Good beer, OK food. We had lunch at Swans. Both of us ordered sandwiches (BLT and French dip). The food was OK, nothing special. Had a pint of their IPA, it was delicious. read more

second visit, summer review! Great patio, so breezy and warm :) Staff are nice, I only shared an appy, but the fried pickles were interesting and good. Love the beer here, raspberry is my favourite (packs a punch at 7%!) good spot to watch the harbour and people. Everyone else in my group was really loving the Sunday Caesar special! read more

The Ruben was underdressed and underwhelming. Along side a tomato soup that was both watery and in need of a strainer. The chicken wings come in 13's, which in itself is strange. They were unfortunately also under seasoned. All in all, this meal was mediocre at best. read more

I got the fish and chips with the dark beer flight. The food was great and the beer was cold and tasty. Will be back here the next time I venture into Victoria. read more

Wow, this place had the best breakfast we encountered on our entire vacation. The Eggs Benedict was simply superlative. My wife had their homemade oatmeal (porridge) two days in a row, and she said it was the best she's had in ages. My children loved their pancakes and French toast. I think we ate breakfast three times during our stay in Victoria. It was that good. We also had dinner here one night, and I had one of their German ales, and it was a really nice complement to the Shepherd's Pie I had. The women who served us were just so friendly and attentive; even my wife liked them, and she is picky about female servers, believe me! I want to come back to Victoria because it is a lovely place, and this is where I will be eating all my breakfasts! read more

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A local told us that we should hit Swans for beers before heading back to the escape ferry to Vancouver. Still not convinced if she did it as a joke. I am guessing not, because I see the potential of this mimicking a solid watering hole - but there are just a few things off that make me question if all it does is mimic. The beer was decent enough, available in glass, sleeve, pint. The food, a bit bland. The service... Unfair to judge because I think we got off on the wrong foot with her because we were being goofy (but not so much that an otherwise cool server wouldn't have just rolled with it) Yeah, probably not a joke - just not my speed, Victoria read more

Fun atmosphere -- Great food -- Excellent people watching Dropped in on a cold and miserable night and enjoyed the experience. The food was delightful and the portions VERY generous, which means our group over-ordered and over-ate. We had the sweet potato chips and queso dip as appetizers -- we should have just ordered one, but both were delicious. Entrees included the veggie wraps (with onion rings), burger, and halibut. All were delicious. It was a great place to sit and talk and watch people hurry past to get out of the brutal cold. Our server was efficient, attentive, and allowed us to savor our food and linger over the drinks. read more

We stayed two nights at the Swan's Hotel - so we ate at the restaurant once and had room service twice. We ate lunch at the restaurant. We sat on the enclosed patio which was just perfect. Beautiful. Also, when you check into the hotel, each person gets a voucher for a free beer sampler. They brew their own beer, I guess. I'm not a beer drinker so I didn't care about it. But, I found out you could also use the voucher for a root beer sample - so I got that. And, boy, was I HOOKED! Root beer is never my soda of choice - but this was AMAZING! That is THE best root beer I've ever tasted! It was so smooth and kind of thick and just delicious! The food I had was excellent. At lunch, I had fried pickles (INCREDIBLE!!!) and salmon chowder with a BLT. The salmon chowder was really good. I thought it was going to be too fishy because it had a strong fishy smell - but it turned out to be very flavorful. The BLT was also good. A ton of bacon - thick cut - and well done like I had ordered it. It was a tremendous lunch. My only complaint is that I ordered a soft drink (this was before I tried the root beer) and they don't do free refills. Everywhere does free refills! And, for what they charge for sodas - they are making a ridiculous amount of money on the mark-up, there's no reason they can't do free refills! The second time we ate here, we had room service. The food arrived much faster than we even expected and it was still hot. I had the Swan Song burger - which is a burger with cheddar, mushrooms, broiled onions and fried banana peppers. I'm not even sure I LIKE banana peppers! But - that burger was DELICIOUS! What a weird combination but it all worked! The banana peppers weren't spicy - it was just right. The fries were just okay - they won't win any awards. The third time was room service again - I got a root beer float. The root beer was amazing, again. But, it was one little itty bitty scoop of ice cream. For $6.50 - that was way overpriced. The ice cream was good - but there needs to be more of it. Of course, that did mean I got more root beer so I couldn't complain too much because that root beer is exceptional. So - overall - I would recommend this restaurant even if you aren't staying at the hotel. For the most part, the food was excellent and the root beer is not to be missed - try a sampler first to see if you like it. I'd give this restaurant 5 stars if they change their refill policy. I'll return here when I visit Victoria again - even if I"m not staying at the hotel. read more

Since our dinner plans at The Empress Hotel fell though, we needed to find a different place to park ourselves for a few hours. A quick scan of Yelp Mobile led us to Swans. I had the generously poured six beer sampler and the wife had the fish and chips with an arctic ale. This a pretty cool spot. Good chow good music and craft beer. Who could ask for more? Well, I could. The beer here was good, not great. However, I did really enjoy the pale ale. Definitely worth a stop in here bot don't expect the beers to knock your socks off. read more

