Came with certain expectations based on reviews, the menu, and GF options. Blown away by the flavors, the variety, the ambiance, and the helpful and friendly staff and management. What may have been a neat miss at another restaurant became a fabulous surprise when a wrong menu was left out - our group ordered expecting a Cubano sandwich, but received the best gluten free sourdough GCB sandwich ever. A must visit for us any time we're back in Victoria. read more

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The Drake Eatery is located in a beautiful 19th century building in the heart of downtown Victoria. I have eaten here a few times always a great experience, great place for a few cheeky afternoon pints, the atmosphere is always immaculate. The food is really good the roasted brie sandwich was delicious with fresh and bold flavours. Highly recommend the cookies too nice balance of sweet and salty quite an amazing place highly recommend read more

The Drake Eatery - The earl grey chocolate chip cookie - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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A bar with a pickle jar. I'm in. This was my second time at The Drake, the first was just for beers with my mom and this time for lunch with my hubby. I got a giant pickle from their jar on the bar. The bartender asked if I wanted brine with my pickle and I was overjoyed. He served it to me in a beer mug with a fork lol. He gets me. I also got a German Pilsner from Four Winds which was perfect for the meal I had. I ordered The Kafka-esque hot dog and omg one of my fave dogs I've ever had!! Plus it came with a pickle spear. This hot dog tho, it was on a super fresh chubby bun almost like a Portuguese style with curry mustard, Dijon and caramelized onions and cheese infused in the dog. It was so damn good I wanna go back and get it again asap!! read more

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Stopped in here and was not disappointed. The ube 4x was amazing. Ben was also an excellent host and gave us some great recommendations. Really chill environment with ample indoor and outdoor seating and a great area. The pickles are also worthy of your time. read more

Hidden gem! Amazing place that has a wonderful staff! If you're vegetarian or vegan this place is a dream come true! With many vegan options, a wonderfully curated selection of drinks and welcoming atmosphere, you'll want to keep coming back for more. read more

The Drake Eatery - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Food was very good, good quality and quantity. Heather was our server and managed to wait on tables and provide beverage service at the same time. Was a positive experience on our trip to Victoria. read more

Following signs to craft beer and attempting to scythe bitter cold I found this spot. They offer a huge selection of local beers as seen and I had four. Wild sour dragonfruit & mango sour ale - 5.5 % - Destihl, Normal, IL - a light refreshing taste. Not too sour with an excellent fruitiness. Incredible pulp blood orange Ale - 6.1% - Boneyard (Bend, OR) a lovely orange ale. Tasty. Funk adjacent IPA - 6.5%- Phillips- local brewery in fan tan alley- this was my least , too hoppy, but a good IPA at a decent percentage for a good beer buzz that Sheryl Crow would appreciate. Nocturnal Portal choco/rasp/scone Porter (nitro)-6%, Small Gods (Sidney, BC) delicious!! My favorite of the flight. Perfect chocolate raspberry flavor and oh so good. The pretzel was made in house with homemade yellow mustard. A perfect soft pretzel with the right amount of salt served my favorite mustard. Yellow. I've never had chef made yellow mustard and it did not disappoint. I would licked the plate if I was eating at home, but nope, behaved myself today. Friendly local vibe with music playing. Gender friendly clean bathrooms too. Worth the stop by. read more

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The Drake is clearly the best spot in Victoria for craft beer and rivals The Alibi Room / The Magnet for best in BC. There's no disputing that. If I were to rate this just for the beer, it'd be a 5. But I use Yelp for food and the food was disappointing, mostly in terms of portion / value. They have a few vegan options, including one main -- a lentil chickpea bowl ($16 plus tax). The bowl is tiny, coming with a paucity of lentils and chickpeas, 3 pieces of grilled zucchini and some greens. This was an insulting portion, though it was tasty in its infinitesimal size. I'll never eat here again if this is representative of the crappy portions they serve. Go here for the beer, not the food. I had to go to Virtuous Pie down the street for a pizza after. read more

