Prepare to pay ! Stunning hotel and gorgeous bar . Such a classic traditional feel to this amazing place. Loved coming here for a drink on a rainy afternoon. The place was packed ! Sat at the bar and had a sharp and spirit forward martini royale . Made with their empress gin which is made here in this area. I have always loved this purple gin. Makes a pretty drink. The drink was nice and strong. My friend had a nice glass of Rosé. We had some lovely truffle fries with our drinks and enjoyed the views and the bar. Also tried the espresso martini here . Very good . Beautiful bar and the staff are solid and know their stuff. It is a little old school so the bartenders are not chatty ! Very regal spot in lovely downtown Victoria. read more

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Apparently a recently renovated space in the lounge area next to the afternoon tea lobby. A moody, dimly lit ambience that is very ideal during the evenings if you want to wind down or have a romantic evening. I got one of the signature Empress 1908 cocktails - the Empress 75. To be honest, all of the Empress 1908 cocktails are fairly easy to make but I still went with ordering it for the ambience (plus I am on vacation). I love the lighting with the grapefruit pearls since it looks like gold and it makes the drink super pretty. Great for pictures and decent - but the ingredient ratios felt a bit off. For CAD$32 before tax and tip, it was a bit steep but it is what it is for a hotel bar. I wanted to get another drink - the Silk Glove as I tend to get clarified drinks. That one is terrible as they served it over fairly crushed ice so the drink is super diluted - far different from the menu description of a king cube for aesthetics and minimal dilution. I flagged this to the bartender that it's undrinkable but I'm glad they took the drink away and took it off the bill. read more

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Loved the ambience which was so enhanced by the Christmas tree decorations. It's open seating so look for a place to sit at the bar or in a cozy spot in one of the corners. Loved sitting there sipping a glass or two of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut Champagne. Excellent service. Of course, you will pay for it but what an experience! read more

Wow, what a disappointment. Dive bars are cleaner. The floor was littered with food and it did not live up to the Fairmont standards. When you are paying premium prices and a Michelin recognized establishment you expect more. Service was lacking, and we left with a bad taste in our mouth. read more

Don't have dinner for the ambiance. It's crazy loud and chaotic. Nothing feels special when you have to yell to the person next to you in conversation. The Q is a conventioneers happy hour crowd. Having said that the drinks are so so. The food is A+ as is the service. So go for the food and service. Go for the people watching and in-crowd. Stay home for the ambiance. 3.5 stars. read more

Quick breakfast before tour. This is inside the Empress which hotel second floor, customer service is excellent and very accommodating. Very upscale but affordable breakfast. The Avocado toast paired with the smoked salmon was delicious, and the potatoes with the eggs really were very good and seasoned perfectly. Great choice to set and enjoy a cup of coffee and start your day. read more

Q at The Empress - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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We were staying at the connected hotel here this weekend so we decided to check out the restaurant for a quick snack. Obviously we ordered too much for a snack. We weren't expecting their portion sizes to be this large! The inside seating is beautiful and the whole hotel is such a nice walk. Would definitely recommend even if you decide not to eat here. Our service was also incredibly kind and timely. They start you off with some trail mix and charcoal popcorn while you wait for your order. The charcoal popcorn is amazing & she even gave us a second bowl. We got a couple of items: cucumber salad, lemon pepper wings, flatbread, & the bread and butter. The cucumber salad was really good. It came with some hummus and spicy sauce on time of the crispy cucumbers. I would recommend this dish. The lemon pepper wings were good & there were so many of them. This is definitely a shareable option. I would recommend the bread as well. The butter was so soft and rich. The bread was nice and warm and paired well with the cucumber salad. The flatbread wasn't as good as the rest of the items. The sauce and cheese choice didn't pair well together and the crust was thin but soft. Overall the bill was around $100 which is reasonable for the amount we ordered and we had plenty of leftovers for a late night snack. read more

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If you want to try the famous Empress gin, this is the place to go! I was not interested in having high tea at the Empress, so I'm glad that there was a bar for a more casual experience. They have a great list of cocktails with Empress spirit as there are more than just the gin I learned. I wanted to have something with the beautiful purple color so I went with the Martini Royale. It was so smooth and very delicious. This is coming from someone who doesn't like gin normally. I like that they gave you a popcorn snack, and were very happy to keep refilling mine haha. The staff was all really nice. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is just because the price. With tip, $26USD is quite hefty. read more

