As tourists in Victoria, we did not want to fall into the typical tourist trap restaurant. Luckily, we found Stage; an out of the way Tapas joint in Fernwood. We were pleased to feel as though we were dining among the locals. The food: We started with the pork, hazelnut and fois grais terrine, which was served with a stone ground mustard. LOVED IT. All of the elements were in perfect balance and it was a delight when a bite happened to have some hazelnut in it. The waiter suggested we order some bread (extra, unfortunately) to go with it, and we didn't regret it. There were two kinds that came in the basket: a soft, spongy rosemary bread and hearty, crusty French bread. Our second course was a seafood risotto and a beef bourguignon. The risotto had a definite taste of the sea, which was nice and not overpowering. It might have benefited from a bit more seasoning, but overall it was a very tasty dish. The beef was sumptuous, super tender, and very flavourful. The sauce. Oh, the sauce. We went through the rest of our bread making sure we mopped up every bit of sauce. Our next dish was an unfortunately fatty duck confit. The only disappointment of the night, food-wise. The components of the dish didn't play well together, and it was overall unremarkable. Dessert was a goat cheesecake with lemon curd and pistachio biscotti. It was creamy, lemony, goaty, delicious heaven. We ordered it because it seemed so intriguing, but we would order it again because it was subtle, yet bright, and really really really delicious. Stage lost a star from a potential 5-star review due to the poor service we received. While we were seated right away, it took 10 minutes to be greeted by the waiter who demanded our drink orders. It took another 10 minutes after having laid down our menu for anybody to take our order. It took one more minute for the waiter to return admitting he had forgotten one of the dishes that we ordered. This pattern of forgetfulness and inattentiveness continued throughout our dining experience, tainting an otherwise wonderful evening. One great note: We were seated at the table closest to the door and a mohair blanket was given to us in case we got cold. This nice touch makes us confident that our poor impression of the service was related just to our waiter, and wouldn't let that stop us from going back to Stage on our next trip to Victoria. YUM! read more

We love this tapas bar. Especially on a winter night. Such a cozy setting with candlelight's and brick wall. It's fun to order different plates to make your dinner. Our favorites are the Brussels sprouts and the pomme frits. This was our 4th visit on 4 separate trips to Victoria. We've never been disappointed read more

We'd never been to Victoria but I read about Stage on Yelp and Trip Advisor and decided to treat my husband to the backstage pass tasting menu. Our ferry was late getting into Victoria Saturday evening and when I called to request that they push the reservation back an hour, they could not have been more accommodating. When we arrived we we're welcomed very warmly and then we received a thorough explanation on the tasting menu with wine pairings. The food and wine was FANTASTIC. My only complaint is that there was so much of it! You definitely get your money's worth so come hungry. The three gals who served us could not have been sweeter. The ambiance was lovely. Delicious edamame, mussels, and the fried chicken... YUM!!! read more

Stage is gorgeous, cozy and the food is excellent. It is the perfect date spot for yummy tapas and wine. Pricey for Victoria but the food is impeccable. read more

Finally got a chance to try out this place that I heard so much about. It's away from the downtown core, but definitely worth the trip out to Fernwood. The best way to enjoy the food here is to order lots of different things to share with everybody. I went at 10pm for a late night drink with friends so only tried a few things... the langos and the house sausages, but they were excellent. We ordered some martinis and wines.. it was fun sitting at the bar :) I need to come back with an emptier stomach and try out more dishes. read more

Very disappointed that we were turned away last Saturday night 9/24/16 at 10:50 when the bar hours were listed open until 11:00 pm. We walked over after seeing The Last Wife at the Belfry theater and wanted to have a glass of wine but were turned away from the bartender saying they were closed. I would think they would want the post-play business but not last Saturday. read more

If you can get a seat...you're in for a e experience. Food, wine, service and atmosphere are all 5 stars.

Yes, yes, yes! I loved this restaurant and will go back if I'm ever in Victoria again. The atmosphere, staff, wine and food were all outstanding. Also, almost every local I met across Vancouver Island recommended this place! read more

Stage - The vino - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Great food..great wine..great service! We loved this place. I'm a foodie and this place was impressive.