The Drake Eatery - Nootka rose lentil bowl (vegan) - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Really good food, great beers, excellent service! We brought our dog, sat in the back under a heater (minimal wind!) and had a great time! Outdoor seats: 8/10, picnic tables against a wall, so you can lean against a wall if you want a back. 10/10 bathrooms, gendered and ungendered. Would def go back! read more

The Drake Eatery - Great outdoor seating with our dog and under a heat lamp! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

I really liked this place. It's beautiful inside, yet comfortable and casual (you order at the bar and they deliver to the table). It's a beer lover's paradise. The menu wasn't huge but I had one of the best beef sandwiches I've ever had with a huge cookie for a side and despite it being a beer place, I still managed to get a pot of tea. The staff were great. read more

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We walked in after missing a restaurant closing. The staff are lovely. The menu is small but everything sounded delicious. We ended up ordering the meat board, cheese board, and the cheese & stout dip. The restaurant uses a lot of local ingredients and everything we had was great. I got to pay right at the time of ordering so it made it really convenient when I suddenly had to dash for a show. We aren't drinkers so we couldn't comment on the alcohol but everyone seemed to be having a good time. I would definitely go again. read more

The Drake Eatery - Meat board, cheese board, and cheese & stout dip. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We found this spot because of how convenient it was to our hostel. You walk in, order at the counter, and then seat yourself. They will bring your food and drink to you. We tried Le Belle and Merle from Powell in BC and a grilled cheese with brie and raspberry salsa. The food was a delightful combination of flavors and just enough for two people to share as a snack. The service was okay.The bartender was helpful when we were trying to pick out drinks. However, the server was only okay; nothing special. The overall vibe of the bar was a chill place to go after work. read more

The Drake Eatery - Grilled cheese with brie and raspberry salsa - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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We stopped in the Drake for drinks and a snack while exploring Victoria. We loved the super cool vibe. The service was friendly and top notch. We ordered the lemon hummus, it was so bright tasting and delicious!! It was such a great place to sit and relax! read more

The Drake Eatery - Lemon hummus - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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The Drake was recommended to us by a staff member at one of the area breweries, and I am sure that recommendation was made based on the unusual and hard-to-find draft beer selections they bring to the table. On our visit in August 2022, they did have a partial tap takeover from a very good US Pacific Northwest brewery. The other draft options were pretty amazing as well. I would give them a '5' on the beer selections. It was rather late in the evening, and our options for getting dinner were dwindling. We decided on the Drake, and right away noticed a somewhat difficult and small menu. I'm Pescatarian, so that made it even more difficult. My wife was frustrated enough that she couldn't find anything, and just opted for a basic small salad. I decided to try the Raw Albacore Tuna Tacos, and I was fairly disappointed in them. Best I can explain it was just that they were pretty bland. They were also served on some really earthy soft street tacos that seem to have been whole grain corn or something like that. That was not appealing, honestly. I always hate to give mediocre reviews, especially as restaurants are digging out of big hole from COVID. However, this was just not the best experience. We had someone seat us at an outdoor table in the big courtyard area, then completely fail to tell us that all orders are placed at the bar. Took us a bit to figure that out, which made the visit even more frustrating. As with anything I would still go back and give them another chance when we return to Victoria. read more

The best service I've received in Victoria. The servers are so accommodating. The food was very fresh and delicious.

Excellent craft beer choices. Didn't eat because we had a dinner reservation elsewhere but the smell of the rotisserie chicken or ribs made us question where we should have gone for dinner! Not just a place to drink beer! read more

We recently featured The Drake Eatery on Best Of 604 and really enjoyed the vibe here. Their must try is... wait for it... the beer nuts. They are SOOOO goood. Sweet, warm, and salty. The vibe is awesome, everyone is distanced inside and there's plenty of options outside. You can sit in their upstairs patio or go into the market into their beer garden. Great spot for people watching for sure. They serve Pacific Northwest Brews and other non-alcoholic drinks as well as tapas. Can't wait to go back there the next time we visit. read more

