Pegs has had an amazing run for many years as a safe, comfortable family style Italian eatery with amazing desserts since 1980s The staff work flawlessly together to make the dining experience perfect and fortunately they need to change nothing to be perfect will always recommend and is always a lunch or dinner choice and preference read more

Busy and popular place. That being said you get seated pretty fast. The line queues up on the sidewalk and they bring in whoever is next for the table size they have available. We waited only 15-20 minutes on a Sunday evening. Food is solid. Focaccia was good. They have a "build your fish" option - select the fish, select the sauce, select extra sides (for a fee). Butters parmesan fettuccini is included. The wine is all on tap and not very good. Recommend skipping that and getting a cocktail. It's packed pretty tight with tables. Initially I thought our corner tale by the window was not good but I think it was better than being out on the main floor where it was crowded. read more

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Absolutely incredible hospitality and amazing fresh pasta dishes! We came for a weekend lunch and had live entertainment with the nicest of people. They split the garden salad for us and it was so nice to get the small size pasta for lunch. Loved "The Big Easy" pasta. Kudos for delicious mocktail offerings! read more

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Had the bicycle thief along with a side salad. The salad was very good and the pasta dish was excellent. Service was on point. Very good Italian restaurant read more

Pagliacci's - Menu item - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Really good pastas and other Italian fare! Casual, crowded, and cacophonous! Nice that they offer a small and large size for every pasta dish. Enjoyed the Big Easy, Bike Thief, Veggie Linguine and Beet Pasta. Salads were small and weird (Caesar was way overdressed and teeny.). Menu is overwhelming, at first, but dig into it and explore the many options, including build-your-own entrees. Service was slow, but effective when it was there. read more

Food: Fantastic Italian Cuisine. I loved the "Babette's Feast" sandwich! Service: A bit slow on the uptake, but once we were connected with a server everything went smoothly and quickly. Ambiance: Intimate space under control of caring staff. read more

Good size portions, friendly staff, tight space but still feels pretty intimate. Live music! Bread was very buttery, but I have to admit I liked it quite a bit. We ordered the Hemingway and the seafood lasagna. Hemingway was more pasta than we expected, and quite good. The sauce was creamy and didn't get clumpy as it cooled, which is always a win. The seafood lasagna was quite unique, and there were some good chunks of crab and shrimp, so I was quite pleased. Overall, good meal, fair price for where you are and what it is. Recommend if you are looking for casual Italian in downtown Victoria! Two of us ate for $78 after tip. read more

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There is a reason why this place is a Victoria institution - it is well deserved. The ambiance, service and food are all top notch. It's busy so come early or expect to wait. They are very efficient though. Love the free focaccia - rare these days to not have to pay for bread. I think their pasta is better in some ways than the other Italian institution nearby - they are just different and good in their own way. Oh the bottomless soup lunch is amazing. read more

Just casually the best focaccia I've ever had. So fluffy, salty, and garlicky. Unlimited too!! Our table got 4 baskets. Delicious pasta as well. read more

The food was very flavourful, rich and largely portion although we did order half! The waiter we had was delightful, joyous and authentic; making conversations with us which we thought was wholesome. The restaurant had character and had a lot of items on display such as pictures of celebrities who previously came to the restaurant. The inside was very cozy from our perspective of just peeking inside, then moving to a table in the out. read more

Pagliacci's - The frank and bicycle theif - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

A nice intimate restaurant in the hub of Victoria. The small portions along with a generous amount of bread is plenty. The drink selection during happy hour is also very good. read more

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I always love an icon and it's easy to see why this place earned this status. Everything we ordered was addictively delicious. The service was wonderful, and the servers were super helpful and made suggestions that were perfection. It's hard not to make yourself a glutton on the incredible bread, but make sure you try the polenta (Children of the Corn is the dish. ) and the sockeye salmon was phenomenal. We sat outside in the little wind break building and were offered cozy blankets. I love attention to details like this. It's the difference between normal dining and an elevated experience. Definitely worth giving a try. Bon appétit! read more

