A wonderful Korean restaurant near UVic with a relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff, and great food…read more Our favorites are the Yang Nyeom boneless fried chicken and Japche noodles. Really appreciate how kind they are to my kid too (he's four and goes wild for the small cup of pickled radish they include on the side). Definitely worth your time!

=== 1. VERDICT/VALUE For those used to the Popeyes…read morelocations in the US, the menu is slightly different and the chicken pieces a little smaller - other than that, it's nearly identical and great if you like the taste of Popeyes chicken! === 2. FOOD We got the usual order of eight pieces of all dark-meat chicken for $26, half spicy and half not. The flavour profile is identical to that of the US-based Popeyes locations. The price is a little higher than that of the US, and the sides and desserts are a little different, but it's the same otherwise. === 3. SERVICE It's always busy every time we come here; however, the staff seem to be on top of things. Waiting for your takeout order is a little strange though, as there's not much of a waiting area without intruding on dine-in customers. === 4. ENVIRONMENT It matches the current corporate requirements for decor; there are a few tables around the sides of the restaurant and you're likely best to keep your group to medium or small in size. It's been a little hot/stuffy every time we've come here, which differ from other Popeyes locations in Canada and the US, so that may need attention. Wheelchairs and baby strollers fit easily. Parking can be tricky as the ground level of the Tuscany Village complex is typically busy - so good luck or look for parking underground.

I've only eaten the chicken once from this place but thought it was really quite good.read more

Stopped in for lunch. The chicken tenders were tender and juicy with a flaky crust. The fries were…read moretasty as well. The service was good and patient with my wife 20 questions. The restaurant was clean but a little run down.

Everything about my first time at hi five chicken, makes me want to rush back for a 2nd visit…read more The counter staff service was top notch, and considering the less than stellar location they are in, I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome I received. I ordered the home style chicken burger and jalapeño poppers, both which were made fresh to order. While I wanted the manager offered me a piece of their spicy chicken to try, it was perfectly seasoned and delicious. The restaurant was spotless and cleaned to a shine. My only hiccup, the music is way too loud for such a small space. I can't wait to come back

=== 1. VERDICT/VALUE It's not better or worse - just…read moredifferent than Popeye's down the road - the flavour profile is different. Popeye's offers two flavours (spicy and not), the option of breast meat, and meat that is marinated/saltier. Pelicana offers nine flavours, bone-in or not, only dark meat, and thinner batter - chicken lovers win with all of the choices between the two restaurants! === 2. FOOD You're coming here for the chicken: - Boneless is better value, as each piece is smaller, but fills up the box better (so you get more meat per box). - Bone-in offers mainly drumsticks, with some thighs (cut in half maybe?)... the bone-in box we got only had three drumsticks and a mixture of broken/cut thighs and boneless pieces. Korean soy sauce, and the sweet signature sauces are nice; you can order the chicken with the sauce on the side (for dipping) which makes it much more palatable for those sensitive to salt. In fact, we prefer to order it this way anyway, because the fried chicken by itself without the sauce is pretty good too :) The boxes of chicken start at "medium" - which is supposed to be 8 pieces but consistently more than that, bring it to be a much better value than Popeyes. The drumsticks here beat Popeyes, but Popeyes has larger thigh pieces. === 3. SERVICE They claim that unlike Popeyes, they only make the chicken when you order it, so I recommend calling ahead of time, or be available to wait about 10-15 minutes. The staff have been professional every time, and seem to speak English and Korean. === 4. ENVIRONMENT It's small and a little drab, so we've only done takeout. Actually, I can't recall any time in which I saw a dine-in customer; they would be limited regardless, as there are really only a few tables, catering only to groups of 2 or 4. Wheelchairs and baby strollers can fit with ease. The only challenge may be parking - it ebbs and flows in the shopping complex lot, but it's often busy at lunch time and when the college and university and schools let out!

Exquisite texture, very generous portions, and no-frills but friendly service, exactly as it should…read morebe. Location is great amidst the strip malls full of great food. Prices way more reasonable than expected for 2023.

