Love the place very friendly and good serves the owner is a a hoot a great person I recommend it…read morehighly give it a try and tell her Leo says Hi

Had SO much fun!! Delicious cocktails, clean comfortable space, and the staff are the best. Thanks…read moreto Jason for taking care of us on our night out in Nanaimo! We had the best time! Love forever! ^_^

English style pub is a cut or two above the rest, thanks to good food and a helpful staff…read more THE ROSES: If you're an Anglophile, Fox and Hounds is a great pub to visit. Wonderful olde English atmosphere. Very good selection of beers on tap. Staff is very helpful in setting up patrons with dishes that allow for dietary restrictions (like gluten intolerance). What I particularly liked is that they were able to make fish and chips for me that was panko breaded rather than battered. I know battered fish and chips is the 'English' way, but few restaurants this side of the Atlantic get battered fish right. All too often it's too much batter, or the fish is really greasy. I didn't feel like taking a chance, so the kitchen breaded my fish and it was really nicely done. The bread pudding is also a standout. THE THORNS: None worth mentioning. THE VERDICT: Fox and Hounds is one of those rare pubs that puts as much (or more?) thought into their food as they do their beer. It's a wonderful 'little bit 'o Britain' in the quiet backwater town of Ladysmith BC Highly recommend!

A GORDON RAMSAY NIGHTMARE! - Way overpriced for mediocre pub…read morefood - The rubbish looking outdoor exterior is your first clue to go elsewhere - arrived at their accepted reservation time - 30 minute wait to be seated, no apology or welcome offered - showed to a nasty table, moved to another - took 40 minutes to get a round of drinks - took food over an hour to show up - food served barely hot on cold plates - dirty washroom Never again. There are many better competing pubs in the area. We went to one the next day. It was glorious. Now you know.

So... This is a bizarre review…read more.. The food, I have to say, was pretty good. Solid pub fare. The most enjoyable hot wings I've had at a pub in years. Nachos that were cheesy and loaded with toppings. Weird toppings maybe, and a very strange tasting salsa, but not bad... The ambiance on a Monday night is a little meh. Only about 6 tables seated in quite a large, voluminous space, made it feel a little vacuous. Maybe if they turned their lights down a bit the vibe might be a bit nicer. They sure like their decorative lights here.... The server was very nice. Pleasant, but could have come around to check on things a couple times more, especially since it was so quiet. Now, for the weird part... Toward the end of my nachos I lost my appetite when I saw a mouse scurrying on the floor. It was very daring and was exploring under tables right up to me. I notified my server and she said "oh we know, we try to catch them but it's difficult. I think we caught one a couple days ago. Yesterday I saw one run up the stairs. I'm sorry you had to see that. Would you like a box for your nachos?" Um, no thanks! I finished my drink while watching this mouse wander around a few more times, and ANOTHER mouse come out from the opposite side of the room. and decided it was time to leave. There was no other response from my server about this - I just paid my bill and left. I get that this is a port town close to water, but it seems like these folks probably need to get a bit more serious about pest control.

I got a "mango smoothie" which at first tasted like water. And then when I sent it back for them to…read moreremake, it just tasted like mango flavoured water. I also have a friend that got served raw frozen fish. How do you even do those things that bad?!

Offers a unique experience for sure! The interior is decked out in the most charming nautical…read moredecor, with cozy, homey vibes that make you feel right at ease. I loved the quirky touch of salt shakers made from empty beer bottles--definitely adds to the pub's character. However, the food didn't quite live up to the atmosphere. The fish and chips were a bit dry, though the fries were crispy and tasty. The seafood poutine was okay, but nothing spectacular. Still, the coolest part was being on a floating pub--it's a fun setting that's hard to beat. While the food wasn't amazing, the overall experience makes it worth a visit if you're in the area!

Visiting the Dinghy Dock Pub is more about the experience than the pub itself. We took the ferry to…read moreProtection Island (cash only if you pay on the ferry, but you can pay by card at the pub), but saw many people arrive by boat and kayak. The interior of the pub was full of nautical decor - anchors, old diving equipment, wood carvings, etc. We ended up sitting on the patio, which had a beautiful view of the water. For drinks, I got a canned Mojito Mocktail - very tasty and refreshing. We also ordered the Classic Poutine to share. It wasn't the best poutine of my life, but still good and very filling. Service was fast and friendly, and the ambiance was excellent. Would return for the vibes alone!

Discovering another gem in downtown Nanaimo Modern café is nestled in a heritage site built in…read more1910. They bring a fresh twist to classic comfort food using locally sourced ingredients. We stopped by for brunch and indulged in the Modern Acai Berry Bowl ($16) and the Modern Breakfast ($18). Whether you're in the mood for brunch, lunch, or dinner, this all-day dining lounge has something for everyone. Don't miss out on this unique spot! The Modern Cafe 221 Commercial St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5GB 11:30-9pm (open till 10 on weekends) Food Parking 4.5/5 Service 4/5 Ambiance 5/5

I was visiting Nanaimo for the first time and had brunch here with a large group, it wasn't super…read morebusy and I appreciated the service. I thought it was a decent brunch place however felt that the dish was a bit heavy -- big portion though. The duck while there was a decent amount in the hash, didn't have anything special to it and tasted like a regular pulled meat. I did like the addition of pineapple as that was something I hadn't seen before and the potatoes were pretty good! Overall, for the price point ($26), it's definitely not a go-to for me if I lived in the area however it's a nice spot to visit if you're on the island for a getaway.

This is my favorite after work pub in Nanaimo. The staff are…read morefantastic and provide a relaxed but entertaining environment. Wednesday and Friday are wings nights with Friday hosting a musical poker bingo that is very fun while having a good challenge, the host for this is fantastic at his job. Food is moderately priced with the best quality coming at night, from 3 pm to close. With daily specials. With a huge selection of local beers on tap this place will definitely quench your thirst for what ales you.

The Windward has a decent pub burger (comes with cheese, bacon, and sauteed mushrooms) for around…read more$12. Food is basic, and alright. I've never stayed in to eat because I felt slightly uncomfortable around the "regulars." They have frequent poker (?) nights and as someone that definitely looks gay/different, I've gotten a lot of looks.

The Oxy is a classic! Although they sold the pool table to make it through Covid :( great staff,…read moreand great patrons full of stories! Food menu is good, but if you're over 50 and get the poutine, have some tums ready...

My First Friend and I decided to check out Oxy last night. It used to be a venerable watering hole…read morein a hotel called the Occidental. We'd heard it had been renovated recently and wanted to see what it was like. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful, and got my FF's drink order spot on. We ordered a couple of half-price appys - onion rings and vegetable samosas - and a couple of entrees - a Reuben sandwich and a rib-eye steak sandwich. Everything that was deep-fried was a little too soggy with oil for my taste, and the Reuben could have used some real Swiss cheese instead of processed, but the steak was tasty and the fries were good. Standard pub fare, really, but that's not what folks come to the Oxy for. What they *do* come for is the atmosphere and camaraderie. There was a good mix of younger college folks with more mature types like ourselves, all very friendly and looking to have a good time. We specifically came for the karaoke and were not disappointed; the DJ was friendly and never overbearing, only singing one song himself, and his selection was the best I'd seen in Nanaimo so far. All in all, a fine time. Highly recommended, especially if you're looking for some karaoke on a Friday night. We'll be back.

On our way from Victoria to Tofino, stopped by this place for lunch. Although it seems like it's by…read morethe water, outside patio seating mainly overlooks the parking lot with the water beyond. It was still enjoyable sea breeze, but if you're looking for waterside dining, this is not that. We seated ourselves, had to ask for menus, but the service was friendly. Food was delicious. We had the fish tacos and lobster mini sliders w a side of clam chowder. Fish was crispy and tender. Nice balance of sauce in the taco with a lightly crisped flour tortilla. The mini lobster sliders were very cute and tasty. The rolls were soft. Clam chowder had plenty of clams and potatoes. Prices were reasonable. Ambiance was casual. Would recommend.

We were here twice over the five days in Parksville Each…read moretime was great Fast friendly service and food was good Healthy size meals both times Had an excellent porter on tap and the guac and chips were really good My wife's burrito bowl was very large and she enjoyed it We had the cod and it was very big pieces and really good We'll be back again next time in the area