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This upscale dining restaurant is in a beautiful room, but is open to the often very boisterous bar, which interferes with what otherwise would be an elegant experience. The menu offers a nice selection of appealing starters, but a somewhat limited selection of entrees. We visited twice, because there are, frankly, not a lot of fine dining options in Victoria. Standouts were the Crunchy Leaves (basically a Caesar salad) and the beautifully plated asparagus entree. Least impressive was the sable fish, a large steamed chunk that was pretty much flavorless. Service both nights was excellent. read more

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We love Rebecca who works on the outdoor patio at the veranda. She was so personable and sweet. We also enjoyed specialty cocktails and fondue on a fire pit table so much we came by a second time. Everything at the Empress is a bit spendy so just expect that going in. It was quite a luxury and we do not regret it one bit. Thanks Rebecca/Linda/Chanel! #iykyk read more

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For a 5 star hotel, this was less than a stellar experience. If I had any idea, we would have gone out on foot over staying in the room. I think a lot of orders are owed to the menu's writer and not the chefs in the kitchen. The hot chocolate was not creamy, tasted watery and just like Swiss miss, not "house-made with Chantilly cream" and was 2/3rds full. The chips were not malty or vinegar tasting, though the dip was tasty with the sunchokes. The sunchokes were generous and enormous! They tasted better with the dip than the sauce they were served with. The kids salmon plate was some of the driest salmon I've ever had, so much so the dip was also used to help make it palatable. The potatoes were perfect. The pizza had a great crust but a super basic sauce, like a kid-friendly sauce they use for all of the pies. The cake also sounded amazing, but again was just ok--the weird orange blobs did not vibe with the cake...better off at Murchie's down the street for something sweet and chocolate. We have rarely splurged for room service and were super excited to try breakfast here but quickly declined after this dinner. Also as someone else noted, this food wrecked our guts and once we chose to eat elsewhere, we felt better. read more

Q at The Empress - Clockwise from mortadella pizza, vinegar chips and dip, kids salmon, sunchokes - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Dining at Q at the Empress was an exercise in frustration, overpriced disappointment, and basic hospitality failures. This place rides entirely on its historic location and name -- because it certainly isn't surviving on food quality or service. Let's begin with the food: I ordered sunny side up eggs and toast. What I got were dry, overcooked eggs that might as well have been fried in a forgotten corner of the kitchen. The yolks were stiff -- not a hint of "sunny side" to be found. The toast wasn't toasted -- it was plain bread. Flimsy, flavorless, and thrown on the plate like an afterthought. Absolutely unacceptable for a place that pretends to be fine dining. Service? Just as bad. Our server (Amanda) was flighty, distracted, and visibly flustered. She dropped our utensils while clearing the table -- again, no apology -- and nearly served us cloudy, murky water that looked like it came from a tap no one's cleaned in a week. Oh, and let's not forget the coffee. After all the above, I figured at least I could enjoy a hot cup to salvage the morning. But no -- they had no cream. None. At a high-end breakfast service, they couldn't even provide cream for coffee. What kind of operation is this? Q at the Empress is overpriced, overrated, and under-delivering in every possible way. The kitchen needs a complete overhaul -- starting with firing the chef -- and the front-of-house staff desperately needs retraining. This experience was a total embarrassment to the Empress name. read more

Q at The Empress - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Really enjoyed the nook we found to sit in. The chairs were comfy and it was away from the bar so that we could sit and relax. The Church & State bubbly was delish. The server brought out some popcorn and it was so tasty! We asked what was on it - and she said - charcoal seasoning! That was so unique! read more

Q at The Empress - Church & State Bubbles - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

While in Victoria for a nice trip to celebrate, we happened upon this restaurant along the inner harbor. We decided to look at their menu. It appeared to have some nice dishes so we decided to try them out. The restaurant is dark and cozy. Definitely upscale. They seated us quickly and before long the server was there to greet us. We quickly ordered scallops and coho salmon entrees for dinner. We didn't get drinks and only asked for lemons to go with our water. Although the food is pricey, the menu is nicely curated to include a small but nice assortment of seafood and steak as well as vegan dishes. I think it is definitely worth a try. It's a nice treat to celebrate a special occasion. read more