I found this place on Yelp, as I wouldn't have found it otherwise. It's a bit off the beaten track…read morefrom the touristy harbor area. The restaurant is on the smaller side. Restrooms are located upstairs, and there are no elevators, so it is not wheelchair accessible. Yelp waitlist and Yelp Reservations are available on the app, so I made a reservation and the host greeted and seated us as soon as we entered. The vibe is fun, they have a great playlist playing in the background, and a big drink menu. The food menu is pretty big, and they specialize in Korean style roasted chicken. We ordered: * Rose Pasta Appetizer - could've been an entree. It was so good and my favorite dish of everything we ordered. The sauce was so good, we saved the leftover sauce on the plate to dip our roasted chicken. 5/5 * Pan Fried Chicken Noodle - basically yakisoba noodles. Decent but a bit bland. 3/5 * Butter Curry Roasted Chicken - came with Korean rice cakes on top. 4/5. Chicken was tender and I loved that it was boneless. * Spicy Chili Roasted Chicken - we originally wanted the Volcano flavor, but the server warned us that it was really spicy, and suggested the spicy chili instead. We enjoyed the flavor of this one more than the curry one. So good! 5/5 Our server was super nice, and food came out quick! I highly recommend stopping by if you're craving some good chicken!!

We came here for dinner with some local friends while visiting Victoria. I wasn't expecting much at…read morefirst. I mean it's just oven roasted chicken, but the experience was great. We were seated right away when we got there, and there were 8 of us. I got the soy garlic. The sauce absorbed by the rice roll was so good. The chicken was delicious, cooked to the right tenderness, not dry. Our friend also suggested the Gimmari, so we got some to share. Those were interesting and good as well, but I enjoyed the chicken and rice roll more. The server was attentive, and the food didn't take long. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a casual dining place.

Food was amazing! Service was very good, went on a pretty busy morning but they clear tables really…read morefast so the wait was not long. The waiting area is the hotel lobby which has lots of seating and even board games to play while you wait! Restaurant is nice and clean inside.

The Ruby is a restaurant connected right to the front lobby of Hotel Zed. The meals they serve are…read morebreakfast and lunch. Steve, myself and some in-laws went here in the morning after our overnight stay. There were a lot of good options to pick from sso we decided to share some of our meals with each other to try out a little bit of everything. I ordered just plain waffles, nothing with too many bells and whistles other than butter and syrup. The waffles were wonderful! Nice and airy where they needed to be and a very nice texture. Prepared to perfection actually. We also had the Rotisserie Chicken Hash also which was amazing. We were told to try a chicken dish while visiting Victoria and so we made sure we did. So very fresh and flavorful! Steve's sisters had good meals as well which made this a very enjoyable breakfast dining experience!

A Disappointing First Bite in Victoria…read more A new Korean fried chicken restaurant, Smile Chicken, has just opened in the capital city of British Columbia. Since there are currently no branches in Greater Vancouver, I made a special trip across the water and took the ferry to Victoria this past Tuesday morning. The restaurant is conveniently located downtown, with bus stops just steps away. However, the interior is quite small--no more than six tables--which gives the place a cramped feel. They do offer a daily lunch special from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $13, which includes three pieces of chicken, fries, and a soda. There's a decent variety of chicken flavours, but I opted for the regular fried version to get a baseline comparison with other Korean chicken spots. It's worth noting that Smile Chicken currently doesn't have an app or loyalty program, so don't expect to earn rewards for your visit. The cashier was friendly and asked if I wanted dine-in or takeout. I chose to eat in and was served at the table with a small portion of ketchup on the side. The food arrived piping hot, freshly deep-fried, which was promising at first glance. Unfortunately, that's where the good news ends. The chicken pieces were shockingly small. The drumstick was tiny, and the other two pieces--presumably thigh and breast--were each no more than 2.5 inches in size. Flavour-wise, the chicken was underwhelming. It lacked seasoning, tasted dry, and didn't have the juicy texture one expects from Korean fried chicken. The batter wasn't salty or particularly flavourful, and the breast piece especially was dry and bland. Given the portion size and the lackluster flavour, $13 felt steep--especially during a grand opening period when you'd expect more generous servings or at least a better first impression. To put it in perspective, a chicken chain in downtown Vancouver that I visit regularly offers a Tuesday special of two pieces and fries for $5.49, and their chicken is consistently juicier and more flavourful. On occasion, they even toss in an extra piece if the portions are small. While Smile Chicken's interior was clean and service was polite, the overall experience was disappointing. They do offer other flavours like Soy and Garlic, which might be better, but based on the regular fried chicken alone, it's hard to justify a return trip--especially considering the $40 round-trip ferry fare. Final verdict: 2 out of 5 stars, and honestly, that feels generous. I'll give it a few months to settle in before considering a revisit. Here's hoping they step things up.

