This is my go to spot in Victoria. The food is solid - they specialize in small plates and the specials are always worth checking out. It's the type of place that makes their own pickles and tonics. The tinned fish is always a good choice. Superb staff. read more

Really tasty octopus and paella negra. I am curious to come back and try other items. Not necessarily the best location to be honest.

Love the food here. Had their charcuterie board, beet salad and ceviche. Their ceviche YUM!!! Our server was lovely and attentive. Came by to check on us to see if we needed anything. Would definitely return the next time we're in Victoria. read more

What impressed me the most at Bodega wasn't the awesome candle lit patio in a quiet alley with heaters creating a lovely romantic ambiance, it wasn't the great wine, beer and tapas selection - it was the incredibly warm and friendly service of its staff. We got the charcuterie board, the chorizo, and the tuna sashimi (which we got 2 orders of since it was so good!). I would definitely come again and would love to try other items on the menu. read more

Authentic, excellent, Spanish Tapas. The sangria was also superb. The staff was attentive and very friendly

We took a quick get-away last weekend to Victoria before the holiday madness season, and was happily surprised to see that Victoria seems to be in the middle of a Tapa's craze. There was literally 6 Tapa/Cicchetti/Pincho places within walking distance of our hotel (The Magnolia). We popped our head into a few of them as we shopped during the day, and settle on Bodega, as it seem to have the nicest "feel", as was already buzzing with activity at 5:30. We finished shopping, dropped out goods in the room, then came back at 7:30 - great timing as by 8 it was packed with a line to find a seat. While the menu was not large, everything was very good. My gf had never tried sherry before, so we asked the waitress to recommend a good into flight. She pick a dry, medium dry and medium sweet one. Each came with a recommended "nibble" (green olives, cheese, almonds) The dry one was very grassy; not at all sherry like. The med-dry was ok, but the med-sweet was excellent - the perfect flavors of walnut, maple, and burnt sugar, with just a touch of sweetness, It was called "Nutty Solera" from Olorosa. We also had: - Stuffed piquillo peppers, filled with chopped tuna and capers, with anchovies on top - Chilled braised octopus salad - Mixed pincho plate (3 slices of baguette with goodies on top, see photos) - Chill-garlic shrimp - Papas Supreme - this was the most amazingly delicious version of roasted Spanish style potatoes I have every had. Tender oven roasted new potatoes with a tasty smoked paprika sauce, serreno ham, manchego cheese, and a soft poached egg on top. We chopped/mixed it all up, and it was heaven on our mouths! I think we ordered one more dish, but lost track. Everything was excellent. The only minor downside was the "default" sliced baguette they served with the some of the dishes. It is overly tough and toasted... and painful to the roof of your mouth. Much better option is to ask them to serve you the ciabatta bread that they use for their pulled pork sandwiches (sliced-up and un-toasted) It was perfect for sopping up the chili garlic sauce from the shrimp dish. read more

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This place was alright. They have some decently creative dishes, but I found them mostly lacking in spices. The flavor profile tended to be pretty boring and highly skewed towards butter and salt, which I tend to associate with your cheaper suburb chain restaraunts. I will say their mezcal drink was superb, but also it was $22, so that was the expectation going into that one. read more

Great spot. Entering the restaurant you see the wall of wines and other alcohol. The menu is imported directly from traditional central Spain. You'll find the manchego cheese, and Museo de Jamon style thinly sliced hams, as well as great Tempranillo and other Spanish wines. I had the traditional Tortilla Española, which was delicious, and was just like it's prepared in Spain, as well as the roasted beet goat cheese salad, which was truly heavenly. The servers are very knowledgeable and will steer you towards good wines, let you try samples, and recommend great food items to try. I was just so thrilled to have this wide a food selection of tapas and other Spanish food, it was a real treat to dine here. Highly recommended - friendly people working here and dining and drinking here. You will have a great time. read more

Bodega - Tortilla espanola. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Spanich bar. Nice place and space. The service is amazing, it's a very good bar for an apéro. The menu is composed of Tapas cold and hot. The wine list is spanish inspiration also. read more

Bodega - The ceviche - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Quite full on a Friday night but found seats at the bar for 2, even better than a table because got to watch food and drinks be prepared up close. Very helpful, knowledgeable staff and amazing food. We tried the Barcelona board, Feature tomato salad, Prawns, and Beef Carpaccio. All delicious and the bread that comes with even better (+ GF option for bread). Then had Olive Oil Cake and Chocolate Duo for dessert. read more

