Found this gem via Google while hunting for pub food in Nanaimo, and the 25-minute drive absolutely…read morepaid off.! Food & Drinks The Publican Burger is incredible: layers of meat and melted cheese with crispy ends, perfectly balanced flavors. We upgraded the side to the soup of the day (cream of mushroom), which was pure umami bliss - creamy and delicious on a cool day. We also got the bangers and mash with broccolini, and added on the sauerkraut. This was a generous portion that hits all the right notes. We paired it all with a cream ale and their excellent Spanish coffee. Atmosphere: The location has charming Tudor-style buildings lovely gardens. The patio is beautiful - if the weather is good, you should definitely opt to sit outside. Inside was crowded and loud, so we were really happy to be outside. Service: Staff were attentive and clearly cared, even though the kitchen was slammed. Worth every minute of the wait. We are definitely coming back when we are back in Nanaimo!

OMG this place was utterly fantastic in every way!! Sitting outside, then later strolling the…read moregarden/yard was delightful! The service was excellent! I had the chicken and vegetable pot pie, and it was the best pot pie that I've ever had in my life!! The bread topping was amazing, light and fluffy and tasty! The inside was cooked perfectly and all the flavors melded together -- I was rolling my eyes back into my head throughout!! The inside decor was also very cool!! Be warned, though, we saw families turned away in anger because they didn't know there is a strict age policy in place, no one under age 19 allowed!

Cod burger was better with each bite - then came the lemon chicken wings which were not as tasty as…read morethey were slightly over cooked to my liking. They went back to the kitchen and a fresh plate was delivered. The server was friendly, efficient and ever helpful. She checked with us but was never in our space unless we asked. There is no finer place to look over the ocean than Maple Bay

A decent place to grab something if you're in the Maple Bay area. A very large pub with a ton of…read moreseating options. Lovely views over the docks. There's a parking lot on the lower part of hill, if you're not lucky to snag the few spots up front. I went here on a night that I just didn't feel like cooking supper & to enjoy the bay views before it got too dark. There was some larger groups eating/celebrating plus a smattering of smaller tables. I didn't notice more than one waitress & occasionally what I think was a manager on the floor serving. I wasn't in a huge rush to order but I do think the was some very long waiting periods to get a menu, get my a non-alcoholic drink and even much longer to be noticed I just wanted to get the bill to leave. I did appreciate that it was delivered warm. It wasn't a slammed place, but I do also understand when a waitress is running on fumes. So perhaps the bartender & manager could step in when when gaps need to be filled (as I noticed there was more tables awkwardly waiting to pay than me). Food was decent helping but nothing I would say was at a wow factor. I only had one meal here but my friends that have stopped here several times had good remarks about their meals. So maybe another stop by when I'm in the area is worth a second shot & enjoy a view to the water.

Friendly service. Nice rooftop bar area with a good vibe. Ribs were pretty good, but I'm from the…read moresouth so I'm a BBQ snob. Comes with corn and potato. For $15 that's a damn good deal.

The his place was pretty good but my experience was a little off. My wife thought it was good. I'll…read moreprobably go back and see if I can get it upgraded to a five. My wife and I were visiting and hungry for a late lunch. The atmosphere is awesome. Multiple levels of awesome bar. Comfortable, clean, inviting dining area. Great location. Good price for happy hour. The dry rub rib appetizer was great, the nacho appetizer was good. My wife and I split their fish and chips. Her piece was perfect. Mine was overcooked. The fries are awesome. No offer of water refills. Friendly staff but a little scattered. Try it and let me know.

With a fantastic view into the harbor we knew the evening would be great. And the staff and food…read moreprep did not disappoint! Started out with lobster bisque (with a good amount of lobster) and a dozen snails (chef slipped a couple extra!) in a marvelous garlic butter and Parmesan sprinkled over all. Then for entree we enjoyed a wonderfully prepared Herb Crusted Wild Pacific Red Snapper With Creamy Parmesan Polenta, Basil Pesto. I enjoyed the Pan-Seared Nova Scotia Deep Sea Scallops on a fresh bed of lettuce mix and greens. So definitely a restaurant to try but you'll want to plan staying a night or two given they are on an island off the Vancouver island! Rooms are great also with some placed in cabins with views making you feel like you're in a tree house amongst the pines.