Really great micro beer. I suggest getting the beer sampler. The halibut and chips was really good as well. A must stop in Victoria. read more

By far some of the worst food I've ever had. Calamari smelled off and was so chewy it was like eating a tire. And $5 for the smallest side of guacamole. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. I bet I could go in the kitchen and make a better meal than all of those "chefs" there Let's stick to the hotel business not the food business. read more

Stopped by for a drink. Nice decor. Cute waitresses. Comfortable seating. I had their summer special salad and it was different and tasty. A live band started playing at 9pm that night. read more

Had a most wonderful breakfast here. A friend highly recommended the Eggs Benedict and it was divine. It was perfect simplicity. I would have bought a jar of the sauce to take home if I could. The egg was very fresh, poached perfectly and not watery. The canadian bacon and muffin were good as well. All together they sang the perfect harmony. The potatoes were fried nicely and were not greasy. The even split the plate for us and did not charge extra for that. read more

OK Bob, we've never met, but I'm told you're the chef responsible for the braised beef shank. First off let me say that I'm a shank fan. It is an under appreciated bit of meat. But what you did to it was nothing less than spectacular. The fennel and Mint on top was a wonderful addition. The sauce is the stuff of dreams. Amazing! Easily one of the best things I've eaten in my life. read more

This was amazing food and amazing service staff are so nice if you had requests like to like take something out of the food they would be so nice about it read more

If I could, I'd add half a star to my three. We had a very nice experience here after completing one of the downtown ghost tours. There is an inviting glassed-in seating area that pretty much sealed the deal for us as we searched for food. Inside the main room, a live band was inciting much (loud) merriment and dancing, but our seats in the glassed-in area allowed us to appreciate it on more of a background level while also enjoying the people-watching along the street. Being from beer-centric Portland, I always appreciate trying local beers where I can (though I can't claim a very knowledgeable palate). The brew I had here was perfectly refreshing (the Arctic something or other). Food selections covered your standard alehouse grub - I enjoyed a decently executed french dip sandwich, and enjoyed even more so taking a bite from the boyfriend's pulled pork sandwich, which had an apple slaw on it that provided a nice twist. All in all, there's nothing completely "wow" about this place, but it was a comfortable spot to kick back, try some local beer, and be fed well at a reasonable price. If I return to Vic, I'd happily return here. read more

YUM. The service was good but the food was better! My hubby had the duck burger and I had the club. We both ordered micro brews. We liked ALL of it :) Sat in the sunroom on a chilly but beautiful day and we were warm and cozy. A great spot for lunch. From the sun room we had good views of the goings on and the pub is conveniently located if you're looking for a place to stop while seeing sites in downtown Vic. read more

My experience was great here. Got a decent deal at the hotel then had a couple ciders in the pub (which were great). The fries with cheese and gravy were great as the wings were too. Nothing fancy with apps, but checking around. The entrees looked tasty and well prepared. Hearing other ppl around the pub, the beer is well received also. Which they brew on site. I'll be back if paths cross again. read more

Swans Pub - Cool, maritime/English interior. - Pubs Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Enjoyed our appies , main course and dessert. Really good food and our server was awesome as well. She was very patient and was good with all the tables and customers. A must place to visit if in Victoria read more

Swans Pub - Pubs Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Good brews and food. A place I would definitely do a repeat at in my travels. Nice courteous waitstaff

Guys. Get the Hot Drums on happy hour. Beers: Earl Grey IPA tastes disturbingly like someone dipped a tea bag in an IPA, in a very good way. We ordered this as a risk during happy hour and we were not disappointed. Guilty Pleasure Raspberry Blonde is super good. It's about as close to a sour as you can find without being an official sour. read more

Friendly and patient staff and good beer selection. Whenever my partner and I are in Victoria we love to go to here. They are very accommodating for large groups Only downfall is the music is a little too loud and it can make cross-table conversation difficult. read more

A cute old school restaurant in downtown Victoria. We enjoyed the drinks and split a seafood chowder soup. The service was fine but nothing special, the server was just always quick and running around,didn't spend time talking or anything. The covered patio (atrium) was nice. . Overall it was just an ok place to grab a quick drink. read more

Just trying to enjoy a beer and a bit of food before going to a movie, and I get to listen to some jerk back in the kitchen yelling and swearing at his employees. read more

The best fish and chips I have had in Victoria, beer battered halibut. Great service, amazing beers. My guest had a duck burger which was really tasty although I am not a fan of brie which is was topped with. Our server was amazing A+ lunch stop read more

Well what a day let's say. My friend and I are on vacation in Victoria and on our way to chinatown. While on the scooter I got viciously attacked by a flock of seagulls and then crashed. We came in to use the restroom to clean it up and we sat at the bar and asked for ice and a beer but what we ended up getting was much more than that. Chase the amazing bartender was very attentive and got me the help I needed! The front desk clerk Lucas came out and greeted us with a first aid kit and tended to my wound on my hand and ensured I had ice for the swelling. This is a rare thing to see customer service employees have compassion for their customers. The restroom was clean. The bar was nice and well equipped and by god the beer was amazing !!!! Thanks for everything- damsel in distress ! read more

We really enjoyed ourselves. We had burgers and they were small and the calamari was very good and wine as well. The service was excellent. read more

Service was terrible we ordered a couple of beers and then waited forever for a check. Not quite organized or efficient.