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All four of our dishes were tasty and memorable: cauliflower salad was an inspired start--plenty here for two people. The cauliflower was fork tender perhaps marinated to give it an refreshing, touch-of-lemon flavor. I was ready to declare it my first and favorite dish of the evening, but then came the roasted carrots. Perfectly salted and cooked to perfection, this was a great complement to the cauliflower. The papas bravo came next--so good with its crisp edges, buttery exterior and steaming centers. Again, plenty here for two people. When the star of the meal, lamb sirloin, appeared, I was getting full. Still, I had to know, so I pressed on. The lamb was tender and maybe great, but the unassuming understudy of the show--the roasted onion relish with fennel and mustard seeds--captured my full attention. My mouth is watering just recalling that slightly sweet, earthy concoction. I've never had anything like it. I would return simply for more of the roasted onion relish--it's that savory. I can imagine how good strong coffee and a dessert would be after such inspired food, but we were truly full. The service was on point, professional, friendly and attentive. The food came out in balanced waves of deliciousness. The atmosphere was romantic and comfortable--I could break the mood by snapping photos to post. Apparently this is a newish restaurant, but I couldn't tell. Our evening was flawless here. May the same be true for you. read more

REVIEWER # 42 Bodega, you sexy little thang you! For you to be so recently opened, you sure in the hell have it going on! Okay, Okay! I admit, I cheated on you with your sister restaurant, you know that 21 year old restaurant right around the corner...yea, The Tapa Bar: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-tapa-bar-victoria, but I SWEAR I didn't know y'all were related (It be like that sometimes, right?). Although, they been around for a while and have more experience, I must say, I'm lovin' me some YOU! Don't worry though, I came right back to you, honey! Bodega is a great place if you're looking for some good ol' tapas. I came here during my lovely stay in quaint Victoria and simply left a happy woman, my visit was quite sensational to say the least! Bodega has this cute little ambiance going on, a little romantic, but elegant at the same time. If you are having a hard time finding this location, it can be accessed at the end of the historic Trounce Alley. I sat at the bar and was quickly greeted by the lovely, Sarah. After a quick glimpse at the menu, I ordered the: Boo Box Cocktail for $12 to start off with. The cocktails here are DELISH! Man, when Sarah told me she was newly hired-I sure in the heck couldn't tell. She made me a mouthwatering enjoyable drink that was to die for (Goo, Sarah!). The staff here can easily blow you away with their friendly yet professional manner. Staffs here are attentive and delightful (I can definitely get used to that). Bodega has more of a Spanish feel, which I love! The wine list is Spanish, which may surprise some people but makes the wine more fun and the food here!! OMGoshh! Stick with the pairing board as they will surely not disappoint (It offers a little bit of everything). The cheese selection pairs well with the wine, yum! Bodega definitely deserves a visit when you are in Victoria. It's such a wonderful addition to the downtown area! read more

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When we travel we are big fans of small plates, tapas, and charcuterie. I was attracted to this place because of the small plates on the menu. Arriving we found this place in the heart of downtown. Walking in we could hear amazing music in the background and the vibe felt great. The charcuterie board and cheese board caught our eye along with a nice Tempranillo. After discussing with the sever, she recommended the Bodega Board and it was exceptional. Full of different cheeses, meats and additional flavours in sauces and chutneys. To top it off was an amazing potato cake wedge with a delicious sauce. This was a meal for two. The ambience was perfect, service was excellent and food outstanding. Bodega isn't a big place but does have a nice patio for the summer. Keep this in mind when you are planning. The happy hour is busy but worth the wait. We loved this place so much, we came back then next night for wine and tapas. Outstanding. read more

Bodega - The Bodega Board - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Perfect spot for date night! Nice atmosphere, good food and wine. Our server was lovely and very understanding and helpful with my gluten allergy (which wasn't a problem, they could accommodate perfectly). Very happy with our evening and would definitely come back! read more

