complements another.. like italian pasta should. Go early if you're looking to spend some time and look at the menu and relax, otherwise, everyone already knows how good this place is and although it's 109% worth it, you will have to wait. Staff has always been friendly, very accommodating to different disabilities and needs as far as I've observed :) They so have live music some days.

Timothy Leung

Great food, drinks and service, but gets a bit too cramped when there is live music going on. Would still highly recommend.

Sloan Sink

The lasagna is World Class. Don't come to Victoria without visiting Pagliacci's.

Andrea F

We have been going to Pagliacci’s for years. In fact if we want pasta this is our go-to place. However, I don’t think we will be returning again. The service was all right but the food was bland; in fact my girlfriend had one bite of her Seafood Pasta dish and realized it was tasteless, with no seasoning. Even the famous bread seemed to be hard and crunchy, like it had been left out and toasted late. So my girlfriend sends back her dish and the manager didn’t even come to our table to understand the issue. She sat there and killed fruit flies as I ate my dish. We were both sad thinking a landmark like Pagliacci’s fell from grace so quickly. Boom and Batten here we come!

Sharda Persaud

Positives: The staff was very friendly and accommodating. The bread is SO good. The atmosphere was really cool. Negatives: Really slow service, although it was close to the dinner rush. The food came out warm at best. The pop was flat. I will have to come back on a weekday to see if it was an off night for them, but overall it was an average meal.

J Graham

Did the take-out option as it is (IMHO), still waaaaaaay too crowded inside. Food was, as always, delicious. And that bread.... yum!

Max Novich

The perfect place for our first post-COVID-restriction out-of-town dinner out. Very pleasant service and excellent food. The best New York cheesecake I've had in years.

Robert Brown

Well this place I was told to check out by some locals/regulars and I was certainly not disappointed. They serve you unlimited amount if amazing bread to start .. then there’s a large selection of pastas/Italian menu. Everyone was pleased with their order. Soups are done up right by the chef who makes them flavourful and filling. Definitely worth considering. Side salads are hearty and filling with chickpeas etc. Very impressed. I get the hype for sure. Great busy casual atmosphere. Also had a “piece” (huge portion) of carrot cake and it was delicious!! I will definitely be back!

Jonathan Parkes

The food and service here is excellent. Just like I remembered 25 years back ????????. It was sure a treat to come back here to eat. Many memories...and dates here ????

Christina Chen

On the recommendation of 2 friends I decided to go to Pagliacci’s Italian restaurant. We arrived before the rush and were seated in 15 min. This was a family trip with my 2 kids 16 yo son and 12 yo daughter. It was a short 2-day trip to down-town Victoria to enjoy the attractions and local food venues. This was our only formal dinner planned for our trip, so I wanted it to be a memorable one. The hostess was every attentive and greeting the guests and accommodating everyone waiting for a table. It is clearly a busy and popular restaurant. The following events ensued during our short dining visit. 1) Being seated at a dirty table – Should have cleaned prior to being seated 2) Took 5 min to have a drink order 3) Took 15 min to received drink order – 2 Iced Tea, 1 Caesar 4) Received complementary bread 3 min before meal – 20 min after we arrived. I didn’t even know they bring bread until I noticed other people who sat down and were brought bread. 5) Meal arrived and when I had placed drink order for a Caesar, I had specifically requested to order a glass of wine prior to meal arriving. I had to stop another server and let her know I wanted a glass of wine with the meal. I had only drank ¼ of the Caesar at the point of meal arriving. 6) Server didn’t ask about Parmesan cheese, hostess noticed 3 min later and came over and offered it. 7) Other server stopped by with a plate and 2 green beans on it. She looked confused and said it was for my Caesar that was missing them. 8) Didn’t ask if wanted a 2nd glass of wine. 9) My daughter’s food was taken without asking her if she was finished. 10) We were then asked if we wanted dessert, I realized I was not getting a 2nd glass of wine so we ordered a shared dessert and I ordered an espresso. 11) I wanted a 2nd espresso as it was excellent, but before I could even ask for it, the bill was brought to the table. Although the staff were very busy in what appeared to be there best, there was no solid contact with our primary server, in fact I have no idea who our server was as we had 4 different staff bring us food or deal with our table. When I had placed my initial food order, I had specifically requested that I would want a glass of wine with the meal. Dining out is a culinary experience, had we just wanted a bite to eat we could have gone to Subway. A glass of red wine is essential to a red sauce pasta dish for my palate. I was born in Italy and my father being Italian, I have disconcerting taste when I eat out at Italian restaurants. Receiving my Caesar 15 min late meant I didn’t have time to drink it before the meal, which is the point; also, if the bartender forgot the beans (which I didn’t’ mention or notice) I should have been brought a new Caesar and the other one removed. To bring 2 beans on a dish and expect me to place them in the drink is completely not part of any acceptable practice that a restaurant should endeavor to do. I was certainly not going to drink a Caesar with a pasta dish. Also, the bread is supposed to be a part of the appetizer while waiting for the food, again getting it a few min before the meal is not appropriate. A final note to the owners, during the entire time that we sat down at the table I felt like I was being rushed to order, complete my meal, and leave so you would have another table seating. This should never be the case when dining out, it is the experience of the ambience, food, service that I want to experience when dining out. By making me and my kids feel like we are just revenue for your restaurant you have tainted what would have been an excellent review and experience.

Analyn B

We had the Hemingway short story the big easy pasta. The tortellini was delicious! The sauce and the filling were really flavorful. The chicken on the big easy pasta was a bit dry and the tomato sauce was really watery... Not sure if it's because I substituted the penne with linguini? But the food was still tasty and the focaccia bread was a perfect complement.

Marabel

Food quality was not what it used to be, pasta was undercooked and all around bland, seemed like frozen shrimp and canned crab meat were used not really adding any flavor. The first basket of bread was good but after they become increasingly salty. All around for the price of the food it was unacceptable.

Barbara Pedrick

This is one of the best restaurants I have been to for a while! The bartender on Sunday morning (I've forgotten her name) was amazing! Definitely will be coming back!

Lucia Fu

Fantastic service and worth the wait in line! The line up is part of the experience, chatting with other people, excitedly anticipating getting inside to a warm, cozy, festive, lively place. This isn’t a quiet, gaze into your lovers eyes kind of place. Instead it is a joyful celebratory atmosphere like the best local spots in NYC and Italy itself. Kudos to the servers who saw our 6 year old walk in and immediately shouted “Shirley temple on the house!” She was thrilled. Great menu for all ages, great food and big portions. A really fun time

Livyan Syu

Went here on a busy Saturday night and waited 45 min in line, which was handled well by the servers and folks waiting didn't feel uninformed. Overall the food was pretty good, I really enjoyed The Shell Game (scallops, prosciutto, and spinach) but I heard from others in my group that the food was a bit salty. Oh and the bread they brought to the table was super salty and a little bit stale - not really very appetizing! However, average food aside I really have to commend Pagliacci's for having a website available for guests with allergens/restrictions to look at. I'm dairy free, and being able to hit that option and see all the menu items that did work or could work for me was one of the coolest things I've ever seen at a restaurant. This should be a restaurant standard (especially with QR codes being widely adopted now), and I was really impressed with the comprehension that Pagliacci's put into this.

Xeniya V

Delicious meal. Wait for drinks was a bit long but otherwise great service. Worth the wait!

גל נפתלוביץ'

Although the line was a bit long, they always made sure to check in and chat in line. Boy, was it worth the wait! The foccacia was so tasty and crispy, that I think I could have cried. The pasta was al dente and flavourful. Honestly the service was amazing and they were definitely some troopers handling such a massive line!

Ricky Au

Now I understand why there is always a line up outside! Ok first, the food is amazing! First, those bread is probably one of the best ones I have ever had lol then my girlfriend and I ordered a seafood medley to share, it was so delicious and there’s so much food that we couldn’t finish it. We also ordered the checkered cake for dessert, and again, it was fabulous. Also, the vibe in that place was nice, the service was excellent, and the price was a lot cheaper than what we expected - with leftovers and two full bellies, we spent about $60 in total. This place is a must visit for tourist!

Val Foster

Dine in

Adam B.

The owner and host, Howie? Bellissimo! The food? Eccellente! The server, Nicole? Spaventosa! Not since George Costanza dragging the World Series trophy around the Yankee's parking lot have I seen someone so determined to be shown the door. Nicole was on her way to Crabby Town and she was taking us along for the ride. If that was your intent Nicole, well played. All four stars go to Howie and the kitchen.