Pagliacci's - Feature dish called Jaws. It was plated beautifully until I destroyed it like a bit of a Jaws myself! - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Came here for dinner on Saturday. The line was out the door and wrapped around the block! I feel like good food options are fairly sparse in Victoria so we decided to stick it out. We also were a party of 6 which delayed getting in since they're a relatively small space. After what felt like forever, but realistically close to 2 hours!, we got in. They actually walked us through a side door and up to the owners table in the balcony which was neat. We got an assortment of dishes, all of which were great, includi g the Hemingway short story, lasagna, and the cabinet of Dr. Cappelletti. The bread sticks also were wonderful, and I had a tasty beer too. We were so full at the end that we couldn't possibly have any dessert. About 30 mins into our meal, they had live music- a trumpet player with a bass and electric guitar - it was great! Would definitely come here again. read more

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Great service! The focaccia was stellar! Loved the roasted chicken peas with olives. Hubby loved the duck wings. I enjoyed the small Sophia and my husband enjoyed the large Big easy. I still couldn't finish all of my Sophia! Fun atmosphere! Highly recommend! read more

Returned here after several years had had breakfast which was amazing.At this time we had early dinner and the bread,(crusty, salty) mussels in their sauce (garlicky lemony winey) Big Easy (gluten-free pasta dish with seafood and red sauce)fantastic flavors every bit of the meal prepared well! Wow to the Negronis on tap!!!! Delish! Everything top-notch we will be back for sure! read more

Pagliacchi's - Victoria - August 9, 2025 We arrived on a Saturday evening at about 5:30 PM. They don't take reservations. We had our little dog with us and so we needed to sit outside on the patio. When we got there, the patio was full, so we had to wait in line for about 20 minutes . They have a system for the outdoor patio where you form a separate line for that space. There was plenty of seating indoors, so if you see a line there and you're OK sitting indoors definitely check in with them. The staff there are very friendly and accommodating. Once there was a table cleared for us, we were seated immediately and brought water and garlic bread. A waiter got our drink order and also our food order at the same time. We ordered a citrus martini and shared that. They'll make whatever kind of martini you want, but that's their house special. We enjoyed that. My wife ordered the butternut squash ravioli and I got the 20 leagues under the sea linguine with halibut and prosciutto. We also ordered a bottle of 2023 Fanti Tocana red wine. The food came out fairly quickly with the wine and everything was delicious. Since it was my birthday, they also brought me out a complementary slice of marble cheesecake. That was very tasty too! I would definitely come back! read more

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Upon our visit to Victoria, BC a couple of months ago, I was looking for a restaurant with good vegan options that also had options for my omnivore family. I reached out to the amazing vegan community in the Vegans of Victoria ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/VegansOfVictoria ) Facebook book and one of the options suggested was Pagliacci's Restaurant, as they have a lovely atmosphere with a separate vegan menu! It's always a thrill when a restaurant not only has vegan options, but a whole separate vegan menu (or vegan section on their menu). Their menu options seemed rather unique and original to me, options that you might not expect to find elsewhere. I think this originality carries over to their whimsical names for their dishes as well. We opted for "The Doors of Vegan Perception" lol, linguini with sausage topped with truffle oil and a cream sauce and, "Manchuria Candidate Vegan Platter", crispy tofu with black bean tapenade and garbanzo beans. Both dishes were very hearty with a lot of flavors to absorb. The latter really struck a good balance between hearty and healthy. The restaurant is very small, as they're trying to do a lot, serve food, while also have space for live music. It's not a big deal but something to keep in mind if you need to make a quick restroom break lol, you might be squeezing yourself and saying "oh, excuse me" a bit lol. read more

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The food is good, some better than others. The tables are very close together so when the neighbouring table is being attended to the servers butt is pointing at your food. Who wants to eat with butts by their food. It's popular and busy, worth going to at least once. Bonus I didn't break my tooth this time on an olive while eating my salad. read more