Bodega - Beef carpaccio - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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This place is a 3.5 based mostly on the fact that 2 out of my 4 dishes were not that great. Came in for dinner and tried four dishes- garlic prawns, lamb sirloin, porchetta sandwich, and the octopus salad. I wanted to get the peppers, but they ran out. The garlic prawns and the octopus salad were wonderful and I would probably order those again. The lamb sirloin was slightly disappointing. For $21, I found the lamb to be a little too dry and pasty. I had trouble eating it. As for the porchetta sandwich, my husband said it was ok but I wasn't a fan because, again, the meat was dry. I'm sure their dishes are great, but I happened to choose two that were not super awesome. Service was great. Everyone was friendly and food came out quickly. read more

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My bae and I were on vacation and came here for a late lunch. We got the charcuterie board which was delicious! Ask for more bread on the house and it keeps coming! We also ordered the patatas bravas and lamb meatballs. We loved the potatoes - it's a solid portion. I t's a wine bar, but we were both feeling beer-y. I ordered Victoria's #1 IPA, which I did not like because I hate IPAs, but oh well. Very hoppy, very bitter. I'm sure IPA fans would love it! Overall, nice ambiance. A simple and delicious meal. The service is very friendly. Nice spot for some good food and ambiance. read more

Bodega - Charcuterie snap - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Amazing foot and service ! The place for tapas highly recommend. Staff first glass and great wine selections.

I had a wonderful time at bodega tapas bar. The food was very tasty and service was great. I brought my 22 month old and they were very accommodating. Highly recommend beef carpaccio, anchovies dish, ceviche, and lamb meatball. read more

Bodega - Beef carpaccio - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

The Bodega is a great place to spend time with friends with great drinks and amazing food. We had spent the day exploring Victoria and want a casual spot to have a glass of wine and a snack. We found our home at Bodega. The staff was friendly and made our evening one that we will remember from our trip. We started out during happy hour when they have a number of house wines, usually From Spain or Spanish style wines for $6.00. As the progressed we started talking to the staff and asked them about the local distillery. They had a Scotch and a Bourbon style whiskey from the distillery, so we decided to sample both. We were lucky because our waitress noticed that the brand ambassador for the distillery was in the restaurant. He took the time to come over to our table and tell about the products and how they produce their whiskey. We were very fortunate to get this added bonus. Then I asked our waitress what is considered the top cocktail in Canada and she told us about the Ceaser. Kind of like a Bloody Mary, but it is made with Calamata so it has a different flavor. I enjoyed it a lot more than the Bloody Mary's I have had because it was clean,crisp and a little lighter on the tomato juice. Our waitress also suggested we try a coffee based drink called The Shaft. This drink was also a hit at our table, made with coffee, Kailua, vodka and cream. For food we had thee cheese board, mixed olives, halibut ceviche and chorizo. The cheese board had three cheeses, almonds and a peach chutney, served with some baguette. The cheeses were excellent and the peach chutney was a hit. The olives were excellent with 4 to 5 different varieties. The halibut ceviche was the hit of the night, very fresh and unique. The chorizo is a Spanish style chorizo and was also very good. We had a great night and would highly recommend Bodega if you want a fun and adventuresome food experience. read more

Tables are on a first come, but if you call and come earlier they may accommodate like they did for us. 4 of us ate here. We tried almost everything. The standouts - stuffed peppers; bodega platter; meatballs; chicken livers. Great wine list, service was excellent, fair priced. Worth a return and major recommendation. read more

I only gave this place 3 stars is because of its spaciousness and its decoration. The place looks very beautiful and bright. There is an impressive display of liquor, making the place look kind of upscale. However, none of the dish we ordered (which were recommended by the waitress herself) was good. Everything was super salty, like, SUPER salty. The fish carpaccio was decent, I enjoyed it most out of everything else, but other than that, everything was too salty for us. read more

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Good menu, good drinks, food looked good. Appreciated the friendly service. The waitress was patient with our large group that was a bit fussy. read more

I love Bodega!!!! I like the decor, creative drinks, amazing wine selection & the delicious savory dishes! Great ambiance & very friendly staff has got me addicted to this more than amazing establishment!!! Will obviously continue to support & recommend this place for a very long time! read more

If you're looking for an authentic tapas experience in Victoria, checkout Bodega. They offer great prices for the amount and quality of food served. We enjoyed their food presentation, cocktails, and atmosphere. For tapas--this is the place to go read more

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Excellent place all round. The design, decor, music, food and service was great. Awesome spot for date night. Try their vermouth they make in house. Great vegan options too. read more