Hayley Pusch

Me and my girlfriend went here and on first look it does not strike you as a Italian restaurant. More of a diner theme inside but the vibe was nice and the service was exceptional. they give you as much complimentary free warm bread as you want and the drinks were fantastic from the negroni bar. The pasta dishes were also excellent quality and had a nice portion size (not too big but enough). Would highly recommend this place if you are looking for Italian food in Victoria.

Katya Morenets

Worth the wait! Don't be intimidated by the line wrapping around the corner, it was faster than we expected. Went for dinner and had the crispy risotto rice, a seafood pasta, and a meat pasta which were all delicious. Every single dish did not disappoint including the complimentary bread! The balances in flavours were top notch and I already can't wait to go back and try more dishes! Service is also fantastic, the staff are all super friendly and accommodating! Definitely go here if you're visiting Victoria!

Meagan McKnight

If this place ever closes, I'm gonna jump off a bridge. I'm in love — best dining experience of my life. The bustling atmosphere and beautiful decor transports me to Italy. We got a booth for 3 with no wait during weekday happy hour. They have some great Aperol spritz + appy combos — I got the krabby patty (100% real crab, so tender and fresh). We also tried the Adonis (strong sherry cocktail) and Fragola Regale (fruity strawberry champagne cocktail, not too sweet) from the HH menu. Their food menu has a build-your-own section, but also preset dishes (where you can choose appy size or dinner size). I got The Shell Game (scallop linguine) ???????? chefs kiss ???? My friends got the Hemingway Short Story (tortellini in bacon cream sauce) and the Salmon Chanted Evening (a bountiful salad). On top of being the best pasta I've had in years, they have bottomless focaccia (freshly made in-house, sometimes still warm) and probably THE BEST service I've received in my life. They checked up constantly, always offered more water and bread, were super friendly and we never felt any pressure to order more or leave as it was approaching dinner time. We really felt the love. It seemed to get very busy as it neared dinner, so I'm glad we came for HH instead! They have outdoor seating at the moment as the street in front is blocked off from cars. There's also table tennis and foosball for anyone to play! I saw someone cutting into a juicy steak so that may be my order next time. This place has stolen my heart and I will always come back. 12/10 experience ✨

Wendy Huang

Dine in

Calvin Ngan

The food was really good along with the service! We went there around 5 pm on Monday and left around 6. It seemed pretty empty when we entered, and slowly filled up, when we left, there was a line of roughly 20 people waiting outside. Also the food came out really fast (in about 5~7min), overall I do recommend ????

Steve Balmer

Incredible as the first time I went, 10 years ago. Unbelievable service, staff, atmosphere, taste, and overall experience. 100% worth waiting in line for, if you want some of the best pasta and fun in Victoria. You'll never go home hungry or unhappy. ????

Julia Horne

I had a lovely dinner with my partner's family and I will remember it forever!! Great service and perfect for a special event you want to cherish:)

Christina (Kerr)

Absolutely fantastic and friendly service from the staff here! Breadsticks were absolutely delicious and in abundance, had the merlot wine on tap, and the "Shell Game" dish; phenomenal! Finished off with the affogato which was rich and divine. Can't wait to go back again with more friends!

Kate Schutz

Edit : Adding more stars. After Solomon reached out to me I've decided to go to the place one more time for lunch. I had linguine with coconut curry sauce and prawns, happy to say there were lots of prawns and they were jumbo. My companion had gnocchi with mushrooms. I am happy to say that both dishes were delicious. I am however still thinking that tables are way to close, this is why 4 stars not 5 Old review: Overall food tasted good, however we ordered Sofia pasta which by description should have lots of seafood in it. There were only very tiny shrimps; like 5cents size and one slice of smoked salmon on top . The place was busy and the tables were so close it felt like you ate with your neighbor next to you.

l l

Service was great. Food was good, a little over salted foccacia but over all we enjoyed it. Would return.

Berenice G

Service

Henry Chan

Been awhile since I had pags bottemless soup for lunch. Always lives upto memories. Love the street eating option.

Dave Neal

One of the best restaurants in Victoria! Go early to avoid the wait. You will not leave hungry or disappointed. Great service, an intimate atmosphere, and amazing cuisine.

Fiona Bratvold

This Sophia dish was super disappointing. This is a dish I've considered ordering for quite some time, as I have heard such great things about pagliaccis. I finally had a "you deserve it" accomplishment and ordered. The sauce is incredibly bland, watery and sitting like a soup at the bottom of my bowl. I thought the pasta itself would be a little better quality than Barilla $2 boxed pasta, but its gummy and overcooked. The crab is okay, wish there was more than a handful of pieces, the salmon was good and the shrimp were pretty meh for a seafood dish. There was no pinenuts. The bread is delicious and actually has seasoning any flavour, unlike anything about the Sophia. I am so disappointed, that's a pretty price point for something That should in theory be decedent. I barely ate any and spent $35 with delivery. Bummer.

Angela Fraser

Food was excellent, service was good, room was just a little too crowded.

Chesné Pakulak

They have plenty of of delicious vegan pasta’s. Frank is Vegan is my favourite so creamy and flavourful and I love the addition of beyond meat sausage, it really completes the dish! The bread is a bonus, fluffy and well seasoned!

Brandon Bell

So this is the 2nd time I've ordered Hemmingways Short story.... Seems like they have changed the recipe. For years it was delicious, with a creamy mushroom / garlic bacon sauce. Now it's a basic Mac/cheese with some bacon. Aweful!! Please go back to the original recipe. Christine & cheese with bacon aweful dry. Pasta. Now you Y pasta with me

Adrian White

You have many different choices here. I've tried "Hemingway short story" here but I didn't really like that. My friends tried other foods, their food was delicious. If you are hungry, never order half size.

V V

I was really hoping to like this restaurant based off of what I’d heard about it, but when I visited this past week I was disappointed :(. I ordered the ‘salmon sing in the streets’ pasta, the salmon was overcooked and the spinach had a weird texture/flavour. We also ordered two strip loin steaks and they had tendons inside. This is not really an issue but, my daughter ordered them shell game’ pasta and even though it didn’t say it was spicy she found it to be. Most likely would not come again. On the bright side, the service was excellent, and the focaccia bread was super fresh and delicious. By far the best thing we ate that night. The outdoor dining area, although a bit cold, was very nice.

Emily Neidert

The vegan menu is great, there were many vegan entrée options, and my Saturday Night was delicious - a couple vegan dessert options would be cool - the klezmer band was fun as always.

galadzi sewid

Amazing food and ambiance! The dish''' I'll have what she's having'' is incredible. We had such a good time, Thankyou!

CiDYYJ

This has been one of my fave restaurants forever but I have to say our experience wasn't great Saturday. Our seafood pasta was bland and not what I expect - tasty. The buttermilk fried chicken still the best! Ceasars salad so so. I have to say with the new variant I found the overcrowding was too much and left me feeling pretty uncomfortable. While there aren't regulations around this I do find it irresponsible under the current circumstances. I won't be back again until conditions improve and hopefully the food as well. Kudos for the great service.

Julie K

Sad to report, but the pasta of the day (gnocchi) came and was completely raw. Bland tomato sauce. I sent it back ????. The server was a delight and my brother liked his sandwich, but he did feel it was overly salty. Really sad food for such a lovely patio day.

Alexandra Mazhbits

Such a nice mom and pop resto. Great food for great prices. A must if you're dt Vic

M Ping

I love this place. Classy, delicious and amazing service. I brought a friend and we loved it. The wait was long but the staff member made it a fun wait and was quite helpful. This is the perfect place to go for a first classy date. Just make sure you are ready for a triple digit bill although.

Aria D

Today my husband, my 1 year old son and I were going to your restaurant to try out some delicious pasta. Atmosphere is good, my son were cheering with the music. We got seated outside which we were happy that we can enjoy the music. Then everything went downhill from that point. We waited very long time for our food. It’s understandable as we know it’s extremely busy. I started notice the table next to us who were behind us got their pasta first. I thought we should be not long after but boy I was wrong. We got no food even the table next to us were all finished. After 20 mins we still got no food and our one year old son started to get really tired. That is when we think we should get our food packed up. We got our food maybe 30 mins later. We sat in hotel room eating the pasta that were not even hot. Our hotel is less than 10 mins away and the food should not being cold just by 10 mins walk. We totally think the server forgot our order and didn’t even try to make it up for us. I checked the website with the pasta and realized my pasta “Sophia” did not have loads of shrimp but only 4 shrimp. My husband pasta portion is on the small size for the price he paid but other than that food tasted good and the breads are tasty. Really wish we could of enjoy pasta there instead of eating in the hotel.

