This Is one of the best restaurants I have been to in nanaimo. The decor is awesome. The couches…read moremake me feel at home. The service is the best I have ever had. Yes the menu is huge, but it's a good read! Paul was amazing, instead of picking off the menu he just asked what kind of meat I wanted and he did the rest. The kangaroo was amazing! Everything was so well prepared! Tip: try the Pharaoh cocktail, sooo good. Also I don't like coffee but when I have it it's with cream and sugar.....stay for coffee at the end of your meal, with no milk, it's a blend of 3 different beans and it's so yummy! The previous review on this place should be erased... How can you even put a review on a place you didn't even go into, live a little! yes the menu is intimidating but Paul makes it easy. Try it, u won't regret it!

This is by far the WORST restaurant I have ever been to. Allow me to recount …read more.. My friend took me here because she had been told by a few people that it was a Nanaimo gem. We walked into the 'restaurant' and were immediately greeted by an unpleasant odor. The room was decorated with both office furniture and mismatched sofas from the 80's. We were a little surprised, but decided to take an office chair by the window. Paul (the owner) greeted us and gave us some plastic menus as well as a few copies of his poetry books to browse. In between fits of giggles, we couldn't help but notice that the entire room was covered in dust, dirt and food particles (some of which I had to wipe off my seat before taking it). We sort of shrugged and thought 'well maybe it's one of those quirky places that are slightly sketchy but serve the most amazing food' ... Paul insisted that we choose a meat; lamb, chicken, beef or pork, and he would make us a special curried dinner. He brought over glasses of ice water crusted with food particles, some of which floated amongst the ice cubes and our glasses of wine, also sprinkled with a few complimentary crumbs. We managed to fish out most of the debris and take a few sips when our food came. My underdone and very pink lamb swam in a pool of watery instant rice while my friends' beef took some serious elbow grease to cut through and even more to chew. The veggies were covered in jarred salsa and peppered with a generic italian seasoning mix. After peeling off the VEGGIE STICKER from my yam and taking a few tentative bites, I decided to switch and try the noodles. Rice and noodles!? Yup. They were covered in this strange mayo, peanut, mustard sauce and totally inedible. There were but two choices: RUN or, ask if we could have our bill, gently explain that the food was abysmal and leave. We chose the latter and after still being charged $30 (my friend is a very kind person and paid as I opened my mouth to say we weren't paying a cent) we RAN!! I would like the epilogue this novel by saying that I do know what I am talking about, food-wise. Seven years in the service industry will do that, and although I can be a bit food snobby, I love to experience new and interesting food, even if the atmosphere is a little grotty. This was scary. Avoid at ALL costs

Just went to the bar for some drinks and listen to some live music. Had 3 different whiskey drinks…read more Bartender, wish I remembered his name, nice dude, recommended the Winters Calling. Love it. Then had a Whiskey Sour and finally The Grand Desire. Nothing came close to that Winters Calling though. Very unique drink. Also got to sit and listen to some of the most angelic voices I've heard in a long time. It was a nice, chill place where I could escape for a bit. Definite highlight on my trip from Seattle.

The Pacific Lounge is a great place to meet friends and coworkers near the heart of Victoria. The…read morelounge is replete with tons of cozy loungers and is illuminated as such that u may carry on discrete conversations while enjoying a beer or single malt. Despite the convenience of this being primarily a hotel bar, I would recommend this for locals seeking a waypoint as they make their way to the abundant local culture - be it the parliament building, bay, or BC museum.

I had come here a a few years ago with a few people. We were probably about 5 people…read more I really like the layout of the place. Very beautiful and clean. However, I wasn't a fan of the service. The staff were rude and we were forced to order an extra hookah that we didn't want (as one person wasn't gonna smoke) just because they had a rule that it was 1 hookah for every 2 people. Plus it wasn't exactly low cost either and the extra hookah we got wasn't that great.