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My friend and I wanted to walk through the hotel to observe what it looked like as we were urged by our tour guide. We were then urged by someone working at one of the shops to try the Empress 1908, which is a gin - I had no interest in imbibing, so I ordered a Muggle Born, which was absolutely delightful; my friend did try the Empress 1908, which she enjoyed but did say it was a little strong. While waiting for out drinks, we were given popcorn that was flavored with charcoal and some other seasoning - it was DEEEELICIOUS! I wish I could've purchased some to go! We had eaten lunch before stopping here so didn't try any food but this bar is posh and vibey. I highly recommend! read more

Q at The Empress - Muggle Born & Empress 1908 - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Exceptionally average breakfast/brunch despite the premium price. While the service was great, the eggs Benedict is average with many better options available within a short walk. Consider the Blue Fox or Jam is outstanding alternatives for brunch. Also, Munchies is wonderful as well if you don't mind ordering at the counter. Unless your options are limited to the Q, seek out other options for quality food and at a better price. read more

A really great liquor list. When at the Empress be sure to have empress 1908 gin. It's where it all began. Listening to the soothing live music and enjoying a drink is a great way to finish off your day. Service was great. Ambience was classic and beautiful. read more

Q at The Empress - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Watching the sun melt into the horizon over the marina from Q at The Empress was pure magic. The golden light danced on the water as boats swayed gently in the evening breeze. With each sip of our beautifully crafted drinks, it felt like time slowed down--just us, the view, and the perfect ending to the day. read more

Absolutely incredible! i came here for a simple pancake breakfast and received the best pancakes I've ever had in my life. Pancakes were cooked to perfection with great flavor and texture, i could name how good all the food was but that would take years. The staff were so kind and my grandma had a whole conversation with a waiter about canada and the us. Service 10/10 and the ambiance was wonderful with beautiful paintings of queen victoria everywhere and beautiful furniture all around you. read more

Pricey drinks at the iconic Empress are a must for any tourist, right!? Already had The Empress on my list of places to visit on my one day in Victoria, so I figured why not grab a drink since I assumed there had to be a bar, and thus I found myself at Q. I was already expecting some expensive drinks & the $399 cocktail I saw which I did not order met that expectation. I went with a local beer (Driftwood IPA) while the wife got something a little more fitting the environment, the Empress 75. The IPA was very hoppy, one of the most I've had in awhile so that just makes the beer seem strong, I'm not sure of the actual alcohol content. The cocktail, containing prosecco, was most of what I could taste, but the grapefruit pearls definitely looked (& tasted) nice atop the drink. They also served complimentary Charcoal Popcorn which I'm glad was not stale. The waiter was really nice & attentive. It's a sleek a hotel bar that is more open than a separate closed off room. If you come be sure to ask for a seat by the window so you can have the water view. When I went, what looked like an entrance directly to the bar actually was a sigh directing you on where non hotel guests should enter. So be sure to pay attention to the signs. I don't think I'd come here all the time for drinks if I was a local but it's a good spot for a celebratory drink or something like that. Cheers! read more

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What a lovely setting! You are always in a for a good time! Fairmont Empress never disappoints because of their elevated experiences. Everything here is precise and proper. Love the Q bar's decor and ambiance. We love coming here for some drinks, food, and cocktails. It's great for supper, cocktails, afternoon tea, lunch, and breakfast. It's a great delight to visit Q at the Fairmont Empress. The bartenders are pleasant, approachable, and well knowledgeable. The hosts consistently delivered top-notch service which is truly appreciated. The food, beverages and cocktails are excellent. The Empress Lemonade, Empress Old Fashioned, and Martini Royale have all been ordered. Additionally, their popcorn is delicious, distinctive, and made in-house! On the weekend, there is live music which gives off a great vibe! Highly recommend! read more