Omelett é

The reviews don't lie. You'll have to lineup to get a spot at the local favourite, Pagliacci's. The lineup was worth the experience. The staff were friendly. The food was great. Don't fill up on the house made bread. But do... It's amazing. Every bite. The pastas were good. I appreciate the options for sizes. We had the Bicycle Thief and the Hemingway. The latter was the clear favourite.

JL JX

Dinner

Moj Noroozi

The staff at this restaurant is very likely what keeps the place going! They were friendly and efficient. The food however was mediocre at best. The antipasti was very good but the main dish was lacking! The beef was gristly and the sausage and duck was over overcooked. Unfortunately at this $ point, we will not be returning.

Anshul Bhandari

Super busy. Nice atmosphere.It was almost full when arrived at noon. We ordered King Kong Chicken, Sophia and Big Easy. Good size portion. The waitress was very friendly The bill is surprising good. Will definitely come back again and recommend our friends to try

Bill P

My Partner and I were visiting Victoria for the first time and heard good things and saw good reviews for this restaurant. We decided to use doordash so that we could eat comfortably in a hotel since we read many reviews about the restaurant being small. Normally I wouldn't write reviews for restaurants however because this meal was a bit pricier, I think it is important to give my opinion. We ordered the big easy and salmon sing in the street both in a large size. Upon receiving our order we were disappointed to find the proportions were much smaller than anticipated. Comparing the size to other Italian restaurants it was quite small (i.e Anton's Pasta Bar) I'm not sure if this was because we got takeout but either way it was very small. Our take out container was half full. Besides the proportions, the pastas lacked flavour and didn't have much ingredients. For example The big easy only came with two small prawns and the salmon sing in the streets came with about five pieces of spinach. Furthermore the chicken was dry and the salmon was bit overdone. The best part of the meal was the bread.

Eloho S. Sido

Went for lunch today with fam, have not been back since their reno few years back. They have a vegan menu which is perfect for us! Tons of choices which are handsdown the best in town. Lentil soup still the best soup. Breads are a bit on the oily side this time but still nice. Drank Pagliacci's sour and loved it!! Ate vegan broker, love the curry sauce and sausage is superb! We also tried Frank is Vegan and The vegan sings in the streets both are nicely done. And of course finished it with a glass of sangeria. Forgot to take pictures, only took the soup and sour lol.. we has been its customer for over 20 years, never disappoints us. PS** please bring back the Roman Holiday :)))

Ryan W (Ryan)

Meal type

Ian Frazer

We went there for a breakfast, who does put spicy condiments on your benedict eggs? Also, roasted potato were way too spicy, and didn't say in the menu. I wouldn't go there if you are not a fan of spicy food. Service and location are ok.

tim to

Dine in

Luis

This is an indulgent treat for everyday. I had the lunch special of bacon cream tortellini with a caesar's salad and their garlic house bread with a glass of wine but you can go wilder that my classic choice. Happy hour is also great value for a refined cocktail before dinner starts at 5.

Erick L

Young lady from Door Dash brought our New Year's Eve order from you in the late afternoon and the food was truly memorable. You do pasta dishes with flair...and in generous sizes. Everything we ordered was there. Many thanks for your collective efforts on a snowy, busy day. Cheers, Gerry Porter and Susan Jensen.

N K

Food was delicious, staff very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. I didn't like how close we were sandwiched in there,and with no barriers. I felt uncomfortable.

Jacqueline Cullimore

First, the location is wonderful. Second, the service is the best in all of BC-- charismatic, welcoming, fast, endlessly helpful, etc. Third... the food and drinks are heavenly and beyond description. We had our best dinner EVER here! Worth every penny. Photo is off the duck wings yum!!

Warren Lavender

Very responsive staff. Popular place; time your visit to avoid the rush. My food was delicious. My mother's veal was poorly butchered; BUT when we raised our concerns after the meal as a means to communicate the issue and nothing more, the staff struck the cost of the dish from the bill. Tight seating, but very lively place. Worth the visit!

Local Contributor

Lunch

shawn reid

A cozy Italian restaurant where the servers make you feel welcome. The food is great and the wine selection is amazing. I urge you to try the wines they have in reserve - you will not be disappointed. Overall, this is a perfect place for a date or a family celebration.

Matt Collinge

I love this place the staff are so nice and the food is AMAZING and served in great portions and the bread is Fenonamal

Katie Tibbetts

I heard from a friend that this place was amazing, and read that the focaccia was house made and worth a second basket. I think we must have gotten end pieces or over-baked ones, because the focaccia was hard and quite dry. I was mostly disappointed in my choice of pasta, the Sofia. The sauce was so boring and runny that it was hard to get it to stick onto the linguine.

BORAE CHO

So wonderful to have a restaurant that never messes with its winning menu. If you have never been to Pagliacci's , you owe it to yourself to have a go at least once.

Jamie Graham

Explains why this place is so busy! There is always a line outside the restaurant and today, we arrived at 5 and there’s only indoor seating left. 15 minutes after we settled the indoor seating also filled up! Bread served before the meal is amazing - crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside (slightly too salty for my taste). For the main course, we ordered “I’ll have what she’s having” which is a seafood platter with pasta. I loveee the pasta! It’s very chewy. To end, we ordered the checkerboard cake and couldn’t finish between the two of us. Portions are big, tasty and our server was super thoughtful and nice. Highly recommend but make sure you come early! There’s usually live music outdoors!

Ann-Marie Leblanc

Excellent food. Owner talk to every customer as they were the only one that matters. The pay phone works.

Kristina Watson

vibes were immaculate, food was to die for, wait staff was extremely friendly and attentive. I will definitely be going back!

Sheri Bruneau

Pos: easy to find, outdoor seating, indoor seating also available but less spaced out. Food was good, free bread, and service with a smile. Cons: majority of the dish was either too salty or bland. For example, I remember (pre covid) Doors to Perception dish was creamy, but what I got was watered down soup base. We had a long wait for dessert because they ran out of New York Cheese Cake. The waiter told us they had to run out and buy some, which I remember it used to be made in house. Food for thought: I wished the bread was less salty (I know it's to get us to buy more drinks) and came out warm. Next time we are going to skip the dessert here and go to the bakery that makes them. From someone who has been here for a long time, one can tell post-covid really affected their food quality. But if you are a tourist, you won't be disappointed.

Kevin Kiningham

Everything we had was good ! The highlight was the risotto-cheese balls that we ate for starters. Good service too and the bread on the table is delicious

Neil “Papa Bambam” Bamford

Disappointing and not what it was a couple of years ago, Lasanga was rubbery and since we ordered takeout it was disappointing that the food was almost cold at pickup, Wife was not pleased either. Perhaps an off night for them but after years of eating there we will not be returning.

Janah Earle

20 years ago, I came here with my mom. As a self-conscious teen, I didn't want to gorge on bread, but my god...I have fantasized about the bread and food here ever since. The free table bread is the best part about this place and I can't believe that 20 years later, I get to eat as much of it as I can cram into my mouth.

Jon Kilimnik

The server "forgot" to take our order. After getting a table by a wonderful host, we were waiting to get drinks and food. The server took our drinks order and told they would come back for the food order after they cleared another table. We ended up paying for just the drinks and leaving after 1 hour and 40 minutes of waiting for our server to take our orders, even though they walked by our table multiple times. The drinks were good, but a bit pricey. I have had good experiences here before, so I do blame it on the server, however, the restaurant is responsible for hiring the staff.

doug richards

Everything was excellent. We ordered takeout to avoid the wait, and it was a great choice. We tried a little bit of everything, couldn't decide what we liked best.

Selina Ma

The famous Pagliacci's didn't disappoint!! We had a fun and delicious meal to celebrate our daughter's birthday on a recent visit. The staff were fantastic, and despite a lively room, we felt very safe and that all COVID protocols were in place. The cocktails were great and our daughter really enjoyed her "mocktails"! We were fortunate that we didn't even have to wait for a table, due to the snow that covered the city during our stay. We were so glad we had a chance to visit and look forward to returning again!

Aleksander Tsvetkov

Every-time I visit Victoria, I will go to Pagliacci’s! Not too pricy but you need to wait a while to get in if during peak time. I’ve never got disappointed when ordering pasta dishes. Their meat ball is also very delicious! Pagliacci’s will have live music every Sunday night. You can also check the schedule online at their website.

Edward Leung

One of my favorite italian spots in the city. I am not a fan of aperol spritz but this place changed my thoughts about the drink-so damn good-kudos to the bartender. Food is absolutely great with a good friendly vibe. The place is huge and you get your privacy at the best. Definitely recommend!

mygamertag2010X

We had heard good things about this place and decided to give it a try, we had heard that it often would get busy which it was but fortunately we didn’t have to wait. We were seated where we wanted as there were still tables available but the place is very cramped and as it became busier it’s almost as if people were sitting in your lap, that coupled with the shrieking child behind me it didn’t exactly provide the desired dining atmosphere. Lighting, the place is pitch black and it I had to pull out my cellphone to illuminate the menu so I could read it! That being said the food that arrived was excellent and the staff cordial and helpful

Shawn Todd

My compliments, one of the best Italian eateries in the area.