Wow!!!! Amazing people, great service, great beer and food! This is one of those little places that you discover by mistake and never want to leave! Super friendly and great recommendations. You can't go wrong with the chicken sandwich, meatball sandwich and rosemary potatoes. read more

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This was surprisingly good. I was grumpy because every other place was booked out and I was hungry. We got seated right away and there were healthy options. I reccomend specifically the delicata tacos. read more

Definitely one of my favorites parts about visiting Victoria! Great service and excellent food I will be back here next time I'm in town!! Fall off the bone ribs and just the whole environment was perfect!! read more

The Drake Eatery - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

This local bar was close to my airbnb rental in Victoria, Canada, and is part of the renovated Market. Great beer list, although not as many beers on tap as Irish Times or other places nearby. The bartender was GREAT. Good recommendations, fast service, and eager to explain the history of the building, the area, and even the name "The Drake". They have kept the antique 1800s industrial look inside, with exposed brick and lots of lumber. In addition to their beers, they make or sell local Kombucha, which is hard to find in some quarters. It's good for you, and also has a little alcohol as well. The grilled cheese with kimchi is what I had and truly fuses or blends the best of both foods - the grilled cheese was fresh, creamy and crispy, and the kimchi had a great dose of flavor. It's also good for you. Overall, definitely worth a visit. This hit all the decor, service, and food and drink qualifications for a five star place. read more

The Drake Eatery - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Excellent beer selection and service! My mum and I went here shortly after checking into our nearby Airbnb and we're very glad we did! We were pretty ravenous after traveling all day but also didn't want to spoil our appetite for dinner, so we shared the warm cheese & stout dip, which really hit the spot. However the flavour is very strong, so I'd recommend sharing it as an app for 3-4 people. Great beer selection so we both got tester flights. Really appreciated how they bring a little list of which beers you have in your flight :) read more

The Drake Eatery - Beer tester flights at the bar! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

When my chicken sandwich arrived at the table the top half of one of my sandwiches fell off when the server was putting down one of my sisters meals. No worries, mistakes happen. The server apologized and picked up the top half that fell and said he would be right back with another. I didn't have a problem with that because it gave me time to eat my first half (which was delicious I might add, even eating the bottom half was worth it). After a short while my family and I were surprised that rather than bring us just another half of a sandwich they gave us a whole order, a full chicken sandwich and dill spears on the side. This lovely service and the excellent feel of the bar and patio seating makes this place a great place to eat lunch of a nice sunny day. read more

The Drake Eatery - Chicken Sandwich - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

The service here is incredible. Every single person in this place is a delight. A DELIGHT. They have a lovely selection of beers if you're into that, and some wine choices if you're not. I haven't tried any other menu items, my attention was on alcohol! The people who work here though... they are NAILING customer service. read more

What a fun spot! Came in with friends on a busy saturday afternoon. The place has great bubbly atmosphere, nicely decorated and plenty of beer options. I tried the mustard and pretzel and it was delicious. Nice people working here, excellent location. I will add it to my must stop in while in Victoria list! :) read more

Wandering around town one sunny day recently friends and I decided we needed a break. We sat outside at the Drake, had good beer and I ate a great pretzel which had just the right amount of salt. Perfect afternoon spot. read more

No shots, no hockey, and no Molson. A lovely reprieve from the noisy and ordinary. Fantastic craft beer selection devoid of any Pacific Northwest cliches. The menu includes fun items like pretzels, espresso chocolate chip cookies, and lentil sliders (all highly recommended). The location is fantastic, and I love how The Drake connects Pandora to the inner courtyard. read more

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Come to the Drake. We only got a pretzel for a snack with our beers but drooled over the sandwiches, especially the bratwurst that the people next to us ordered. Excellent beer list. Excellent bar tenders (you order all stuff at the bar). It's a must. read more

