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    Pagliacci's

    4.1 (746 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, Steakhouses
    Closed 11:30 am - 11:00 pm

    Pagliacci's Photos

    PAGLIACCI'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Pagliacci's

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    Salted bread was delicious
    Sharon H.

    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.

    Focaccia bread
    Sabrina C.

    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.

    Chris L.

    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.

    Pagliacci's Italian Restaurant - Victoria - August 9, 2025
    Bruce O.

    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!

    Andy O.

    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.

    clams appetizer
    Samantha V.

    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

    Seafood lasagna (Half portion - $19)
    Jennifer H.

    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!

    Caesar salad

    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!

    Hemingway Short Story
    will l.

    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.

    Michelle L.

    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!

    A Pagliacci drum set on a shelf?
    Marc H.

    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.

    Duck lollipops
    Rachel V.

    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.

    Happy hour menu 05.12.2024 front
    Angelica T.

    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.

    Meatball Sandwhich

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    8 months ago

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

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    Amazing food and friendly staff.. imo portions are huge and the music is great addition to listen to!

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    Really quaint place. Food was excellent and enjoyed a bit of the live band as well. Server was attentive.

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    Pagliacci's Reviews in Other Languages

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    4.5(168 reviews)
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    There's a certain romance people expect when they step into a French brasserie--the low hum of…read moreconversation, the clink of glasses, a dimly lit room that whispers rather than shouts. Brasserie L'Ecole leans hard into that mood. Maybe a little too hard. Look, I get it. Lighting can be seductive. It can soften edges, blur imperfections, make everyone feel like they're in on something intimate and vaguely cinematic. But there's a fine line between ambiance and obscurity, and this place crosses it with confidence. When the room is dark enough that you're squinting to make out what's on your plate--when you can't even appreciate the color of the food you're about to eat--you start to wonder who this is really for. Diners? Or vampires? And then the food arrives. Let's talk about the French onion soup gratinée--the kind of dish that should feel like a warm, savory embrace. Deep, rich broth. Sweet, slow-cooked onions. That molten cap of cheese pulling apart in long, indulgent strands. Instead, what lands in front of you is a salt delivery system disguised as comfort food. A few spoonfuls in and your palate is already waving the white flag. It's not nuanced, not layered--just aggressively, relentlessly salty. A blunt instrument where a scalpel should be. You start thinking about wine. You *want* wine. But then reality kicks in: what's the point? Pairing anything with this level of salinity feels like pouring a decent bottle straight into the ocean. Whatever subtlety, whatever character the wine might have had--it doesn't stand a chance. Then comes the brasserie burger. In theory, a reliable fallback. In practice? More of the same. Heavy-handed seasoning that bulldozes everything else on the plate. After the soup, it's not just overkill--it's a slog. Each bite feels like work. Finishing it becomes less about enjoyment and more about stubbornness. By the end of the meal, you're not lingering over dessert or debating another glass. You're reaching for water. Lots of it. The kind of deep, desperate hydration that feels less like refreshment and more like recovery. Like you've just spent an afternoon face down on the shores of the Dead Sea. There's a good restaurant hiding in here somewhere; since the service is spot on, buried beneath the darkness, buried beneath the salt. But as it stands, the experience feels less like a Parisian escape and more like a test of endurance. Cheers or Jeers.. .up to you.

    The service was very good, helpful, and friendly. The oysters were very fresh, and the sauces…read moreserved with it were super yummy. Nice decor and comfortable seating.

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    Block Kitchen + Bar - You'll know it when you see it.

    Block Kitchen + Bar

    4.6(65 reviews)
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    So straight up this place went and took us to places we hadn't been prior to eating at the Block…read more Overall a very enjoyable experience for sure, but you cannot pigeonhole this place, which is a very good thing! We are big fans of traditional fare, but the Block is a place we are so glad we experienced and will certainly return utilizing the knowledge we garnered during our first experience. A big thank you to for helping us through picking one price fixe January exploration of your local restaurants and filling it with other ala carte additions. As we often do we ordered far too much food, wanting to explore everything off a menu that is far reaching. Not sure if our additions worked with the price fixe menu, but we sure enjoyed checking everything out. The interior is interesting with the addition of structural steel in the space to keep this heritage building (I think) standing tall for a few generations. We sure hope it's still here for a long while and will most likely come again the next time we are in Victoria. That is saying a lot as there are a wide range of restaurants in the neighbourhood, but you do want to check the Block out!

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    Block Kitchen + Bar - From local craft beers to exotic cocktails, we have a drink for you and that special someone.