Firecatcher3000

Great service, great staff, great food. I dont have a bad word to say they're an excellent place to visit for dinner and an iconic must see experience

Kenneth Abad

First-time visit and it was a good dining experience. Decor and menu harken to celebrity, movies, and golden age of Hollywood. I found the place easy-going, casual, with friendly ambiance. It's a place you can dress up for that special dining experience. The service was really very good. There are two dining areas, one with live music in the evening --- I chose the quiet side. My 10oz New York cut steak with "DeNiro" peppercorn sauce ($30) was quite spicy and having the bread was great to soak up the sauce. Veggies are extra; I ordered the Smashed Fingerling Potatoes ($6.50) which went well with the sauce. For dessert I ordered the Flourless Chocolate Oblivion (small $8.50); not the best choice to end off an otherwise fine meal. The cake is very stogey and bland, the ice cream made it easier to eat and more palatable. Mash the ice cream all over it. I wouldn't recommend this dessert unless you have a diet restriction. Or ask for some whipped cream to add moisture. A nice, friendly pace. Located on quiet street, walking distance to everything in downtown Victoria. Outdoor seating is available. Yeah, I'd recommend giving Pagliacci's a try. Lunch: pea soup and bread; the Duddy Kravitz (Montreal Smoked Meat with sauerkraut) too filling. The soup and focaccia filled me up. The Duddy Kravitz is a dinner/supper meal. The Duddy Kravitz is on a small but good meat and cheese; sad sauerkraut... try their Sangria.

Anar J

I can’t eat here really anymore, but used to be amazing and my BF’s fav spot, mostly because of the incredible focaccia bread

Roy Pound

Best pasta I have had on the island when visiting. The ingredients are fresh and taste delicious. I ordered a small Mushroom Ravioli and I honestly could have downed a large it was that good! I've never had a mushroom ravioli with a garlic chili oil sauce...it was so tasty and light! I washed it down with a Aperol Spritz which was a nice complement to the dish and the perfect way to cool down in the summer heat. I will continue to come back to Pagliacci's because I know they will keep delivering great food at great prices.

Ed Ho

Nor happy. I don't mind the long wait but I do mind is watery stringy pasta that used to be really good several years ago and now seems to be more like fast food with little or no substance. The Hemingway I received was burnt. The bread was too salty. Why is the food going so good many years ago.

Karen Stockwell

Maybe our expectations were too high, and we expected more after waiting in line for 30 minutes. At least they have a foosball and ping pong table on the street to kill time. My wife wanted to give it a 2 star, but I thought it was better. She lived in Italy and has a much higher standard for her pasta. It was average Canadian, Italian pasta. We were hoping for a more Italian flare for deserts, but opted to leave for ice cream.

Danny Macintosh

Meal type

Daniel

The place is busy ( i was on the weekend). The atmosphere was amazing. A street show created a fun atmosphere. The service was good. The food was delicious and satisfying. They give garlic bread as a starter.

Dynamic Tang

If you are craving pasta and garlic bread this is definitely the place for you. Dont let the line fool you, what looked like an hour+ wait was only about 20 mins and certainly worth it. Staff is very fun and do not take themselves too seriously just like the restaurant's atmosphere (in case the name wasn't a good enough hint) but never took away from the service provided. You will certainly find yourself smirking or dare I say, chuckling while reading through the menu descriptions, admiring the wall art or interacting with staff at Pagliacci's. This is not authentic Italian cuisine but they do a good job of creating thier own spin on italian food and its delicious. While the cheesecake didnt really hit the mark for us the Old Fashioned was a fantastic addition to our meal from the bar staff. Would certainly recommend but be warned, the recipes all sound so good it can be hard to make a decision on what to eat. I even forgot my jacket and the host chased me down to return it. Certainly went the extra mile.

Jen Tong

Once you taste Pagliacci’s bread, you fully understand why this place is a local favourite. The pastas (especially Hemingway short story) are decadent, delicious and filling. Beware, after a visit to Pagliacci’s you will feel like you’re in a delicious food coma so better have a coffee. Great service.

Grace Waeohongsa

Great service. We had to wait about an hour to get in on a Wednesday night (tells you how popular this place is)! But the line moved, hostess came out to give updates and chat with the line. Once inside food was fantastic. Staff was friendly, and yay free bread. The food came so quick and we got everything we needed so fast but I never felt like we were being pushed out the door. Very efficient but still had a family run feel. Hostess overheard it was my Birthday and they, as well as both people who attended us, took time to congratulate me. I also got a birthday treat. 10/10 , would defiantly go back and would defiantly recommend. (Far plate is half size and close is full)

brent plottel

Good atmosphere, and service. Free garlic bread, but it was cold and bland. Food was good, but not great IMO. I ordered the small size Sophia and was disappointed to find it was hardly enough pasta to feed a child. It was 19 dollars, the large was 24. That's on me, but it still deserves to be said. Luckily I wasn't extremely hungry, though I was still disappointed by the food to price ratio. What I got was a perfectly acceptable seafood and fettuccine in a cream sauce. While I have no complaints about the quality of the dish itself, I also have nothing remarkable to say about it. Tasted better than what you could get at Boston pizza, but also wasn't good enough to justify a 19 or 24 dollar price tag. I went to this place because my mother loved it when she was a student here in Victoria. She told me it had great food, a fun atmosphere, and reasonable prices that even she as a uvic student could afford. Unfortunately that isn't the experience I had, it seems this place has become what the rest of Victoria has over the last 30 years. Gentrified, and over priced. The iced tea was pretty good tho.

Lang ラングErich エリック

The 45 minutes waiting in line was ok since they had a live music performance outside ! Great food, drink and reasonably priced. The place was very busy!

Ben Mitchell

We had the best lunch today while visiting Victoria. This little gem has indoor or outdoor seating , offers delicious and affordable food , our server Kholby was friendly fast efficient and knew just what we needed when ! He made the already awesome atmosphere so much more awesome ! The food was well portioned, the bread is to die for, the flavour is amazing and the fun built into the whole experience from the menu to the pictures on the wall creates the perfect little place to dine with family and friends - if you’re not sure what you want to eat today - check it out tyty will not be disappointed !

P L

Pagliacci's is one of those places that define Victoria as a diner's city. Is it the best Italian restaurant in the city? No. Would it be the best Italian restaurant in many other similar cities? Undoubtedly! Factor in great value, excellent service, the quant and vintage atmosphere, and the result is one I keep coming back to. Did I mention excellent Italian food with a wealth of options, clever names, and the most delicious free bread to go with it? As other reviewers have stated, expect a wait and no reservations are taken. But the line moves fast and once inside you won't regret the wait ????

Roxanne Andreae

used to be good. we have ordered from there before and everything was great but last night the food had half the ingredients and was in smaller containers when we ordered large dishes. very disappointed. won't beback

Hayley Gregg

Service

Ellie E

Very disappointed as I brought my fiance here for her birthday. Not given any glasses for water until we asked, no bread, no napkins or utensils until we asked, and our food was cold. Not worth the $100 plus bill. On top of that they gave us the wrong cake that we asked to go. Will not be returning - other great places in the neighborhood.

Chelsea F

Really fun menu, really good pasta. I had the 20000 leagues under the sea it was fairly salty all the sea food was really good.

J S

Our server was nice but unfortunately the food did not meet the expectations at all. The pasta lacked flavour and was overall cheesy. The menu was inaccurate.

Marc P

The food itself is only mediocre at best. The tortellini dish was cold, didn’t seem fresh, and lacked the flavours as described on the menu. One of the entrees with shrimp proved to be quite disappointing as there were only two (yes, 2) shrimp in the entire thing. The meals were also not served with a side of bread as stated in the menu. The servers were friendly but the overall service seemed rushed as one of the servers was constantly going out the front door into another building adjacent (I think this was also part of the restaurant). As a result, we had to wait a while to be seated, drinks took long to come out and we were never checked on during the course of the meal. If you’re looking for authentic (or even close to) Italian meals, I would not recommend this place.

vittorio o

I don't even know. You have this like intimate romantic date with the most sensual lighting and perfect music with delicious food and then the next time the breads cold and the pasta is bland but they serve you checkerboard cake and you're now falling deeper in love. Servers are like your regular servers, nothing special nothing bad, a little socially exciting because weird in endearing ways. It's a place worth going twice but over 365 days. It's very Victoria very that.