Pretty cool place overall. Solid spot for some beers, as they had a lovely selection of both local and Canada wide craft brewed beers to choose from (including some impressive Quebec sours). Service wise, there is no table service and you have to go in and order from the bar which almost created an issue of someone trying to scam our patio seats. Admittedly the patio is pretty cute although communal tables and lacking shade. Food menu is also somewhat limited, but we had the "dip trio" and they were decent. read more

A bit over priced, don't drink the Aged beer.. it tasted like it's been expired for ages lol

Everything after the friendly host was a disappointment. Arrived for what I thought wasn't too late a dinner at 9:00 p.m. but apparently that's really late for this place. It is bar service only which is fine but you hold my credit card? How old are we here? Ordered a pair of sandwiches which sounded innovative on the menu but arrive looking like they'd been cooked sometime around six o'clock and slapped into a microwave. Final baffling piece was the barmaid who snorted when I punched in for no tip on the bill. Who in the heck am I tipping? I served myself. A wasted opportunity for a night out in Victoria read more

Didn't even eat/drink here. The female bartender was so rude to us on Saturday evening 9/11. We sat down and she gave us an attitude on where we sat when the hostess told us to sit there. Then when we ordered beer she told us that the beer we ordered was only available in the beer garden, which wasn't true based on the menu and didn't care to explain further. Maybe she was having a bad day but when you're at work you leave that shit home. read more

When I want a well poured pint of something I know I will enjoy, the Drake is where I come. It is also the spot of choice for when my kids want to go out for lunch with me. It is so great to have a spot that you can bring kids to and have a really great beer. The beer list is always well curated and isn't just a mishmash of as many beers as they can put on tap like some other spots in Victoria ( The Churchill comes to mind). The food also doesn't play second fiddle to the beer. They have a solid selection of dishes that are made for eating with beer. The kimchi grilled cheese is a perfect example of this. Well, after writing this I find myself feeling thirsty and a bit peckish. I am going to wander over to the Drake now. read more

Dig it. Small plates. Uh MAZING breads. Recommend the smoked tuna toast, the grilled cheese and kimchi is bangin. Homney had the roast beef sammy and her eyes rolles back in her head. Great selections of local and regional beers. No booze. Worth a stop on the way. read more

Hometown feel to this place. No table service but that adds to the appeal and vibe. Order your food from the bar. Menu has lots of options and has something for everyone. Local favorite it seemed. Definately hit this place if you are staying downtown and want a no fuss quick and tasty meal....oh did I mention the beer? ...goes without saying....huge selection. Cant go wrong at this place. read more

The Drake Eatery - Drake! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Great stop for a delicious bite and a vast beer selection! The people seem friendly and the place has a fun and light vibe. Happy we stopped in for a break! Even looks like a good spot to play a quick board game. read more

The Drake Eatery - Great selection of beer and even kombucha! - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

This is a cool bar! The atmosphere is chill and hip! They've got a great selection of craft beer and only craft beer ( you can order a glass of wine- but that's it!) You pay at the bar and then sit, so don't sit down and wait for someone to come like I did oops! If your hungry, try their food, it's actually very tasty. read more

The Drake Eatery - Smoked salmon toast - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Cool place off market square stores. Front on pandora but neat patio off back in market square with lights overhead and taps outside too. Love the interior tables, brick wall and painted wood corbels on walls. Cool old building. Awesome dark beers and aged ones! Sweet staff! My favorite of trip yet! read more

The Drake Eatery - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Food was ok. Steak sandwich was dry, pretzel was good , dip with pretzel was very good. Grilled cheese was boring. Mushroom toast was delicious. Great place to chill with friends to have a drink. Super chill vibe , open, spacious. One of Servers was not too friendly. read more

The highlight here was the pretzel (delicious) and it went downhill from here. We wanted some wine and you would think there might be some options other than beer. Unfortunately our only selection was just one bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, which was forgettable. It's just to bad that you can't find a restaurant or bar with with a decent selection of wine in downtown Victoria. I guess if you like beer this is one of the places to go. Not us. read more