The place is clean , hookah is good, Outdoor is available…read more Friendly staff Clean wash room

Gosh, I am not sure how to go here with our experience. As far as the Bayside goes there were good…read morethings, a few not so good, and maybe one or two real head scratchers. The signage to even find the place in the dark on foot (we walked from a neighbouring hotel) and by car could be better. Once there, plenty of parking (mental note) and a welcoming entrance. Our server was funny and engaging, but perhaps a little flippant. He also had to go back into the kitchen numerous times to check if they had things that were on the menu. They make gyoza in house, and it is one of my favourites. 6 PM reservation and they are out already with barely a soul in the place. Our beverages were pretty good, so we soldiered on at ordered our entrees one grilled halibut, one seafood pasta and two bbq ribs. Once the food arrived I was surprised at how small the halibut was given the price. That was nothing in comparison to the two that ordered the baby back ribs. Normally they fall off the bone when the professionals cook them, not this time. It was fork and knife time to get them off the bone which is totally wrong. I could go on, but you get the idea. I doubt we'd come back. Shame to have a place on the water and then serve food like that.

We recently stayed at the Bayside and truly appreciated the ability to bring Pippi, an elder…read moreChihuahua/Doxie mix! They were very accommodating providing dog bed, bowls and a welcome gift which included house made dog cookies! Prior to our arrival, Shannon called to alert us to the fact that their onsite restaurant would be closed Christmas Day and that she had sent a listing of local establishments that would be open (which we were truly thankful for!) We truly enjoyed the views (spectacular mind you!) and their courteous nature! Rooms were comfy and spacious and the cafe and restaurant were equally satisfying! Housekeeping was highly attentive and the in room amenities were well-selected! The staff of the Bayside are some of the best - kind, attentive and truly responsive! The only negatives worth noting were the lack of "puppy potty locations" most (located to the back of the parking area) were muddy and not very accommodating and the staff in the cafe were unfamiliar with certain style lattes (which will come over time) other than this, great stay, truly affordable and appreciated by all of our family!

TL;DR: A worthwhile cocktail bar with the right mood and…read moresolid execution. Setting your expectations correctly is key here. Drinks: We had four cocktails between the two of us. All were good and well made, but a couple felt slightly out of balance, keeping them from hitting the excellent tier. Service: Attentive, professional, and engaged. The bartender knew what they were doing and kept things moving smoothly. Vibe: Dark, old-school, and moody in the best way. You quickly forget you're in a hotel once inside. Comfortable and easy to settle into. What could be better: Tighter balance and consistency in the cocktails. A small refinement would make a noticeable difference here.

A cozy cocktail bar with great drinks and appetizers. The service was outstanding. We enjoyed the…read moreSpanish Croquettes with a Cottage and a Negroni.

Got a little thirsty so decided to drop by at the lounge. I ordered the Fruit Shrub which consists…read moreof seasonal fruit, sugar, vinegar and soda. Very refreshing. Very courteous service and a lovely place to rest my feet after the museum.

We love coming here every time we come to the island. Which has been a few times a month these last…read moreseveral months! We love sitting on the couch by the fire or in the lounge by the windows overlooking the bay. I love the appetizers...especially the oysters and the lettuce wraps. They also have a couple of lively barrel aged beverages. They normally have a barrel aged Manhattan (The Manhattan project) and a barrel aged Sazerac. So good! The burger is great too. Juicy and delicious. Also the steak salad. Really good! Have a great time and tell them Tim sent ya! ;)

Stopped by Karma Lounge since it's connected to the Paradox Hotel. I used my hotel welcome voucher,…read morekicked it at the bar grabbed a drink, and watched a soccer match before I headed out to dinner. The bartender stayed busy the entire time I was there. He did his job, but he wasn't the friendliest/warmest. The lounge itself was the highlight for me. It's trendy without being over the top and the bar area is really nice, There are plenty of TVs for catching a game, and there are enough seating options to tuck yourself away in a corner if that's more your vibe. Overall, I enjoyed it and would stop in again the next time I'm staying at the Paradox.

A self proclaimed celeb hangout…read more A modern sophisticated decor and layout. It is comfortable to dress to impress here. Waitress was cordial but nothing more than taking the order then disappeared. Burrata & beets had no beets. Instead were raspberries which is not the same. A cool spot to have a few drinks with friends.