Kevin Gamble

Dinner

R R

Ordered dinner for my family last night 4 large pastas and a entreè cesear salad the pastas were good but the 17 dollar salad was laughable 5 croutons ,maybe about 3 Romain leafs cut up and a tiny bit if parm , I've had bigger appy salads.

L Wiltsie

Watery sauce big easy pasta and bland rubbery mushroom ravioli. A disgrace to Italian cuisine.

E Chan

I went with a group of friends and the waitress was very helpful to create space for us. It's a small space, but that's what makes it feel so cozy! Everyone at our table enjoyed their meals. Rich and delicious flavours coming out of that kitchen!

Indyanna Jay

The food here is average at best. I grew up going to this place and hadn't been back in a couple years. I doubt I will be back again. First thing I noticed is that the tables are incredibly close together. Before covid that was fine, but now I don't want to be within arms length of the next table. The menu I was given was greasy and had food in it. I had the baked Hemingway Short Story, which tasted bland. No exaggeration, I've made better pasta at home. My friend ordered the same thing as I did but while mine was clearly baked to a golden brown, theirs was not. They did bring it to the attention of the staff, but nothing was done. I don't see the point of returning to this restaurant when others exist at the same price point which have better pasta, better quality control, nicer staff and enforce distancing between patrons.

D. CH

Attentive staff. Good food, however, my salad was missing an ingredient that was listed on the menu. I found it a bit pricey, but overall, I would try it again.

Paisley T

Amazing food, great atmosphere and you always feel very welcomed. Clean, courteous, the staff and owner always have smiles.....LOVE IT

Sophie Jasinski

Great experience! First off, the free bread they serve at this place is amazing!!! We had to ask for a second basket! Probably not good for our waistlines, but it was worth it! My Sophia with shrimp, king crab, smoked salmon was creamy and very tasty. My husband's seafood lasagna was really great too. The Cesar at a level 4 was very spicy, already. (They go up to 10) So be aware... ;)

Maureen Gusway

Superb. Lunch is the best time to go to avoid a long line, but even if you have to wait it will be worth it. The specials are always creative and worth a try.

Noily Pratt

Awesome filling/big portion food. Restaurant was very family style and loved the atmosphere. Servers were very friendly too!

Robert Dromey

Best Italian in town! We’ve been all over and this place has the best food, it’s not even the most expensive place which is awesome. Flavour is amazing on soups and pasta, bread is divine and hot. Service was so friendly and welcoming, a bit slow at times, but we were well taken care of. I would highly recommend!! I can’t wait to go back and try more dishes ❤️

Ethan Shu

I was in town for a meeting and had to stop at Paggliaci's for a meal. It was exactly as I remembered it! Great food, wine, service, and atmosphere. A 'must go' eatery.

Gia Woods

Still awesome all these years later! I haven’t been since my university days 10 years ago. Took my wife here for our honeymoon and it was nostalgia city central! Just wish the tables were jammed close together like they used to be. COVID times though. Ya know?

Chrisuala Pasco

Just had a wonderful dinner here for our anniversary. Food was delicious and service was fantastic. Highly recommend

Nikki N.

Pags is so good and is a must-do for those in Victoria. From the atmosphere to the service your experience will be great! They are accommodating to people with celiac disease as well.

Kestra Daum

Long wait for a tightly packed, super loud restaurant. Friendly service, hard to get water refilled. The food was just ok. "The shell game" 5 mid sized scallops with huge pieces of crunchy, salty prosciutto (I chose the smaller portion size, still a lot of food). Way more prosciutto than shellfish. If you're hoping for a rich, buttery scallop flavor this is not your dish.

Timothy Corcoran

Completely amazing service and food. Ambiance and music is perfectly suitable for the environment. In my view, it is by far one of the best Italian restaurants you will find in Victoria

Cheryl Campana

Completely worth all the hype. The service here is amazing and they will keep giving you more bread if you like it if you order pasta. It’s some mad bread by the way; seasoned very well, crispy on the outside, melty cloud on the inside. The food has fresh ingredients and is presented beautifully. I absolutely LOVE the vegan menu here although I wish there were even more options other than just salad and pasta.

Gabriella Vallillee

Very cozy place with a slight historical feel to it. The wait staff was very friendly in making sure that all of our needs we're met. The food itself was very good and the drink potions were generous as well. Will definitely go back!

Shilpa J

Awesome service but the pasta is either no taste or too sour ????

Ling Chu

The food was amazing! The service was great and the prices were reasonable. Just the table arrangement is a little clustered. This restaurant was packed at 10pm Saturday (on a summer night) when we entered (only 2 tables were empty) and they close at 11pm! Our table had the muscles, prawn pasta and the soup of the day which was lentil something (?) - it was vegetarian, and a glass of the Italian bubbly prosecco which was at $6.50 (much cheaper than their other bc wine options and it is Italian)! The muscles were amazing, they smelled like BBQ or as if they were cooked over coal, I'm not sure which (or if any), but they were just really goooood (and I'm a vegetarian who occasionally tries new dishes that contain meat just to see what they taste like; which I usually will never try again; but this was just great and on point)! My soup was good but a bit sweet for my taste. And the pasta was really good too when I tried it a bit, it had a curry taste. This may very well become our spot every time we're in Victoria for a visit, so we'll definitely be back!

Paul Onderwater

Super good food. Friendly service. Busy and full, there was only inches between tables.

Wade Plante

Dont be fooled by the good ratings or the line up. The food is BAD. I think they are running on tourist bc no one will want to come here more than once

Steven Hayes

I heard a lot about this place and decided to take my partner out for date night (a big deal because of Covid). Overall it was a sub-par experience,especially considering the price. The Mojitos were not done properly as the mint hadn't been bruised so we couldn't taste it. I should say that my partner has been a professional bar tender and waitress for over 25 years. The waitress was terrible although she behaved like she was all that. However, it took her until we were nearly done the main course for her to arrive with our two glasses of wine. My partners food was generous yet slightly over cooked so that the crab was rubbery. My veal was dry. The bread, for which this restaurant is locally famous was so salty that I could barely eat it and my partner took one bite. Next date night we'll go to Il Torazzo and pay the same amount for a meal which is always amazing

Kaipao Xtiati

I ordered a dinner from Ontario online from Pagliacci's to have it delivered to my 21 yr old daughter who had just moved to Victoria. Door Dash messed up the order, but the Pagliacci's GM Kerry Ann was very caring, and excellent to deal with. Kerry Ann resolved the problem quickly over the phone, and was over the top professional. I completely appreciate that - and wanted to take the time to leave an excellent recommendation. I live several provinces away, but I love great restaurants and great Italian food. The instagram feed pictures look awesome, and the place looks like so much fun! This will be at the top of my list when I come to visit. Many thanks - highly recommend!

Fayaz Manji

The quality of this place has declined immensely. I came for lunch and ordered the hemingway and paid 20 dollars for costco ravioli heated up in a lukewarm canned cream sauce. It was also COVERED in green onions- presumably to give the dish a little bit of life but jeez did it miss the mark. My friend ordered a spicy pasta dish which I tried as well- the pasta was horribly overcooked and rubbery. I am only giving an extra star because our server was quite nice and the soup of the day was very good (tomato).

Alan Summers

I've been wanting to try Pagliacci's for so long and I'm so glad I did! We were told it would be a 45 minute wait but we ended up waiting an hour and 20 minutes which was a bit annoying but I know it can be hard to estimate when guests will leave. I really enjoyed the sangria and the bicycle thief pasta, and I appreciate the gluten free options! I can't wait to come back and try a different pasta.. or get the same one because it was that good! The wait to get into Pag's is 100% worth it.

Stacy Mathieson

My favorite dinner spot in Victoria. The bread is to die for and the food is home cooked and delicious. Make sure you save room for dessert... I love their "Chocolate Oblivion' cake. It's the best chocolate dessert I have ever had.

Vick Manak

Only the place where we have found a table to sit during breakfast hours. However, service was a disaster. Food is average and generally good.

Heather Macnab

Good tasty pasta, great hostess at the entrance making the whole experience much better. Super nice people working there

patrick matthews

Very good food and excellent service. Pasta was very very good

Jackie

Great service, food was amazing, and so were the cocktails. They have a separate vegan menu and staff was well educated on how to customize to make things vegan friendly. If in Victoria, don't miss going here for lunch or dinner.

xiaomeng ren

Man this place is busy! If you’re intending to dine in, be prepared to wait. They don’t take reso’s, so the line is always long. Supposedly it goes fast though, so take your chance! We decided to get take out, and it was ready for pickup in about 20 minutes. Sounded way better to us. We brought it back to our hotel, and it did get a bit cold, (chefs stop reading now ????) but we zapped it in the microwave real quick and warmed it up. Loved everything!! We got the crab cakes, la strada, la sophia, hemingway short story, and the duck wings. It came with a **** ton of bread. Holy. I think they thought we were duck farmers or something because there was no way we could eat that all. The hemingway was a bit heavy, and the duck was a bit too salty, but everything else was fantastic. I joke about the bread, but honestly that ish was delish. Great stuff! Must be even better fresh. Won’t wait in line to find out, but maybe you could & let me know!

Lindsay Smith

Great experience at Pagliacci's! There is an expanded outdoor seating area in addition to the indoor seating area. Food was very flavorful. The only gripe was the price for some items. I ordered a beer and received a can for $8. Would definitely go back!

Brice Huxter

Don't normally perfer pasta and wasn't expecting much but of this place, but it blew me away with it's astonishing tortellini. It was well portioned, priced, and displayed. More importantly it tasted great with a good amount of cheese , alfredo sauce and the best tortellini.

Maciek Paluch

Nice cozy place. A hardcore Italian restaurant. We ordered two drinks, conventional ceaser and capezio, both the drinks were very well balanced. The place provides the option of selecting the portion size, if you love Italian you could very well order 2 different dishes (small portions each). Wait time : 10 ~12 min in busy hours Staff and service : Excellent Food : Excellent, rich Italian flavour The only negative is that the space it too cramped, but we can account that to the popularity of the place.

oaksound studio

Came here from Alberta on my BC trip. Was pretty disappointed with what I got. Beer selection is quite horrible, tried the Phillips beer and was too bitter. The waitress didn’t really know what a “blonde” beer was so I was going on something that sounded decent. I ordered the local halibut and the portion size was not even my whole palm. Kudos for making the fish taste good though, probably the best thing of my meal. I ordered this pesto sauce and had no idea what to do with it. Also when the bill was paid, didn’t see any option not to leave a tip. Very unhappy with the quality of food I got, and the options. Would not be recommending this to anyone on the island or anyone who comes to Victoria. Update: Spoke to the GM of the restaurant and they offered a gift card for next time and returned 50% of the order. Very understanding and seemed like they meant no harm. I appreciate the gesture they provided

Janet Smith

Our server, Gina, was incredibly rude and condescending to us from her first comment when she came to our table. Host was lovely and food was great, but she ruined our experience. Being condescending to other women isn’t a cute look!

Gerald Porter

I personally tried the salmon with pasta without wine but it was really bad. I still ate it, but my friend was a bit more critical and vocal. I have to admit, they were nice and didn't let him pay which is a really friendly gesture. But this is stil my own opinion about the restaurant, it could have been the white wine that I excluded that might have changed the taste. Anyhow, I hope other folks find the review helpful, and I truly appreciate the friendliness. Cheers,

Tim Schilds

Great service. They were very accommodating and the food hit the spot on a cold and wet day.

eugene

Be prepared for a long line up but it will be worth it. Amazing seafood fettucine , duck wings were out of this world, cheesecake was divine. Service was fast, portions were good. They did well keeping us safe by wearing masks but it can get busy inside. Still, we loved it.

Kristal Sharp

That is some of the Best Italian food we have had in a long time. The service is great too, they are very friendly and the Bar Tender is the best mixalagest. We went there two different days, Lunch and Dinner, they Rock, Highly recommend. Get there early if you can.

Jo Si

Our family had a wonderful lunch here. Excellent food and service and I would highly recommend visiting here.

C Bric

On Friday February 4th my partner took me to Pagliacci's for dinner( both our first time there). To my surprise after our dinner course, we ordered dessert and on my cheesecake was an engagement ring. The staff was not informed beforehand this was happening. My partner told the server while I was in the washroom. I think she was more excited it was happening than he was. A huge thanks to all the staff for making it such an amazing evening....of course I said "YES"????????

Richard

Perfect! Delicious food, great atmosphere and curtious staff. Highly recommended!!!

Dave Harper

Pasta is slightly above average. Don't know if it uses fresh pasta, but it tastes like perfectly cooked dry pasta. Which is not bad. They cook better than many fresh pasta places who overcook their noodles. We had some seafood pasta, lasagna and the mussels. If you like mussels, definitely order then. For 11 dollars /half lb, can't go wrong. Perfectly cooked, light and flavourful.

Tony G

I don't normally post ratings, but the food was terrible. The focaccia bread was good, but pasta was not fresh. Chicken and pasta were lukewarm and lacking flavour. The beef tortellini was definitely not in store made and you could not taste the beef in the tortellini. It tasted like someone put some store bought pasta and sauce dish together. Very disappointing as we drove in from far based on the ratings. Someone needs to revamp this place.

Kimberly Skillings

Really charming place. Good fresh pasta, and lots of love in the food. Whether the seafood or the sausage pasta, both my wife and I had a great experience eating there. I did order a Caesar salad, and it came with egg in it. I'm not able to eat that, so I brought that to their attention. They got it off the table and a new one to me within 2 minutes. great efficient service. The tables are pretty close together, which could bug some of you who like more privacy and space. But for us, it made for fun banter with our neighbors. But the thing I loved the most was that I didn't see one person on their phone in there. People came to eat, and listen to live music. The band was super fun. Enjoy!

Emily Spargo

My friend and I had just left another restaurant after a bad experience and happened to walk by on a very rare occasion when there was no line. Service was phenomenal! And the food was to die for. I just had the meatball slider but it was an experience!! Tasted so fresh, layers of flavour. Great size an me price. I can not wait to come back and try more things, thank you so much!!

Lisa Tidder

You do not need reservation to go there. We arrived at 5:00pm and we enter without do the line. If you arrive at 6:00pm you will have to do a long line to wait. We had fish and prawn and these were delicious but the kid's menu and the latte were terrible. The flavor of the sauce was the same at sauce's can and the coffee was cool.

Michelle Lewis

Be prepared that this place often gets elbow-to-elbow packed in evenings. The service was excellent despite of the fact that there were so many customers in the restaurant. This restaurant adds a welcoming twist to the traditional Italian cuisine, with an inclusion of some New York-styled elements into it. The food there is marvellous, especially the bread. I personally feel like that the portion might be a little bit small. An interesting fact, I don't know whether it was coincidental or not, was that all staff members were woman.

J

A very popular Italian restaurant with a cozy atmosphere. The place was fully packed at 9pm during a Wednesday when we visited. Server was thankfully patient and helpful in setting up highchair for my 3 years old. Menu seems to be refreshed frequently, with recommendations on the seasonal items. Raw oysters were amazingly fresh and a must try for all oyster lovers! Main dishes were generously portioned, and the pre-meal bread was warm and tasty! Highly recommended for Italian food lovers in town!

Brent Spencer

Overall a great experience. Food and drinks were excellent. Contrary to what other reviewers have said we found the portions sufficient - we ordered only half plates and found them satisfying. They are clearly trying very hard to maintain distancing protocols and accommodate the large volume of guests. So yes the service was a bit slow and disorganized at times but not for want of trying.

carol nicholson

Can't really go wrong with Pags. Wine list is great, our food was food. Bread was super salty this time but we still ate it. The host asked at the door instead of the usual covid questions asked .. "are you healthy" Some people have conditions not related to covid that over all have them not being well or "healthy" .. I understood what they were getting at and I'm just being cheeky is all. Maybe just stick to usual covid screening questions.

Katya Fydyshyn MacDonald

Excellent food and atmosphere. Heaters and warm blankets for cooler days like today. And dog friendly too. Great to see Howie still hanging around

Christine Abbot

We wait just over an hour 1/2 thank god that they had a band outside playing that made the time fly by. The food was ok mediocre Italian food our table was in a corner they tried to put as to many tables but the service was good. Is it worth the wait? The atmosphere is fun but don’t go for the food because yiu will be disappointed. Great pictures though

Marc Bains

Meal type

Melody M

The scallops salad was really good! The duck wings were not what I expected but not bad, kinda similar as normal wings flavour and too sweet for me. The pastas was but that flavour unfortunately. Busy busy place! But good vibe

Alexander Hermann

was excited to finally come back to visit. However - my takeout experience has ruined my taste for the restaurant. I feel was treated rather poorly by the front door lady(on several occasions now that i think back on it) who seems to thinks yelling around is professional and said loud and aggressively, i quote " come inside so i can take YOUR money!". (i think something like; how would you like pay? cash or credit? or, come inside so we can take your payment now or even hello ____ we are ready for you:)! come inside.. would be a lot more considerate.... really what im paying for is the experience more than the food thats why i came back. ) also: -why no tables outside on a blocked off street? -and no parm or cracked pepper offered on my food yet paying restaurant prices.

yames ble

Dine in

roshith narayanan

Well everyone loves Pags pasta!!! Had to cancel our Christmas Party last minute due to Covid. We are very happy with our bright idea of bringing Pagliacci's take out to our work. Excellent food! Loved by all. Highly recommend Pagliacci's. Definitely helped with the Covid Blues!! Thank you!