I have been here a number of times over the years and was disappointed with my visit on Aug 4, 2021. There was no line up unlike the pub across the way and we discovered why as the meal wore on. The menu was extremely limited with one word titles and no details. Menu items were; tomatoes which turned out to be a small bowl of marinated tomatoes, bone marrow which had a large bone but less than a mouthful of marrow, greens which was a small container of lettuce and dressing and the capper which was sardines which was an opened small can of sardines, in the can with the lid removed. When I asked the waiter for some bread to go with it, he seemed surprised. The portions were even smaller than in the past and my dining companion and I had 8 of the items before we were reasonably satiated. Cost with a pre drink each and a bottle of mid range wine was $265 including tip for two. In comparison I had had a much better meal for $160 at the Marina a week later with the same dining companion. read more

This place is ridiculously Goooood!!!! I like their Longos, sablefish & the whole menu lol! I love an amazing cocktail, impressive wine list & yes their martinis are Ridonculous!!! Great ambiance for catching up with BFFS, 1st date or just have a nice dinner! I can't get enough! read more

Good food, good wine, nice ambience, good wait staff. One of the better place I've been in Victoria.

The ambiance is lovely. The service and drinks are fantastic. The charcuterie board was nothing too exciting, but I wouldn't call it "bad". We will return and look forward to trying more on the menu! read more

Such a great little spot! Ambience is fantastic. Service was a bit slow but everything else was top notch. Decent serving size for a Tapas concept. Tried an Arsenic and Lace cocktail just for the name! Awesome place to go before seeing a play across at the Belfry. Looking forward to going back. read more

A cozy but loud place to visit for small plates, Stage is one of my favorite local night spots. Mussels in curry sauce were the best I've had, and the mushrooms are to die for. Pork shoulder could have used a little something, by overall a great place to dine. read more

While visiting Victoria for a conference, I had the fortunate experience of dining at Stage Wine Bar. The owner, Graham, very kindly reserved me a seat at the bar as it was a busy night and I called ahead. I was blown away by the ambience, service and of course, the food. I had the roasted carrot salad with dried fruit and harrisa aioli, which paired perfectly with the Lang Farm Reserve Reisling, followed by mussels in a chipotel and coconut broth. I couldn't resist ordering the pomme frites dusted with piave and parsley to go with the mussels. My only regret was that I was by myself and therefore couldn't try more dishes, including their creme brulee, which I heard from the couple next to me was wonderful. Stage Wine Bar is a culinary gem and I hope to have the opportunity to return one day. read more

Sat at the bar. What a treat. Excellent service, excellent food! You have to try the ravioli. We took our time and didn't feel rushed at all. We were coasting and ordering item by item with great recommendations. I would definitely go back. read more

I love Stage. My only issue is that it's really loud. Regardless, the wine is great and the staff are amazing. I have liked them since they opened and will continue to suggest Stage to friends. read more

Recommended by the desk clerk at our hotel, we're glad we gave it a try. We were looking for a light meal, and this filled the bill. There were 16 wines by the glass from which to choose, and a nice variety of tapas. We'll go again. read more

Stage...just saying the name of this place in my head makes me feel relaxed and excited all at the same time. I remember my first visit. It was at 3 years ago maybe 4. At the time, I disliked the idea of "sharing plates" and I certainly wasn't a wine drinker either. When I arrived I was a bit grumbly that there was a wait to get a table but then something happened to me that I never expected. While I was waiting for a table to become available a server asked if I wanted beer while I was sitting in the wait area. Impressed, it was such a lovely thing to offer. I felt cared for before I even got a table. Then the food arrived. My small minded opinion on sharing plates was forever changed. So much flavor. Everything tasted so fresh. Have I mentioned the staff yet? Everyone was so incredibly nice to me. I feel in love with Stage that very night. That was years ago and I'm still in love with this place. Oh, now I drink wine. This place is awesome. read more

Stage - Glen Carlou - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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I had some high hopes for Stage. They were speaking my language! Terms like "small plates," "fresh, seasonal, local produce," "charcuterie," and - one of my favorites - "wine flights." It didn't take much persuading to convince one of my most foodie friends to join me one Sunday night. The experience wasn't nearly what it could have been. Here's the run down: -Parking was a major pain in the Fernwood area, especially because there was a production going on in the theater next door. -Wine list is chalked up on a blackboard which was impossible to read while sitting next to the wall. I did appreciate the 3oz & 5oz pour options. -Service was negligent and arrogant. Our server acted (and looked) like he had been pulled off of a Prada shoot and forced to work the floor. He never asked how the food was, or if we wanted more wine (which we requested and received as equally as if we'd asked him to polish our shoes). -Cheese plate was excellent - really good choices and value. -Mussells in cilantro coconut sauce were perfect. Although we had to ask AND pay (I recall $4?) for bread...that was cheeky! -Charcuterie plate was highly disappointing. It was reminiscent of something pre-packaged at Costco. -The 50-seat restaurant seemed to have a distinctly older (dare I say, Yuppie?) clientelle. -$90 for this small meal seemed a bit rich for three share plates and four very average 3oz glasses of wine. Would I go back there? Maybe (everyone deserves a second chance). Would I recommend it to anyone? No. read more