    From local craft beers to exotic cocktails, we have a drink for you and that special someone.

    Block Kitchen + Bar - Duck Spring Rolls with Nam Jim sauce.

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    Fathom - Spicy Tuna Bites

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    My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Grand Pacific for 3 nights. Our first night dined from the…read moremore limited menu of Fathom and neither of us were pleased. My spouse had the chuck and brisket/bacon burger with fries. The chef would not prepare it medium but well done only. Complaints were a dry, possibly pre formed and frozen meat patty...the veggies were necessary for moisture. I had the buttermilk chicken "schnitzel" with fennel salad and potatoes. The fennel salad consisted of 2 1/2 thin shaves of fennel. The potatoes were good. The chicken was most likely 3 oz and pounded literally as thin as paper and deep fried within an inch of its life! The dish was small or meager size and I don't need a lot to feel satisfied but simply didn't with this dish of greasy, overcooked paper thin chicken. Ugh. Chocolate torte for dessert....although thin, it was rich and delicious. We shared the white bean mezze for a starter, the hummus was good and the pickled carrots very good. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice, dark with deep colors and chill. The feeling we had was this restaurant trying to be a 5-star, chic culinary adventure (small portions but amazing food); however they fell very short. Unfortunately this hotel offers no other kitchen or menu for guests and room service. You won't find a delicious and varied menu here...you are stuck with Fathom. Do yourselves a favor and enjoy a culinary adventure outside of the hotel - every restaurant we have dined in (every time we ferry over to BC) has been yummy, with the exception of Fathom.

    It is really pretty in here. I called on a late Sunday afternoon to see if they have a happy hour…read more The host was so helpful & encouraging. We all walked over & had a great time. We did not eat, but we did have a couple drinks. Very good, served by a wonderful server. We sat in a beautiful,comfortable area between the bar & the restaurant. I highly recommend coming here, enjoying their beautiful space & have a drink. Enjoy!

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    Il Terrazzo Ristorante

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    Just another excellent evening with the restaurant folks! This time, finding the place was easier…read more(it's off a back alley). Got there just when they opened and got a prime seating near (but not to near) one of the fireplaces (they have several italian brick style). The restaurant has many twists and turns creating many wonderful dining alcoves. Very inviting to sit and talk. So on a cold December evening we both had the Polo Appollonia; a wonderful mixture of garlic, bacon, and cheesey pasta. But the real star of the meal were the appetizers! Amazing tasting tomato soup, and the insalata caprese. The salad had a large portion of crisp tomatoes served with like a half pound of real homemade buffalo mozzarella, and lots of fresh basil. Almost a meal. The waiter was very helpful in selections of the food and some wine. We will definitely be back on our next visit to Vancouver Island.

    Delicious food, fantastic bread, friendly staff. We've come…read morehere for our birthdays twice and we've been so happy with the experience each time. The bread is literally incredible, we order an extra basket because it is so good. We ordered the mussels this time and the sauce was insanely good. The extra bread was necessary to soak up the sauce when we were done. We also split the carbonara which was also very good, the steak was cooked perfectly. Also appreciated the extra considerate touch with the blankets in the colder area of the restaurant.

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    Il Terrazzo Ristorante - The interior is stunning

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    The architecture is stunning

    Finn's Seafood Chops Cocktails - Bison Carpaccio... wanna say it's amongst the best carpaccio I've ever had, melts in ur mouth!

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    4.5(302 reviews)
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    We came here with a group of 11 during our vacation. They took reservations and were able to…read moreaccommodate our huge family without any issues. I'll admit I was a little skeptical at first -- it's right on the harbor and surrounded by tourist attractions, which usually screams "tourist trap." But I'm so glad we gave it a chance, because the food, ambiance, cocktails, and service were phenomenal. I can confidently say this place is not a tourist trap. I couldn't even tell you exactly what I ordered because we literally ordered a quarter of the menu. Every dish was a hit, and even the five kids in our group loved everything that came out.

    Visited Finn's several years ago so decided to stop in again while shopping in Victoria…read more We were seated on the outside deck and had a great view of the water. The menu had several choices of a wide range of food. Fish and chips, steak, oysters. They do have some vegetarian and gluten free options as well. They offer a wide selection of wine and have delicious cocktails. It's nice , comfortable atmosphere. The bar is also very nice. Lots of room with plenty of tables. Would be a great meet up location with friends or a great choice for date night. I enjoyed a shrimp curry dish that was beautifully plated and very delicious. We also enjoyed the fish & chips... also yummy. Will be back next time we are in town!

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    Pagliacci's - seafood - Updated May 2026

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