Pagliacci's - Salted bread was delicious - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Pagliacci's is a classic Victoria restaurant, which I definitely recommend to anyone! The food and drinks are great, and the staff are all super nice! Every time I've come, I've had a spectacular night. It is packed full of tables, they are quite close together, but that's never presented any issues. Pagliacci's is meant to be a lively, fun, and chaotically good restaurant. And it delivers that! The vibe of being in a busy restaurant like that is almost thrilling, and adds to its charm. They don't take reservations, which I really wish they did. They make you line up outside in order to get in, and often the wait is about 30-60 minutes. For me, I don't mind waiting in this line, as I ultimately think it's worth it for how much I enjoy the food. However, I have a disabled partner who is simply unable to stand in a line that long. Because of this, he is unfortunately unable to come back as often as he would like. Please introduce reservations, or a number system, or something else to make the waiting line more accessible for your guests. read more

went on a wednesday night for dinner and there was a line which is expected with how popular the restaurant is. we waited around 30-40 mins with four people in front of us. the ambiance was definitely LIVELY especially with the live band playing. the tables are seated very close together so you'll definitely hear conversation with the people next to you but it's too loud to even notice. definitely not the restaurant to go for a quiet dinner date. lowkey overstimulating at times. luckily, we were seated at a booth so we had a little bit of privacy. the service was friendly and got us started with our drinks right away. i got the blush and pucker lemonade. this lemonade was LEMONADING!!!! true it's to name i definitely puckered every time i drank this. it was sooo sour though i couldn't fully finish it. we got starter bread at the table. the bread was fluffy and buttery but very SALTY. i also ordered minnesota fats which are the risotto cheese balls which were deliciously cheesy. i ordered the sophia pasta dish (small plate) which was basically a seafood alfredo. it was good. the seafood was fresh especially the clams. portions was a lot even tho it was a smaller plate. honestly the food was okay. was expecting more especially considering how popular it was. the vibes are fun here tho read more

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3.5/5 stars Came here for lunch on a Sunday, and there was no wait. The menu had some unique items. I got the seafood lasagna (half portion - $19), and my bf got the Cabinet of Dr. Cappelletti (Large portion - $28). They gave us some focaccia bread to start, which was just ok. The seafood lasagna was pretty good. It had a crab flavor, but didn't really have much crab pieces in it. It also only had a few pieces of shrimp, and maybe could have had more cheese in between the layers. I tried my boyfriend's dish, which was tasty, especially the layer of cheese on top. It was supposed to have meat, but we didn't taste any meat. Overall enjoyed the meal, but it was carb-heavy and needed more protein! read more

Pagliacci's - Seafood lasagna (Half portion - $19) - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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This is a solid Victoria Italian restaurant. It was recommended by a hostess at The Empress, and we did enjoy it. Nothing spectacular, but good food. They have specials on drinks and appetizers during their happy hour from 3:00-5:00. We got the Krabby Patty (a tiny crab cake, but good) and the Pete Rose Headfirst Slider (includes two meatballs) for $6 each. My wife got the La Scala (a pasta Bolognese), and I got the meat lasagna. Both were good. Our server was exceptional. Very attentive and ready to assist. The place has a lot of pictures all around it. It feels a bit like a Manhattan restaurant. Seating is really crowded. read more

Pagliacci's - A Pagliacci drum set on a shelf? - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Oh my god everything about this restaurant is great. Even though wait may be a bit long, it is worth it. I ordered the Hemingway Short Story pasta, and it tasted absolutely exquisite. Service is also top notch. The vibe of the interior also feels very homey especially at night. read more

Pagliacci's - Hemingway Short Story - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

OMG. Vancouver clams are legit good. We ended up ordering 2 lbs worth of it during happy hour at Pagliacci's. Definitely a must stop for us whenever we are in Victoria Island. On the menu, it's listed as "OCEAN'S ELEVEN" and u can get either their mussels, Vancouver clams, jumbo prawns, or all 3 on a lemon, butter, garlic, & chili sauce that was so good we were scooping them up with the clam shells and dipping out bread in them. We got all clams because they were so good. We also tried the SCROOGE MCDUCK which was their duck wings and it was tasty but you only get the drumette part of the wing so it wasn't my favorite. The KRABBY PATTY was their crab cakes and they were Delicious. It was a bit on the pricey side so we decided to order more of the clams instead but I would definitely get them again next time we come back. The 33 acres IPA was light and delicious. Even for someone like me who doesn't normally like beer it was refreshing. The staff was fast and friendly, the place small and intimate on the inside with comfortable booths on the sides. They also have space outside for those who want the fresh air. Definitely a nice looking place to enjoy a meal and drinks. read more