A lovely evening out was made even better by some wonderful food, an amazing bottle of wine and a engaged, friendly and informative owner and wait staff. Seriously, how have we never made a true effort to eat here? In the past when we planned for a dinner out we've meandered around the neighbourhood trying to find parking, given up and gone somewhere else. I regret accepting parking defeat too soon --the food, ambiance and staff make it so worthwhile. We were greeted at the door by the owner (I think) who welcomed us in, asking us as he steered us to our table, if we'd ever eaten there before..."No," we said, "And you live in Victoria?," he continued. Sheepishly we admitted the fact. Shortly after being seated he arrived back out table with two small pate covered croustini with slices of poached fig on top. On the house! Our appetite whetted, we shared a bowl mixed olives and crusty bread and started in on the Joie 'PTG' Pinot Noir / Gamay 09 as the Arugula salad with beets, orange segments and goat cheese arrived. We continued with pea rissotto with mint and perserved lemon, Sooke trout with green beans, Lamb merguez with chickpea ragout. Still wanting try more although our appetites were pretty much sated, we finished with Pommes frites, parsley, piave, garlic and lemon aioli. This was the only thing that was not as good as we felt it could have been. Too salty and aioli tasted more like garden variety mayo...no lemon taste. That being said, we ate them all, so they were pretty damn good. We finished with a shared slice of intensely chocolatey cake -Bocca Negra with salted caramel drizzle and seriously the best americano I've had in the coffee crazy town. And it was decaf! As we left the owner came out to the street and asked how we liked it --we raved and promised we'd be back. We mentioned our previous parking problems and he said he hoped we wouldn't let that discourage us from coming again. Really a fantastic place with fantastic food --you deserve it to give Stage a try! read more

What a great experience this place is.... We went on a busy Friday and did not really expect to get a table but were pleasantly surprised when they told us they could sit the two of us right away. No sooner had we sat down than a very nice gentleman (Manager/Owner?) came to our table and greeted us with two complimentary glasses of champagne. Given that this was a first date night in a while for my wife and i this was fantastic and i think she thought at first i had arranged it ;) The food is always delicious and the format of small, share plates lends itself to a great experience. the brussel sprouts are always a must. the sooke trout is delicious as well. I do not usually enjoy trout but this was spectacular. will always go back here read more

The stage is set for bad service! I have been going to this restaurant for a long time, but it seems that doesn't matter if someone else knows the staff better. I went with a friend on a busy Thursday night. The hostess was friendly, said she would check on the status of the tables. She came back to us and informed us there were no tables but there were two seats at the bar. We happily took them. A couple of minutes later the hostess returned and kicked us out of the seats! It seems two ladies who were 25 minutes late for their reservation had arrived and we were to be removed. They seemed to know the staff better than us and I have to assume that factored into the decision to kick us out of our seats after seating us. I emailed the restaurant about it and the manager told me he "hadn't told the hostess they were going to be late" and that the next time I am in he would "buy me a glass of sparkling". The manager did apologize in the email but stood by the decision to remove us from our seats in favour of the late reservation. He can keep his glass of sparkling I won't be pulling my credit card out in Stage any time soon. read more

Food is excellent. Service is perfect. And so very fast before a show at the Belfry. We will definitely return!

Elise gregariously greeted us and the DJ bartender stirred my 80's soul with his music. We ate early since we skipped lunch and were glad we had room for the small plate prawns, the special salad with foraged greens and mushrooms. Loved the beef bavette steak and Grilled Sooke trout! Wine appropriate! Ended with cheese. Great evening and very grateful we spent an evening of our vacation at Stage! read more

What a find! Quiet part of town and every item we had we excelent. Plenty of food to share 3 tapa's between the 2 of us. Excellent, friendly service. Strongly suggested read more

Amazing service, beautiful setting and delicious food. Will definitely visit again and highly recommend!

Yum. This is my new favorite restaurant in Victoria. The food is 5 star delicious! We tried 8 different tapas between three of us and every single one was fantastic. The brussel sprouts were especially delicious. The place is very noisy, it was very difficult to hear each other when the place filled up, but that was my only negative. Our server, i believe her name was Alyssa, was fantastic, she was so knowledgable about everything on the menu and answered all our questions throughly and beyond expectations. I will certainly be back to try more of the menu! read more

Thank you Fiona at Stage for great service - we were in a rush but she was super gracious and helpful. Thank you Stage for the delicious meal. Can't wait until I'm back in Victoria. read more

The server was great and even warned us about the miniscule size of the dishes. The prices are astronomical, unless you think a half cup full of fried mushrooms is worth 8 bucks. Big selection of wine buit most gave our group of 6 a headache. Save your money and walk across the street to the Inn! read more