Good ambiance, plenty of seating, and food was alright, beer is descent. I wish the menu was a bit more interesting.

What has happened to this place! This was a restaurant that we frequented weekly when first moving to Victoria. Nowadays it would be twice a year. After last Friday's experience I can safely say that I will no longer be giving Swan's another chance. When we first moved to Victoria twelve years ago, Swan's was our favourite pub but over the past few years it has continued to disappoint. The waitresses sections are obviously too much for them to handle. You would think on a busy Friday night, management would staff it properly. We waited 15 minutes before even acknowledged. This is usually the foreshadowing of a less than stellar experience. The menu is now so small you'd expect some really delicious dishes but now it's like no one cares about the dining experience. Our food arrived and was meh ... The smoked salmon pizza was badly conceived, overcooked and made of poor quality ingredients. Poor value for money. There are much better eating/drinking establishments downtown who really care about the experience. I'll be going to the Bard & Banker or Irish Times for my pub experience from now on. read more

Service, service, service...when the lunch crowd is over it should be expected that the service be phenomenal. 'twas not today. Fetched the menus for my friend and I, myself. My feet, had I been alone, would have bolted out the door. It's that awkward "Should we stay, or go somewhere else for lunch?" conversation that can end so terribly wrong when the service looks at you with sad, please stay eyes. Swan's today is why I got into this whole Yelp thing. I am so very tired of sub-par service. The food, however was just okay. Nothing screamed come back. "Meh, I've experienced better" star rating is totally fitting, because it's true, sorry, but being a downtown staple will not convince me to return anytime soon. read more

The prawns are good and so are the beer. Staff is nice too. However the decor is a bit dated but of course you are in Victoria and that's what you go there for. read more

I'd been sitting at the bar for about an hour, ordered a couple beer, chatted with the bartender she was an inport from Calgary. I decided to go for a smoke. I got the bartenders attention and told her where I was going and left my keys next to my bottle of beer, a gesture that I was intending to return. I was gone a total of 10 minutes tops . In that time someone else took my seat. The bar was not busy. When I asked the person where my drink was I was told the bartender moved you so we could have these seats. TOTALLY FUCKING UNCOOL. Perhaps the inport from Calgary should try something more to here skill level. I'm thinking fry cook at McDonald's. read more

Terrible and very rude service... won't return anytime soon. Aquiring some ppl skills would help this business alot. Although the rock bands were cool. read more

I'm assuming this is for the shop on the side of the hotel that sells pretty much every Swans beer they have on tap in the Brew Pub. If so, don't miss it. We bought 6 20 oz bottles to bring back with us we liked the brew so much. Overall the beer is very good with a couple that were really outstanding. The Raspberry Ale is very good. I normally don't like fruity beers and hate ciders, but this one actually tastes like beer with fruit instead of some bastard child of an apple and a King Cobra. They also seem to have all of their seasonals or special runs in there. We bought two bottles of the Coconut Porter that they had that was also extremely good. So good in fact, that out of the 3 bottles we were going to use as gifts, we actually only gave one away. read more

Classic Swan's opening up a new room -- and with that comes an opportunity! With two spaces - they could be one of the first pubs to offer a quiet space for conversation - with lower levels of BG music. Swan's has great ambience, fine beer -- but in recent months it's gotten louder. So -- here's an opportunity! read more

Food is mediocre at best, boring beer list, too expensive and worst of all they stopped supporting the local musicians who used to play each night. A poor decision and one that lost them mine and my friends' business. read more

I had breakfast here with my wife and youngest son today. It was tasty, but the waitress got my order wrong. Also, be aware that while they allow children they don't have a kid's menu. The beer jelly doesn't spread well and tastes funky (not in a good way). Also, WTF is up with putting green onions on pancakes. Breakfast for the three of us cost the same as it does to feed six of us at Hideaway. The art is lovely, but we won't be back for breakfast. read more

Okay, so we're tourists, but don't treat us like we have some kind of disease; we're infusing $$ into your economy! But oh...the attitude and the service from the server was deplorable! It really took EVERYTHING away from the entire experience of the food, drink and atmosphere. We arrived mid-afternoon, and the place was not very busy. The server was cold and impatient with us when we asked questions about the various microbrews available. She threw down the plates of our food order and slammed down the glasses of the sampler. Ugh! It's a pitty that we'll never step foot in this place again because the food and brew are actually above par. read more

In terms of food and service, it is much below average. Great ambience though. We ordered Asian stir fry and chicken thai curry. These were not even close to how they are supposed to be. Portions are small and not filling. And the service is not polite.... V even had to ask for refill of water and our cutlery. read more