As a preamble (because a good review deserves a preamble and because I can): we did not exactly arrive at Bodega in Trounce Alley directly, rather by way of an establishment called Tapas. Scene: Dining Angel looks over menu. "This doesn't have the boards." "Hmmm. Boards?" I reply, as the server approached our patio table. I had one thing in mind: menu board had $6 martinis! Dining Angel stated "I have never had a martini." I looked at her, looked at the server and ordered a Classic "dirty" and a Blue Balls (gin, vermouth and green olives stuffed with blue cheese). See scene end in pic below. Start of review: I then asked the server about the establishment name: is this Bodega or has it changed? Nope. You are in the sister restaurant. Bodega is next door. Now I understood what Dining Angel was talking about. No charcuterie-style tapas. Well, we weren't just going to scoot, so I ordered cevichi. This did not help the martini situation, however the cevichi was excellent. Dining Angel's face said everything about the martini and cevichi. Ordered her a Corona. So I got two martinis, paid the tab and went next door to Bodega. Bodega: Tempranillo grape solved a lot of problems for Dining Angel! "Tridente" - just order a bottle! Thanks to the very understanding server after hearing the above story! I had Estrella beer. Boards ordered! The special which was a trio of the day's special and the larger variety. Wow! The meat and cheese, olives and other assorted goodies were awesome! Endless baguette as well! Definitely a must in Victoria!! read more

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Great place for appies and small plates. Good atmosphere. Friendly people. Very small interior but its nice if you're into that sort of thing. read more

I love a good tapas bar. This was a lucky find. It's located down a tiny pedestrian alley called Trounce Alley just off of busy Government street. The alley has lots of shops and other restaurants on it. The restaurant itself is quite small but has a trendy upscale decor inside with an attractive bar area. There is also patio seating outside overlooking the alley so we chose that. Hey, it's summer in Victoria. How often do you get to sit outside for a late dinner. We started our order with spicy stuffed peppers which were awesome. After they brought us in rapid succession a cheese tray, some wonderful lamb meatballs and an extremely delicious dish of shrimp in a sauce that was to die for. We each received our own little tray of small crusty dipping bread which was fortunate because that shrimp sauce was not going anywhere. read more

I thought my time on Yelp was over but my experience at Bodega revived it (though not for a good reason). With my parents visiting me for the weekend, we arrived at 4:55pm on a Friday night. At the time, there were seats available inside but seeing as it was a beautiful evening in late August and we wanted to savour the remains of summer, we decided to wait for an outdoor table on their beautiful patio which was lit with twinkling lights (aka: beautiful ambiance). We were told it would take 30 minutes for a table to be free and this seemed to be worth the wait so we left our phone number with the hostess to walk around the neighbouring areas. We came back after 30 minutes had passed. It was 5:25pm. No word. After asking the hostess, we were told that it would be another 15 minutes wait. As 30 minutes had passed, our hopes for an outdoor table began to diminish while our hunger grew. We were happy to settle for an indoor table but by now, all of the indoor tables had been filled. We asked if we could have a drink at the bar while we waited for a table to open up but the hostess said that they couldn't do this during peak hours. We continued to wait beyond these 30 minutes. Cumulatively, it had been over 1 hour and we were growing increasingly more frustrated and restless. Once it had reached 6:20pm, now 1.5 hours of waiting, we gave up on waiting and went to the restaurant next door, The Tapa Bar, which had no line. This was an extremely frustrating experience for us, having the hostesses continually underestimate the amount of wait time, MULTIPLE TIMES. Like I said, we were originally told that the wait would be 30 minutes and it ended up TRIPLING to 1.5 hours. Who knows how long we would have had to actually wait if we hadn't lost our patience already? While the hostesses were professional and empathetic in acknowledging our wait, I wish they had done more to accommodate us. Perhaps they could have allowed us to sit at the bar while we waited for a table to make up for the fact that we had waited thrice the amount of time that they had promised. I also wish they had been more accurate in their wait estimations. It is okay if you are 10-15 minutes off in your estimation but being 1 hour off is unacceptable and unfair to the customer. For example, in that 1.5 hours that we waited, we could have been at another restaurant's happy hour but because we waited so long, we missed this window of time. That being said, I'd love to come back another time, perhaps when it is less busy, to try their food and drinks as they did look wonderful. However, I hope their service becomes more accommodating in the future. read more