Brent Cain

Perfect restaurant for a date or family/friend gathering. Their bread is so warm and delicious. Be sure to show up earlier, because there is usually a line up! It moves pretty quick.

Jada McCaffrey

Review | Casual Dining (1~5) #Atmosphere | Server Professionalism: 5 | Interior Design: 5 | Menu Design: 4 | Hygiene: 4 #Food | Serve Speed: 3 | Food Quality: 4 | Taste: 5 #Price Overall: $$$

Carmen Jones

This place albeit small was incredibly delicious and the food was outstanding. When we arrived there wasn't a line out the door, but the restaurant was busy. We took our seats and then the magic began. The focaccia bread that's served with dinner was abundant, the service excellent and the food superb. This is definitely a great place to bring friends and family and I'll be back!

Carlsopinion

The food is okay, very hot or miss. Blue cheese sauce on my steak was incredible and the vegetables were perfect, but the side fettuccini was awful and the meat was not a good cut. The dessert menu had a lot of options, but all of them are cake or ice cream! First Italian restaurant I’ve ever been to that didn’t have tiramisu or panna cotta. The dining room is extremely loud, even when they aren’t busy, so it is hard to have a conversation.

Chris Wong (The Dancing Tourist)

Awesome food, excellent live music, and overall great atmosphere. I would highly recommend.

Julie Pickford

The wait was about 45 minutes which was a downer. I had an amazing pagliacci sour, so flavorful and fresh and the arancini were quite delicious, however my entree, the Sophia pasta, came with very thin sauce and was quite bland.

Shauna Hunze

''A must do'' on any visitors list. I have always had a wonderful experience here. The staff are friendly and do their best to accommodate groups. Even on busy nights this place gets orders out very quickly. I would recommend trying the Bicycle Theif or the Hemmingway short story pasta dishes. If you are in the mood for a tasty drink, try their Mai Tai it really hits the mark for an excellent cocktail.

Alexandre Spivak

The best pasta in Victoria. A great deal to have lunch here, as there was soup or salad accompanied pastas, or you could get $3 off if choosing no sides. My favorite pasta is “Sophia” the white wine shrimp and salmon pasta; and “Mr. Robert” the crab and shrimp lasagna. “I will have what she’s having” did not have consistent quality; the first try was amazing, however the second try was totally different with ingredient missing... The halibut with treasure island sauce was horrible maybe because of different tastes... You could ask for extra breads for free. The place is always full of people and has unique old style like you’re sitting in the past. Have recommended to lots of friends how great the place is! Overall the price is reasonable for the food and service.

Farnaz R

We stopped by for brunch on Saturday. No reservations, but the wait is totally worth it. The staff and service are amazing, and the food is outstanding. Highly recommend Pagliacci's !!! Stop by when you are downtown, and grab some food, and a margarita of course. ????????

Samantha Dimery

Excellent food, great atmosphere. We came in for an early dinner (middle of a service changeover) and had a minor delay in getting served, but otherwise great service. Definitely recommended.

David Hwang

What. A. Bummer. I loved this restaurant but I haven't had a satisfying meal here in a couple of years. I thought I'd give them one last try the other day and it was the most disappointing Italian food I've had since the last time I was there. The sauce was watery, the garlic was raw, as were the tomatoes, and it took 2 hours. Also, when did the bread stop being good? Hate to say I won't be back but happily looking forward to supporting other pasta places in town.

Fiona Ho

Meal type

Madison Ens

Phenomenal Italian Restaurant! Loved the Surf and Turf and Enjoyed the Chocolate Oblivion for Desert. Make Sure to ask for Olive Oil and Vinegar with your Fresh Focaccia Bread. Reminds Me of Family Dinner at My Nonnas

Kreshna Sugriat

Victoria staple for Italian food with great ambience and delicious food. Honestly, all that potatoes in comparison to its bread though... That focaccia bread is to die for and may possibly be the highlight of the evening. They also sometimes (COVID dependant) have live music here which is great.

Maya Carter

The food is fantastic. The best pasta i ever eat. Great service and good drinks. The ingredients are fresh and delicious. The ambiance are amazing and atmosphere is very nice.

Maureen Moore

Delicious. Highly recommend. Staff are great as well

G' H

Dined with my daughter. The food was yummy. But, there were a few glitches in service - likely because it was incredibly busy.

Brett Barlow

Fabolous experience. I always go back for their Chicken George. Service was phenomenal. They gave me their cheesecake on the house one time. Cheesecake taste like they made them at NYC and ship them here.

Dalton

I’m a bit of a picky eater but I could eat here over and over again. The fettuccine Alfredo is the best I’ve ever had. Also the bread is so good I always have to get a loaf to go

Julie C

The pasta was very tasty.

Lewis Lai

foods are ok, kinda very salty. Service is good but you can tell they are very much overloaded, probably should hire more people

Matthew Stubbs

Good service on a really busy night, but overcooked pasta and store bought sauce. Don't believe the hype. Waited in line an hour so I expected much, much better. Anyone saying this is legit Italian is straight trippin'

이서현

It was super busy when we went, about 5 tables to seat in front of us do we were standing in line. But they do not lie when they say it moves fast! Got in in about 10 mins and had such a fantastic dinner. Started with some of the best bread I've had that was naturally seasoned. Then came the pastas. I had the hemingway and it was fantastic, my boyfriend had their squash pasta and it was also very very good. It took a bit of time to get our bill but for 1 server trying to serve that entire room, she did fantastic. Would stand in line any day of the week to eat here again. Very much recommend!!

Lynsay Kivlin

Great food. Some of the best in Victoria. Service is rapid, friendly. Seating is cramped, but with everyone vaccinated I enjoy being able to eat without too long a wait rather than fewer seats and a longer wait.

Kelvin Lum

Expecting an amazing lunch based off previous experiences, however we were very disappointed. Our server forgot about our table as we waited for 15 minutes before he approached our table. The bread was absolutely amazing, however the food was inconsistent. The SuperMario ravioli dish was inedible as it was overly spiced with chili flakes so it burned your mouth after one bite. I love spice, but not when it is all you taste. The server also forgot to put our food through as he came back 30 minutes later to double check what we ordered. Disappointing considering how often we come here.

Tim

Food was good, great vibes and live music during happy hour. We happen to be there when it was short staffed, but the manager and staff were very accommodating. The clams were amazing, I’d get them again.

Ali Al Hetmi

food was amazing! and the service was even better! I had a tiny dog with me and they treated her like a princess????

John Chong

Service

Neki Kins

Found two small pieces of crab In the whole thing when its the first ingredient. The sauce was watery and all at the bottom. The pasta was nothing special. The rest of the seafood was funky smelling and as a whole the dish tasted bland. We asked for who pairs of cutlery cause we are eating a hotel room that has none, and the bread was cold. Its literally in a bag with the hot pasta but the bread was rock cold. At least we got a little cup of mediocre pre-shredded parm! And thank the hotels restaurant for giving us some plastic forks.

Jade Ashleigh

This place gets very busy so prepare to wait at least a half hour in line on peak times. Has outdoor seating but then you miss the inside show. But if you bundle up (and they have some patio heaters) it might be worth it to skip the line. Food was very good, but not the best Italian I've ever had. I still would recommend checking this place out though.

wilsonjoshwilson

Awesome menu items and service. Great COVID-19 safety measures, and there was even live music that perfectly suited the atmosphere they are going for in the second dining room. Will absolutely be back, thank you.

T

Always friendly, always delicious, and easy take out options too! One of our fav local restaurants. If going in person make sure you prepare for a line!! :)

Omar Mindorff

Dine in

V RAI

Amazing appetizer bread, though some might find it too greasy. Pasta had a great balance and depth in flavor. Server was excellent as she was very attentive. Definitely a must visit in Victoria!