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This review is based on just one visit. We were staying at the Empress, feeling like steak and not wanting to go far for it. We did go down to the restaurant rather than getting room service. I had the Sunday roast and husband got the filet mignon. He liked the filet mignon just fine. They kindly agreed to serve it with mashed potatoes, which was not on the sides menu. Service was very nice. My Sunday roast consisted of a pretty chewy piece of prime rib with some parts being better than others. Pretty good flavor on the outside crust but not much on the inside. It was served with the same mashed potatoes my husband got and we were both surprised at how very sweet they were. Like, should have been on a dessert menu, sweet. There were a couple nicely cooked pieces of vegetables and the sorriest yorkshire pudding I've ever had. Stale and dry as a bone. I was mostly looking forward to that and the meat. So the fact that neither was good was disappointing. I also ordered the squash veloute to start. Flavor was just ok and it was so thin and runny that it was off putting. The room is gorgeous and the service is truly good. Our server looked genuinely concerned that I didn't like the food. I said it was just big portions because I felt bad since she was so nice! But I wouldn't go back based on this experience and the fact that the menu was kind of small and nothing else stood out to me. read more

So underwhelming. We are high end diners and this was a huge disappointment. Oysters- pls give us plates so we don't have to use our bread plates. Bread was amazing. Oysters were ok. Halibut was terrible. "Crunchy salad" was room temp. Therefore not optimal. A few tweaks and it could be great. Service was terrible. Skip it. read more

Great dinner on a quiet evening , the music in the bar added to the ambiance . We were a little late but were allowed our choice of table , the portions were not oversized but prepared with care read more

Great inner harbor views Beautiful historic hotel Nice cocktail list Great use of local products read more

Absolutely beautiful hotel bar. Ordered a few drinks and hung out. I loved the popcorn they served. It had some sort of charcoal dust on it. The bartender was awesome. read more

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Unfortunately, we only got the chance to hang out at the Q Bar for a few hours before our Clipper departed back to Seattle on a lovely and sunny Sunday afternoon. Of the little, we got to experience of the Q Bar, which is the specific "Bar" area of the Fairmont Empress Hotel, not to be confused with the Tea area or Dinner area, we loved. The ambiance is on the swanky side, but the bartenders nor the servers gave off a pretentious vibe like we were expecting. As walk-ins, we quickly snagged bar seating and served complimentary popcorn bowls with charcoal salt, it was a nice touch, and we proceeded to enjoy a few cocktails before trekking to the Clipper station and back home to Seattle. We were left with a positive impression and will be back, except we may stay in the hotel and include a visit to the dinner and tea areas! read more

Q at The Empress - Empress G&T-Features the purple Empress 1908 gin, so refreshing! - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Ambience is nice but the drinks are pricey and not that great. We had a martini and it just wasn't James Bond material. It was okay but for $28 was not worth it, even at the Empress. read more

Q at The Empress - Lounge at Q - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

amazing experience. A bit on the pricey side as compared to toher tea experience in Victoria who give similar teas and eating options, but i guess the price if for having tea in 5-start with 5-start service at an outstanding interior location. Glad the they had vegetarian options in tea menu. Server was very courteous and friendly. read more

A nice breakfast at the Q Restaurant at the empress. Good service and everything was cooked perfectly. read more

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This was a recommended stop when visiting Victoria Island and I had my heart set on having tea somewhere while in Canada! We took our chances while visiting The Empress hotel to see if we could get a table at the Q same day, and we lucked out! It's definitely worth the price for the experience you get. So much food comes with the tea that I would plan your meal around this stop. Everything we had was so delicious. I loved the selection of teas to choose from and you get A LOT with just the one kettle per person. They provide tea warmers, so your tea will stay warm the whole visit too. We really enjoyed the desserts and you can even take food to go if you have leftovers. The staff helping us was so friendly. Definitely stop in if you're in the area! read more

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COVID #48 Not quite a dark and stormy. Instead, a couple of variations of a martini. Empress 1908 Gin. This stuff is spectacular. Not only in terms of tast but a visual spectacle as well. I came two nights in a row. First was rather quiet. Second was busier but not crazy. You won't find 20 somethings here driving you insane with drunken debauchery. This is a more mature and subdued crowd. More my kind of scene. I felt iunderdressed in tis environment, but don't let that fool you. You're welcome to come as you are. I'm just a braggart and stuck up person. They've done some beautiful renos whilst still maintaning the old charm. Come for a cocktail or two. I certainly did. read more