Let me begin by staying that we stayed at Hastings house hotel for three nights and dined there our…read morefirst night followed by three mornings of wonderful breakfast that was included with our room. This property is absolutely stunning, the location is private and enjoys wonderful views of Long Harbor in Ganges. The property is a historic site and the manor house where you dine has the most cozy ambience. The Fireplace in the bar seating area is not to be missed! It's elegant, classy & I would classify this as formal casual fine dining. 2 Stars for Dinner & 4 .5 for Breakfasts. Unfortunately, our dinner did not quite meet our expectations. However the breakfast was amazing each day along with the fresh hot muffins delivered to your room each morning. For dinner, 2 STARS only: we started with wine and a cocktail, the whiskey sour didn't have enough bourbon and Lemon was the predominant taste. The wine list is large and beer and other cocktails are available. For our appetizers, we started with the roasted beet and goat cheese salad. The goat cheese was delish but literally served with a stingy total of one or two beets, sliced. no joke. Bread was cold & the seasoned compote butter needed salt. We also tried their soup du jour which was a wild mushroom and very tasty. For our mains, we had the sablefish which was tender and moist, but served over ridiculously goopy cheesy thick polenta. The vegetables served with it however were amazing. The major fail of the night was the scallops which our waitress neglected to inform us were served on a gigantic cold bed of rice noodles with a few red and yellow peppers. It was completely uninspired, lacked flavor, had small over salted & overcooked scallops and it was just wrong..... The texture , the temperature & the proportions. Nope. I should've sent it back. But to be fair at the end of our meal when we shared this, our server did deduct 30% from our total bill. Kudos to Hastings house. All three breakfasts were amazing. Not only the plating and presentation, but the quality of the coffee, teas, juices,& specials of the day along with their normal delish daily breakfast menu. We enjoyed roasted potatoes with rosemary and either eggs Benedict with hollandaise, a pesto, egg dish, another day and a bleu cheese Parmesan cheddar omelette, which was my least favorite. Service always came with a smile and the veranda dining room where they serve breakfast was absolutely stunningly beautiful.

We had a delicious full English Breakfast. Our waitress was so nice and genuine. The restaurant…read moredecor was also the same as what I had experienced in England, delightful! found Worth the drive from downtown, and in the heart of quiet village.

Super nice vibe and friendly service…read more The oldest building in the village. Built in 1912. Such a fun local scene here off the regular touristy beaten track. I believe oak panels line the walls. Apparently they also have the best brownies in town. Good choice of grilled items too. Exactly what I'm looking for. Get here early, especially when a band is scheduled to play. Best to make reservations in advance. There might be a few seats at the bar if you don't make a reservation.

Halibut and chips were very good. Little batter on the fish and not greasy. Love the handcut fries…read morewhich were not greasy as well. Server was very friendly. Would definitely go back.

IT was super hot and super busy. A smaller local spot but there is also outdoor bench seating…read more Huge portions. No AC just fans. There is 1 person running around taking orders. Senior night is on Thursdays.

This place was amazing probably some of the best French food I ever had in my life. The servers…read morewere super nice was well and talked about the dishes We got 3 of their main entrees and My favorite was the fish. I thought it was gonna be a simple fish dish but the flavors were complex and full of flavor. The sauce was soooo good!!! The pork was tender and I also liked it a lot!!! Love the addition of olives it added a different dimension

Gary's is a nice restaurant with tasty dishes but it is very loud in there…read more The noise level was too much for me, one of the waiters had a voice that made it impossible to have a conversation while he was talking to a table near us. Food is quite good, some dishes are better than others. Some have flavours that feels too strong some are too weak but it still has potential to grow. My favorite dish was the dessert. That chocolate mousse was amazing!