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Food: 3/5 We ordered the duck dodgers, crab cakes, salmon sing in the street, medium rare rib eye, the bicycle thief, and the Sophia! The texture of the pasta was good and the half portions were still big. However, it was a little bland but if you're a fan of a simple flavor palette, then this is perfect. If you want more flavor, definitely get one with tomato sauce. The salmon was great though. The duck and crab cakes though were amazing! Seasoned beautifully and full of flavor. The steak was good, just heavy on the rosemary. Overall, place was good but if you're coming specifically for pasta, I'd pass. Service: 5/5 Fast, quick, and very friendly service !! We got seated quickly too. Ambiance: 5/5 Beautiful place and they have live music on certain nights! read more

Pagliacci's - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We were in town visiting and had a wonderful delicious dinner here. First off they moved tables to fit all 8 of us in on a busy Saturday night. Incredible work! We barely had to wait 20min. That was very appreciated. The bread is outstanding, buttery, garlicky and salty. Just divine. And heck The service is just as good as the bread. So friendly, helpful and quick. The duck lollipops were definitely a highlight. We had 2 orders of that appetizer. The duck was flavored so well and peppery. The pasta dishes were phenomenal and all of them were difficult to finish because there was so much food in the bowl. I probably should have split a dish with my husband. The curry flavor was phenomenal and the shrimp were jumbo. Nothing I tried was bad nor even mediocre. It was simply perfect. I wish I lived closer because this place would become our family's staple Italian restaurant. read more

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Spent the weekend here with my in-laws wife and kid. Was a wait due to small restaurant but it is worth the wait. One of the best Italian food I have ever had and the service was amazing. Worth every penny! read more

Pagliacci's - Caesar salad - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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I was on the fence and a bit nervous about the food since I read mixed reviews online. We waited approximately 20-30 minutes before we got a table when we came around 7pm on a Monday evening. The good thing was that we got to dine with the live music since it started at 8pm and we basically got the table around 730, so by the time we were enjoying our meal, the music started. We came with our toddler and it was very generous of them that they served kid's pasta complimentary (you can either choose the pasta plain w just butter and cheese or w tomatoes sauce) and kid's shirley temple. My toddler was very very happy with their dinner (she loveeedd the live music too). The star of the meal was the Hemingway (tortellini), we ordered large and smaller stomach can certainly split the plate. It was very flavorful and not too rich. We did not opt for the baked version. The LA strada was good too, .y hubby liked his plate clean! For dessert we shared the black and white checker cake. It was 16 CAD, but the piece was quite large and 3 of us shared it. Service was friendly, but the keep in mind the restaurant is compact and always busy so you do get seated close together. They also have outdoor seating, but you won't get to enjoy the live music if you sit outside. We certainly recommend this restaurant for a great meal with live music (starts at 8pm). read more

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Bread - light fluffy and covered in Italian crust spices Sauce - rich Meatball - large, cooked well, tasty read more

Pagliacci's - Meatball Sandwhich - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Wow! What an absolute gem. Not only is the food delicious, but the service was absolutely lovely. They had a great gluten free selection. The ambiance was lively like a var, but not too rowdy to be offputting. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. If you're looking for good gluten free pasta in Victoria, this is the place to go. read more

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This place is popular and I can see why. We showed up at 4:30 PM and were able to enjoy the happy hour as well as regular dinner menu. The seafood trio was great value for happy hour, and the pastas were all quite well done. The only thing that I thought was that the noodles were a bit overdone - but I do personally enjoy quite al dente pasta. Service was excellent, bringing bread over right away and even giving us some to go as well. Overall, if you are wanting a enjoyable Italian meal, would recommend you check out Pagliacci's! read more