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Every so often, you have to just treat yourself to something extra special. Q at The Empress can do just that for you! We needed a comfy place to unwind before our ferry ride to Vancouver and we decided to spend some time at the gorgeous lounge in the Empress. They have comfy sofas, high tops or bar seating to choose from. Our waitress was friendly and professional, helping us with whatever we needed. We decided on getting the fish and chips to share as light snack and couldn't resist the call of their Empress Old Fashioned. The kitchen was nice enough to split our plate into two for us so we didn't have to vye for the condiments. Amazing fish with a great batter and their fries were excellent also. The Old Fashioned was so good that we will be trying to recreate it when we get home! read more

Q at The Empress - Half of the Fish and Chips and the Empress Old Fashioned - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Benedict with dungeness crab was just delightful, delicious and satisfying. Our server was attentive and courteous and the surrounding was just beautiful. I really enjoyed spending brunch here! read more

Q at The Empress - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Ambiance is lovely there are ten pictures that line the wall with queen. Black tables, they do live music in the bar nothing harsh just nice artists with lively voices. The service is impeccable attentive staff with great recommendations. My two favorite staff members were Joseph and Nunka (I hope I spelled it correctly). So kind they would go out of their way to say hello if we saw them. To be honest all the service staff was incredible. When something was wrong from the kitchen they corrected it promptly and were so apologetic. The food which is why it gets three stars; how left me underwhelmed. I say this because we went before Covid and it was incredible. We ordered the duck with lentil Ragu. First came out it was lukewarm and the fat was not rendered. The duck second time was cooked well but the duck is two slices. The ragu of lentil i would say was more of cooked lentils with tiny bit of salt definitely not a ragu. The beef tartare was really yummy and we did enjoy it with the awesome house made flax bread. But when your child's steak dinner is better than your main entree their serious short coming. We did go for a light lunch and the charcuterie board was good but I have had better ones for 34 dollars, the kids salmon looked amazing and again sad it was better then some items on the main menu. The truffle popcorn in the bar is killer. read more

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Food was good, service was great, drinks were excellent. Kids are allowed in the bar area in the evening for dinner. Breakfast was very tasty. Crab Benedict and French Toast were the clear winners. read more

Q at The Empress - Drink menu - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Such a great experience to grab a cocktail at the Q bar. Live music and gorgeous interior make for a nice evening. Decorated for Christmas, it was just such a nice way to unwind after a day exploring Victoria. The holiday Cosmo and the hot buttered rum were delicious. read more

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We are staying at the Empress for 5 days over Christmas 2024. We have LOVED the Q and the veranda! From the awesome veranda with the s'mores kits at the fire pits to the great bar menu, we have felt very pampered and well cared for at the Empress. The popcorn they bring to the table at the bar is not to be missed! We ate the popcorn too fast for me to get a picture of it. read more

Had an incredible meal here. With out a doubt one of the best poultery dishes I have had (cornish game hen, faro, and a demi gravy). Perfect preperation and amazing service. My water glass never got empty, the wine was great, and our server made sure we were well taken care of the entire time. We had our two kiddos with us and the kids menu was outstsnding. My daughter loved the chicken soup and the NY steak. Most of all, its in such an incredible historic building which totally set the vibe. 10 our of 10 hands down. We will be back for sure. read more

Q at The Empress - Cornish Game Hen - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Q is a nice, sleek, modern restaurant and bar in the Empress Hotel. My husband and I sat in the bar area (which has a separate menu) and were well-served by the awesome bartenders. Started off with the Empress G&Ts. I love how the Empress Gin has some botanicals which alter the color to a purple, which turns light lavender after adding the tonic. Super yum. Note: they serve you the gin, you add the tonic water from a bottle. Husband ordered the mortadella pizza and chicken wings, and I got the XO noodles. Pizza was OK, menu says it has a crispy mortadella but it was quite soft and far from crispy. Wish this has made it thru but it was still generally tasty. The wings were mixed - I thought they were super delicious, crispy, well seasoned with an interesting sauce - sorta spicy, sorta creamy, all around yum. Husband says they needed a touch of sweetness - he's a chef so I'll take his word on that :) My XO noodle bowl was sublime - it was like an Asian version of spaghetti with bolognese. Except this was spicy, served in a really nice ceramic bowl with chopsticks. Mix it around and eat! But have some water nearby :) Service was outstanding. Live music was a really nice touch (tho the room got super loud as a result). read more