Service was amazing! we asked for sauces one the side and the accommodated. We also were given…read morerefills without having to ask. The food was AMAZING. If we lived locally I would visit often!

Holy Chicken is in this building! The staff and food was amazing! We came in late and they…read moreaccommodated our large party with a smile! Our waitress was so sweet and got our order correct! This is the best chicken on the planet! You would be missing out if you don't eat here!!

Great food, great service. They addressed my allergies well. Delicious burger..... and friesread more

The previous review faults the business for things beyond their control-- while there is a large…read morehomeless presence in the area and directly in front of the business, they don't present a threat. One woman even greeted me as I walked to the entrance. However, but for calling my order in I might not have realized they were there and open for business. With that being said, because of the environment and the wait for fresh food, call ahead or order online. I was quoted 20-25 minutes each time I ordered and it was never when they had just opened. It's fried food. It takes time. I learned of this franchise last year in Vancouver and just found out about the location here in Victoria. The food is just as delicious as I remember it. I always get the spicy chicken wings and can always taste the spice flavor. Soo good! The cashier was soo nice. She even remembered me when I came back for a second round-- yeah, that's how good the chicken is! See photo.

Location and Safety My first visit to our capital city and…read morethis restaurant was quite eventful. The location, in my opinion, is not ideal for a restaurant business. Walking to the 900 block of Pandora from Chinatown, I did not feel safe. The entire city block is occupied by numerous tents, and the restaurant itself is situated right in front of this area. An injection park of sort was adjacent to it. Initial Impressions The restaurant opens at 2 pm, and I was the first customer. Despite this, the grill or deep fryer was not ready, and I was informed of a minimum 25-minute wait. The place is small and dark, with a few tables and chairs. No, I did not venture to check the washroom. Service and Cleanliness During my wait, Sysco made two deliveries of frozen goods, which left the floor wet with some water. This was concerning as it made the floor slippery and hazardous. Order and Packaging Half an hour later, I was called to the front desk to collect my order. Despite informing the staff that I planned to eat in, both orders were packed in a paper bag, for which I was charged an extra 30 cents. It sounds like they pack every order to-go, likely due to their location, and charge customers for the bags. Food Quality On a positive note, the chicken and fries were freshly cooked, piping hot, and tasty as expected. I had asked to upgrade my regular fries to Peri Peri and Masala fries, but they did not have Peri Peri available. Overall Experience The overall ambience and experience were uncomfortable and disappointing. The wet and slippery floor caused me to slip when I went to put tips in the jar. In all sincerity and with due respect, unless the management relocates to a more decent and safer area, I will not be returning.

The options are 10x better then the Cove and is slightly less busy. Not as much seating tho.read more

Tried Fresco Taco Bar for the first time in the 3 years I have been going to UVic. I had a chicken…read moreburrito with fries. Fries were actually tater tots, which were fantastic! The burrito was OK, decent meat to rice ratio, but not quite enough vegg. The staff are great but a little confused if you want to add extras like cheese and guacamole. Definitely like these better than the mediocre burgers and fries!