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We came here for dinner because of a personal recommendation and because of the reviews I had read. I think we walked in at the perfect time because we were seated almost immediately, even though the restaurant was absolutely packed. This felt like an Italian grandmother's kitchen who didn't turn anyone away and found a seat for just about everyone, eventually. That is to say the space between tables and seats was minimal, but hey this staff would be great at Tetris. The food was good and enjoyable. I'd say the winner was the Minnesota Fats dish, or their version of arancini. These were light and the filling was flavorful and cooked to perfection. The second best was the New York cheesecake, which was a great way to finish. We also ordered the lasagna, the crab cakes, and a slider. These were good, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend them as hits. I did really appreciate that the meat in most cases was only beef and wasn't mixed with any pork since we don't eat pork. read more

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I'm always recommending this place to others. The vegan options are top tier and makes it possible for my son and I to order from same place. Also, cheesecake is the closest thing to a NY cheesecake I've had. Servers are the best in town. Live music is sometimes offered. Tables close together make for lively conversations. The total package! read more

Stopped in for happy hour and had a great time! The focaccia bread was tasty (more on the oily side) and delicious! Tried the duck wings, clams, crab cake, and risotto balls. The duck wings ended up being a surprise hit- tangy and tender. The meat came right off the bone. Had the Catalina wine mixer to drink which was like an alcoholic lemonade. Loved it! The space is small and tables are close, however at the early hour, it wasn't a problem. Parties all seemed to be a table away so it didn't feel crowded. read more

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My first visit, lined up for 20 minutes, totally worth it. Small jammed room, great vibe, excellent service, awesome food. This little gem absolutely deserves to be busy read more

The best place for pasta. "The Shell Game" excellent dish. The deserts are great too.

We went to dinner on Wednesday and the place was packed. The food was mediocre. Though the complimentary bread was delicious and with refills of you ask for more. Our waitress was unfriendly-nice. She seemed annoyed to help us but helped us because she had to work. The restaurant is probably popular for the atmosphere and live music from Sunday to Thursday which I thought was a nice touch. read more

Pagliacci's - Victoria Island Clams - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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The Best Seafood Lasagna Ever!!! It's Memorable - All the way back to the 90's. Can't wait to return!!! Thank You!!! read more

Strategy was to come early before the dinner masses. Surprisingly the huge inside seating was already filled and crazy fun loud. Luckily, we got in quick for the outdoor patio. Inside was the classic mosaic of picture framed walls but back to back seats are a millimeter apart. IMO outside was the choice spot to enjoy the fresh air, people watch strolling the street, and chitchat with the tables next you without having to shout. It is a pasta joint when offered 14 regional wines on tap! A few local beer on tap also but mostly in cans. Sauvignon Blanc was crisp and not too sweet. Pasta perfect ~ nice & chewy, meatballs meaty, seafood not overcooked. Everything delicious. Service was as local friendly as it gets! Busy as she was, our server took time to describe a few of the specials & recommend some wine without feeling rushed through. Very diligent on making sure we were enjoying our time throughout the dinner. *This is a great spot for big groups. Just remember everybody's big group is coming here too ;) read more

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Every so often, you come upon a restaurant that makes you feel that everyone working there, from the host to the servers to the chefs, really cares about giving you a truly special experience. This is one of those places. As we approached the restaurant at 7:30 on a Monday night, we were surprised to see a long line, at least 20 to 25 people, stretching down the sidewalk. We almost left but decided there must be a reason for such a long line on a Monday. The line moved quickly, and we were at the front in about 20 minutes. Shortly after that, we were seated and could immediately feel the energy of the dining room. This is not a large space, and the tables are fairly tightly arranged, so the atmosphere is lively and fun. Our server was absolutely delightful and really made us feel welcome. However, she wasn't the only one. Every server we watched was exactly the same, fun and friendly. They all moved skillfully through the tight spaces between tables to ensure food was delivered quickly and tables were turned for the next guests. The food was wonderful, from the warm focaccia to the perfectly seasoned, al dente pasta. The live jazz added to the enjoyment of the meal. We will absolutely be back, next time we are in Victoria. This place is special. read more