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    Hanks A Restaurant

    4.4 (108 reviews)
    ModerateCanadian (New), Bars
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    Hanks A Restaurant Photos

    HANKS A RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for dancing
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Hanks A Restaurant

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    Salty lamb

    TLDR: Hilariously bad. Service was poor and the food was even worse. Was served a hockey puck for a burger and ribs drier than jerky. Food: middling flavors with disastrous execution. Service: inattentive and unapologetic. Vibe: tries to be both industrial and rocker, ends up as neither. The ambiance was, like the food and service, lacking. Review: This was, without doubt, the WORST dining experience I have ever had. That is not hyperbole. I am not exaggerating for effect. Everything, from the service to the food, was so genuinely awful that I'm laughing just thinking about it. Things got off to a rocky start the moment we stepped inside. We had a reservation for the countertop so we could see the chef at work, but the restaurant was clearly not on the same page. All of the counter spots were already taken, and the server had erroneously thought we had a booking for a regular table. When I showed him our reservation, which read "kitchen counter", he offered no apology. So we stuck it out in the dining room. Fine, not the end of the world, I thought. We ordered their tasting menu for one, as well as their dry-aged burger, the latter which came highly recommended. Somehow, it was not until after we ordered that we found out that what was featured on the tasting menu for one was different than if it was ordered for two people. I guess explaining that to guests was too much to ask. We should have taken the hint that this was an unserious establishment, but decided to give the food a chance to speak for itself. The first two courses, the carrots and cucumbers, weren't bad. But neither were they very good. The choice of ingredients were more interesting than they were harmonious. The lamb moussaka that followed was flavorful, but was so utterly drowned in salt that my wife could not eat it. Rather than send back what was a rather small portion, I ate the rest, hoping the next dish would offer redemption. Nope. The BBQ chicken was an equal miss. Again, the flavor was fine, but the meat itself was overcooked and dry. My wife would later say the best bite she had at this place was the coleslaw on the side. Wow. Next were the ribs, served with a basal and berry salad. I wish I could have infused all of the moisture from those berries into the ribs, because just like the chicken, this thing was dry and barren to the bone. And then came the burger. Oh my god, the burger. This was the most horrifyingly dry burger I have ever had the displeasure of sinking my teeth into. Not just in a restaurant, but anywhere... ever! The most novice dad at any backyard cookout could make less lifeless patties than this. Even the water-boiled burgers from the elementary school cafeteria were A5 wagyu compared to this bite of the Sahara I had to choke down. How on earth could anybody, let alone a professional chef, let this mummified carcass of a once proud bovine leave the kitchen? Dry aged beef? No, this was just DRY. When I told the waiter this "thing" was inedible, I asked him to take it back and said "thank you" out of politeness. He responded with a simple "you're welcome" and walked away. Again, no apology for serving up a leather sole and trying to pass it off as meat. No condolences for my palate having to suffer its texture. Just... "you're welcome." The final dish would have been dessert, but at that point, we had enough. We paid the bill and left before any more culinary torture could be inflicted. An extremely disappointing (to put it lightly) end to what was otherwise a great time in Victoria.

    Art work
    Lorie C.

    Great service, cool vibe and creative menu. We did the best things tasting menu and tried a variety of the dishes because we could not decide.

    Parris J. W.

    I've only been here the one time, but man oh man will I be back! This small, intimate restaurant is perfect for those looking for something romantic, local and very charming. There is only about 15 seats in the entire restaurant and I don't believe they take reservations. It's more of a: if they have room- you better take advantage of it. I wish I was able to go into more depth as to what these guys do- but pretty much everything they do is made in house from scratch. They have a small team but a knowledgeable one. Hank's is a great place to go if you appreciate the art of cuisine. Ask questions because everyone there is super friendly and wants to teach the community about what it is they do. Check it out if you're walking by and you see room! It's worth it.

    Fast L.

    Fun - lots of character and an amazing effort. Staff really cares and tries... A small sit at the bar "it's about the food" place. This place is on the edge of being 5 stars,not quite there yet, but easily could be ... the base of each dish great but then lacked that final complex searching for changing /balanced flavor complexity. That said the 150 day aged beef with beet reduction was terrific by any standard as was the home made ham. The dark truffle dishes relied too much on the truffles. The pasta very good but was missing that last aromatic, herb or cumin finish ...wine list interesting but could be a bit more sophisticated. Also the tightly measured pour is a bit clinical and counter to the warmth and vibe of the place. I am being tough because they really could totally nail it with that last push...

    Karim F.

    Fancy fancy place... Every meals was so original and amazing !! I heard they change the menu once a month or something so I hope I can go back again. But it's a bit pricey so maybe on some special day :) This place is pretty small so maybe it's hard for a big group to come in when it gets busy. We saw a lot of people who tried to get a table but were told the waiting time and left. Also the staff were good. Our server was friendly and another looked drunk ... I mean he looked happy. :) I'm looking forward to going back :):)

    Creamed oysters
    Jacqueline D.

    By far my favourite restaurant in Victoria. Never the same menu, never a less-than-spectacular meal. This is my happy place.

    Ruben E.

    Beautiful place, good food, always busy. The cheese, the burger, the pasta, all beautiful, thanks!!. I will back.

    Tasty beers from moon under water
    Madeleine D.

    This. Place. Are you deciding where to go for dinner? You should go to Hanks. What are you up to tomorrow? One word: Hank's. We showed up late-ish on a Sunday night. It was easy to settle on a first main from the chalkboard menu--pork belly with sour orange--but we needed some advice for our second choice. Clark was happy to help, telling us what was the most special (anything pork, because they raised the pigs themselves on fruit and berries and happiness) and what was the most exciting (the cured meat plate, because homemade head cheese and pork marmalade). When we said we liked beer, we got a sour, a barley wine, and a crazy pumpkin pear situation from a great local brewery. It was spectacular. The cured meat plate was the best I've ever had, and I was raised in a Swiss household where we learned to pair meats and cheeses before we learned to read. There's more: Andrew, one of the chefs, added pork skins with apple sauce and foraged wild leek pesto. Yes, it was as good as it sounds. Wow. And then there was the pork belly. So crispy, so caramelized - my bf had to stop me before I ate the whole thing. (Oops sharing is hard.) The food is amazing, and I love the connection to the land --with local beers, hand raised pigs, and foraged veggies -- but the real gem is the guys who run this place. They're kind, goofy, creative. They're doing something amazing in their tiny little kitchen, and I'm so so glad I got to experience it. Thanks guys!!!

    Pork belly appetizer.
    Traci T.

    This place is fantastic!! My friend and I happened upon this place as soon as we arrived in Victoria. We were a little hungry but definitely not famished. We were looking for a quick bite to eat to hold us over. And luckily for us we found Hanks. It's a small restaurant that has a lot of character. The owners are really nice and welcoming. They helped us decide what to order. The food is scrumptious! The pork belly appetizer is to die for! The hoisin sauce pickled onions and cilantro made for a wonderful combination. Seriously, I could have eaten five servings of that dish. We had the pulled beef sandwich which was super moist and topped with a generous serving beef. If I lived in Victoria I would be frequenting Hanks all the time!

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    7 years ago

    Favourite place in town. Sad that Andrew has left but they have a have a good crew of talent there so I'm sure quality will stay strong

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    Hanks A Restaurant - newcanadian - Updated May 2026

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