Tom Clancy

Family friendly from the moment we got near the door. Very friendly hostess, attentive waiter, and delicious food. The waiter answered our kids questions and was very friendly. Definitely top tier

Nala Lioncub

The waiting staff was nice, however, the food was sub-par. Way, WAY too salty. (The starter bread as well) Ordered the King Kong Chicken bowl and it sounded much better than it tasted. The chicken was the spongy cubed kind (probably pre-frozen), the sauce was like an over salted gravy, and it didn't come with much veggies, only two pieces of brocolli. I remember liking this place years ago, I guess it went downhill. Pretty bizarre food to pay restaurant prices for???? The waiting staff deserves more stars than this because they were actually very sweet.

Charles Stratford

I was told this was a great Italian restaurant and I was not disappointed! I ordered the Meat John Doe (I loved the creative names they had, made it difficult to order honestly) which was their spaghetti and meatballs. I loved it! It was very flavourful and the regular size was more than enough for myself. The wait time was about 15mins but we went during dinner - 7pm. I highly recommend this restaurant!

Dale Vecero

Having been raised in Victoria, I know how good Pagliacci's has been. With COVID, we haven't eaten out since the pandemic started. I used to love going to this restaurant with my family and dearest friends. Last night, my husband and I decided to do a take out meal. I ordered the Frank, Dempsey's Lasagna and extra focaccia bread. Oh man, I had been dreaming of the focaccia bread! Love that stuff. For our son, I got the Cloudy With A Chance of Meatball. Our bill was over $60. We were so disappointed by the meal we got. My husband's lasagna was bland with not much to it. The focaccia bread was so hard, a dark brown crust and over salted; it was too tough to eat. It was so sad and disappointing. For my son, when I opened the Cloudy With A Chance of Meatball container it was full of noodles with only about 2 tablespoons of sauce and a meatball. My son loves anything with meat and pasta. I removed some of the pasta prior to serving him in attempt to make it more appealing and added some cheese. He refused to eat the meal because it was it didn't taste good. I'm not sure what happened last night. Perhaps there needs to be a little more attention to quality of the products.

Cameron Watson

Food is alright. Service is lacking. Hostess requested our table to move during our meal. Had to spend five minutes trying to get service each time we needed something. Ambience is crowded and you will be rubbing shoulders with your fellow diners (what happened to social distancing?)

Jerad Seguin

Pagliacci's came highly recommended to us on our trip to Victoria, and it did not disappoint! Food was delicious and atmosphere was welcoming. The pastas and desserts were amazing! Our bread was a bit too salty for our taste, but otherwise cooked perfectly. We will definitely return if we are in the area in the future!

Jelena Cubric

Eating here was not a treat and I won't return.Garlic doesn't cost much and pasta is cheap ... Bicycle Thief.. Flavour less pasta with chunks of sliced raw tomatoes and paper thin slices of sausage just mediocre at best.Prince of Tides salad... Scarce low quality over cooked seafood that tasted off.Filled up on bread. I could prepare a better meal myself.

Crystal Robertson

Good food and excellent service. The owner was in the booth behind and either didn't wear his mask or it wasn't covering his nose when he got up and ran around, which was frequently. He went to talk to people he knew n the other side of the restaurant. No mask. He got up to tell the server to tape some signage better. No mask. He got up to take photos of his table guests. The mask wasn't covering his nose. He ran around the kitchen slapping staff on back. No mask. Yes, I get that he has a lot of energy and can't sit still but in the age of covid and public health requirements he needs to wear a mask when not seated, and wear it correctly. His behaviour made us feel very uncomfortable. But at least he wasn't doing it maliciously as he did occasionally say: "I really need to wear my mask!"

Mary Thompson

I've been going to Pag's since they opened in 1979, a favourite eating place for a great many people from around the world. The photo was taken during a recent lunch outing with my Mom were we were visited by career man Chris S. who has worked at Pag's since the 80s! My "short story" was excellent as always, and their in-house made focaccia bread with yogurt dill dip is to die for. I was a little saddened that they no longer serve Kronenburgh beer from France, but then again I can't seem to be able to find that stuff anywhere.

Ho K

My favorite restaurant in Victoria holds so many good memories. I've been enjoying their fabulous pasta (The prawn broker!!) And delicious bread since 1994! Note that I live in Vancouver Pags has become a necessity when I'm fortunate to get to the island

P Lee

This place is in my top two of places to eat in Victoria. There is often a line, but it is well worth the short wait. There is often outdoor jazz as a plus! The entire menu is delicious, and their drinks are good. Their bread is the best I have ever had. 10/10 recommended!

Dana E

Was so excited to return to Victoria and visit my favourite Italian restaurant on the island; unfortunately, when we arrived we were seated pretty much at the same table as the couple next to us with no warning. Last I checked Covid is still a thing and I not yet fully vaccinated was very uncomfortable with the situation. The hostess informed us that they were low on cutlery (probably because they had 50 people seated in a bedroom sized restaurant). We were so close to the people around us it felt as though we were in their conversation and everyone was talking about how ridiculous the layout of the tables were. We left before they even brought us water (which was a good 10 mins after we sat down) and will probably not be returning. If I were to make a suggestion, condense the tables outside rather than inside so we at least to all have to breath the same air.

Yorkie Lover

Food was delicious amd service was ok. I ask my server to no put any shrimp or prawns on my dish and for my surprised there were 4 shrimp in it. Price is a bit high but you totally get the quality food thay comes with it. I think if anything i wish they either put more napkins on the table or change to fabric ones. Otherwise the ambience was beautiful and nice, the menu is amazingly structure/named (kudos for the designer). I will be back next time in Victoria

Mark Harvey

Really good food. Friendly, attentive service. Great ambiance. I really enjoyed eating here.

Maxine Noël

Very good menu selection. Prices are reasonable. Foccacia served was excellent. We had 2 baskets. Steaks were tender. Pastas were yummy. Service was awesome. We were 4th in the line up but was seated quickly. They had lots of seating outside with umbrellas and heat lamps. Good experience.

Hanan Jawad

Service was great, food amazing! They are doing a great job at keeping things safe and clean. So happy with this meal.

Alexey Petrov

Edit: Thank you Solomon for acknowledging and following up on the issue with my order. 5/5 stars for customer service. Will hopefully take the chance to experience your food in your restaurant someday instead of at home. Always heard of good things about this place so I was excited to try it for the first time. I was instead majorly disappointed. I was given the wrong order when ordering through Doordash. I ordered the Dempsey's beef lasagna and got the seafood lasagna instead with no communication as to why my order got changed. Thankfully I don't have seafood allergies, but this could have easily gone south for someone else with allergies. Lasagna also arrived cold. The sauce for the lasagna and the focaccia bread were good at least. But not worth it in my books.

Robert Colquhoun

Amazing menu, personal and authentic interactions with the staff, and quick and exceptional service. Great COVID-19 safety measures were set up as well. Our server Nicole did a GREAT job grabbing drinks for us, bringing us our food hot and fast, and was very courteous and organized. Probably one of the best restaurant experiences I've had on all of Vancouver Island- we'll definitely be back!!

Rous The Man

Best service in town. Hands down better then il terrazzo. Our wait staff was friendly, helpful also knowledgeable in menu items. Very attentive despite the large number of guests.The food was delicious ! Best foccacia bread in town. Definetly will be back for future dates.

Aiden Kliesch

Great restaurant. No reservations, but the waiting line moves quickly. Excellent service.. tasty pasta.. excellent affagato for dessert. We had a lovely window table. Cozy ambiance...it was highly recommended.

Miles W

It was my first time there and waited for an hour in the cold. Was it worth it? Definitely not. Our whole table was disappointed. I had really high expectations because it was highly recommended, but the best part was the focaccia bread. If they offer you to sit next door, do it to avoid lining up!

Adam Cook

This place is no joke. Best food we had in Victoria hands down! The lineup is worth the wait. ????

Thomas Nicolson

A "must go" restaurant when visiting Victoria! Home made recepies and well friendly service.

Tingting Zhu

Had a great dinner here, the bread is to die for, the food is good but not as good as it used to be. I didn't appreciate the overly crammed tables, my elbow was hitting the table next to me and I could barely get in or out of my chair. They also had a very strong hatred for any of the COVID guidelines as I could see cooks with no mask on, they didn't check for vaccine passports, and as mentioned, there was no distancing of people or tables. What a shame.

Keira Torkko

Have to try the New York cheesecake, but beware, the serving is HUGE! We had sangria, which was tasty. The best part was the upbeat LIVE music. Had the mussels in curry sauce, but wasn't impressed. The bread is amazing, and never ending.

W Tsai

First I would like to commend the staff for their utmost professionalism and understanding for their patrons. I ordered an item AAA Angus thinking it would be a steak but instead it was a pasta dish and server noticed my dismay and without any hesitation, she arranged for what I was expecting it and didn’t have to pay for the dish I ordered. This act of understanding has encouraged us to visit their restaurant again with our guests. Thank you