I am in Victoria for a few days with my brother. We arrived today on the ferry from Port Angeles. I checked online and found Bodega. It was a beautiful day in Victoria, and we enjoyed our leisurely walk up from the harbor along Government Street to Trounce Alley. It was a little crowded, but we managed to get a small table on the patio. My brother had a Margarita Pizza while I enjoyed the Mussels from Salt Island in a hot, peppery sauce with some bread. We also ordered the Papas Bravas. The red sangria was delicious and as good as what I enjoyed when I lived in the Basque country back in the early 80's. Attentive service, great ambiance, and wonderful food. read more

Had a great charcuterie platter, good wine and an octopus salad. Everything was delicious, service was great. Reconmended!

We have gone here a couple times always great service. Most the time we go we have had the manager server us he's super friendly, the food is great love the cauliflower but think I sweated for A while after them but still good and love there veggie burger read more

Was planning to try this place tonight. Called in to the restaurant at 3:30 PM Wednesday January 27th, just to check if they stopped serving alchohol before the government mandated 10PM. My call was answered by an employee named Amber. Upon asking when they stopped serving alcohol (in a friendly tone with no negativity in my voice), I was spoken to in an extremely condescending manner as though I was an idiot: "Uuh? The same time as every other restaurant all across Canada obviously." Will be taking my money elsewhere. read more

This was my first time at a tapas bar. I was a little hesitant because I knew the portions were small, and the prices weren't that much lower than a full size dish. However, once we arrived at Bodega, the server guided us through the menu and pointed out some of their favorites. We started off with a "taster of the day." It was delicious. We also had stuffed piquillo peppers which were amazing. Along with octopus salad, a charcuterie board and some papas. Everything was great and we can't wait to go back. read more

I saw an advertisement for this while waiting in line at customs from the ferry, and therefore almost wrote it off. Generally in the US, the bigger the poster, the cheesier the establishment... NOT the case here in beautiful BC!! My friend and I happened upon this restaurant while wandering around downtown and were instantly charmed by the setting. We put our name down for a table outside, and got a table within 15 minutes. The entire staff was so attentive. Our waitress was very nice and down to earth. Spanish food is my absolute favorite so I knew pretty well what I wanted to order, but she did help point us to a great locally grown Tempranillo, Stag's Hollow, that was the perfect pairing to all the rich tapas we were about to enjoy. We ordered the gambas al ajillo, the Barcelona board, the patatas bravas and the tortilla. Everything was perfect- we only wished our stomachs were bigger! The romesco sauce with the Tortilla was so flavorful that we ordered an extra side of it. The pickled veggies were a nice addition to some of the plates as we realized we were eating our weight in potatoes. Oops! Everything about this experience was spot on. This American girl was so pleased to have had such great Spanish food in Canada! What a perfect end to a perfect day in Victoria. read more

Great atmosphere and service even on a very busy night. Our bartender tonight was the sweetest :) The long list of Sherry options is why we went and we were not disappointed read more

What a nice selection of tapas they produce in the tiny kitchen behind the bar at Bodega! Everything we had was superb. Our selections included chicken liver pate, lamb meatballs, lentils with mushrooms, and roasted shishito peppers. The kitchen was busy, but the efficient staff was cranking out small plates, entrees and desserts with ease. A very nice meal. Friendly bartender- we ate at the bar. The bar offering is extensive; although we didn't get too far there. The wines we chose were unfamiliar but wonderful. Bodega is definitely high on the recommendation list for Victoria! read more

Had the charcuterie, olives and ceviche with wine. Delicious, lots of flavors and satisfying. Small plates,who needs huge servings? Not me.

Small, cozy, little nook of a bar. The Pisco Sours are wicked here. Located in a central location to get other food or drinks from other spots nearby. Wonderful staff and delicious charcuterie. read more

We stopped in the bar after being highly recommend by another establishment. We enjoyed the best Hibiscus Shaft shot in Victoria. We enjoyed the mixed olive tray and a roasted beet goat cheese salad. Highly recommend try this awesome restaurant with a vibrant feel. read more

Bodega - Roasted beet goat cheese salad with mixed olives. Don't forget to order the Hibiscus Shaft shot....so good. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia