We had my mother's 96th Birthday lunch here. The food was excellent with a wide variety of choices…read moreeven for the vegetarians in the group. everyone was very happy with their meals. They happily accommodated our group of 12 with a reservation for lunch in a separated room and all the food came out at the same time which is often tricky with a larger group. As for the staff, our servers were terrific, efficient and friendly. Prior to the day Robert replied to emailed questions very quickly and made the whole event very stress free. I honestly can't recommend this restaurant enough.

We came here for the Reuben and were not disappointed! Thankfully we decided to split the sandwich…read more(with fries) and added the Little Gem salad. Wow! What a great combination and great flavours! Plenty enough for lunch for two people. The meat on the Reuben was so juicy and flavourful and the Little Gem salad was amazing. We throughly enjoyed our meal. The service was great; quick, friendly and welcoming. I would definitely come here again when back in Nanaimo.

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?!

I went here with a friend for NYE. We had to wait an hour at the door to get tickets the day if as…read morethe bar was closed the day before and we are not local so couldnt just wander by whenever to get them. We also overheard people talking in the line and saying that theres always issues with trying to get tickets ahead of time. That being said, the guy who answered the phone when I called earlier in the day was super nice. Service here is pretty good for a bar. The waitress was attentive and checked on our drinks regularly. The bartenders are quick and we never had to wait more than 5 minutes for drinks. The process are better than average. A double costs about $9, a single just under $6. The band, the Big Shiny Dudes, was decent for the cover charge of $25. The dance floor was a good size -- it never seemed empty nor too crowded. However, the seating could have been a lot more efficient and it would be better if they had more stools and high top tables instead of restaurant style tables that do not optimize seating. It would also be nice to have hooks to hang purses/jackets under tables, etc. The bathroom ran out of soap very early on and was never replenished although the paper towel eventually was. Location is ok, although definitely not in the nicest part of town. The kitchen closed before we even got in the doors, it would be nice to have the kitchen hours posted online so we would have known to get food beforehand. Or, for the kitchen to at least serve chips and salsa or fries, snacky things.

Don't let the outside deceive you. The inside is charming and friendly. Staff are incredibly nice!…read moreService was great. They have food. We left before the band started, but the music selection was rocking. Cheers!!

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! ^_^

We lived this little pub on the ocean. First time sat in the restaurant, second time on the outside…read morepatio. Service could be better but the seafood risotto I had was delicious. Would go back!

We've stayed in the neighbourhood a number of times in downtown Nanaimo and have read about this…read moreplace a few times. Finally took the plunge, and really wish we hadn't, and certainly will not again. Our server was quick to seat us, took good care of us, gave us some insight into the menu items, and generally speaking was great. The view from the top floor part of the Lighthouse is great. Overlooking the marina and sea plane dock in downtown Nanaimo, there is plenty to see, and plenty to watch, it should be a licence to print money. Sadly to food was atrocious, in both taste and the visual. Looking at it as it was as delivered, we should have left right then. The salad that I chose with my beef dip was terrible. The mixed greens part had black ends, and black slime on it. I tried picking through it, and finally gave up and didn't touch it. The dip for the sandwich was thick, very dark and had what looked like the part that sticks to the pot while it's reducing. The meat colour looked a little off as well. K had the wings and clam chowder. The wings looked like they had been sitting for quite a few hours in a bowl on the counter prior to tossing them on the plate. The cut veggies had also been out for a while, she had to cut each end off the celery. The soup was hot, but had no flavour. I could go on, but you get the idea, don't go to this restaurant for food. Have a beer enjoy the view and eat elsewhere. The photos attached say a lot!

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.

Stopped by here for dinner yesterday while visiting downtown Nanaimo. The menu had a lot of unique…read moreitems including some vegetarian options that looked great! I ordered the quesadillas with sweet potato, black beans and pumpkin seeds. They were SO good. Our server was really nice and helpful too. I would definitely come here again!

Things just got better - a whole lot better - for craft beer lovers in Nanaimo…read more Craft Fare is a welcome addition to the local beer scene. With sixteen taps offering an excellent array of BC craft ales and beers, there is something for everyone. On our first visit, there were six IPA's plus a blond ale, a session ale, two pale ales, an oat ale, a guava ale, a sour, a stout, and two craft ciders. And with revolving taps, beer lovers will definitely keep coming back. Sixteen ounce sleeves are $6, a very reasonable price when one can pay almost $8 for a smaller sleeve at many craft breweries on Vancouver Island and more in Vancouver. Hungry? Craft Fare offers a limited but well thought out selection of pub grub, from Gram's Nuts and Bolts ($2.50) to Po Boy sandwiches ($14) or Baked Mac and Cheese three ways ($14 to $16.50) if you're looking for a full on meal. My Meatballs ala Beanie ($10.50) was excellent, but my partner's Protein Packed Peppers ($10.50) were bland and a little bitter, perhaps from not fully rinsing the quinoa before cooking? A little tweaking on these stuffed peppers and they could be a winner. All in all, great share plates and larger dishes for bigger appetites. The service is friendly and attentive - we were surprised how quickly we were served considering only two people were working the front area during Friday supper, a very busy time. It was busy and it was loud, perhaps a little too loud for some. Again, some acoustic panels might knock down the decibels a few notches for those who wish to have a conversation. We'll be back soon. Recommended.

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.