Discovering another gem in downtown Nanaimo Modern café is nestled in a heritage site built in 1910. They bring a fresh twist to classic comfort food using locally sourced ingredients. We stopped by for brunch and indulged in the Modern Acai Berry Bowl ($16) and the Modern Breakfast ($18). Whether you're in the mood for brunch, lunch, or dinner, this all-day dining lounge has something for everyone. Don't miss out on this unique spot! The Modern Cafe 221 Commercial St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5GB 11:30-9pm (open till 10 on weekends) Food Parking 4.5/5 Service 4/5 Ambiance 5/5 read more

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I was visiting Nanaimo for the first time and had brunch here with a large group, it wasn't super busy and I appreciated the service. I thought it was a decent brunch place however felt that the dish was a bit heavy -- big portion though. The duck while there was a decent amount in the hash, didn't have anything special to it and tasted like a regular pulled meat. I did like the addition of pineapple as that was something I hadn't seen before and the potatoes were pretty good! Overall, for the price point ($26), it's definitely not a go-to for me if I lived in the area however it's a nice spot to visit if you're on the island for a getaway. read more

The Modern Cafe - Modern Hash - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

This restaurant was great. I had the sticky pork egg Benedict and it was wonderful. Would recommend heartily. The server was nice too. Looks pretty nice as well. read more

Calamari was excellent. The BBQ sauce was a nice twist. Serving size was perfect for lunch. read more

The Modern Cafe - Korean BBQ squid - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

Pretty good for dinner! On a Thursday evening, The Modern wasn't very busy. The interior had exposed brick walls, some cool art pieces, and plenty of seating. For drinks, I ordered a mocktail that I can't find the name of now, but it was floral and refreshing - really good! For food, I chose the BBQ Duck Flatbread and my boyfriend got the Roasted Halibut Special. The BBQ Duck Flatbread was tasty and we ended up sharing it, since the portion size was pretty large. The Roasted Halibut Special was described as a rice bowl, but was really just the fish and some veggies on top of a scoop of rice. The fish was cooked perfectly and went well with the green sauce it came with. However, the rest of the dish wasn't as great, and ended up being less food than expected. Service was fast and friendly - would return to try more! read more

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We stopped by to try the Nanaimo Bartini and it was amazing! We enjoyed visiting with the bartender (Connor) who was a skilled mixologist and was attentive. I also tried the lavender martini which was also delicious (very refreshing). The restaurant features exposed brick walls and cool artwork, so classy yet warm. This place is a local gem, I'd highly recommend. read more

I returned to Nanaimo so I returned to this restaurant. The food was still good but the service was painfully slow. The restaurant was about half full but the staff acted like they were in the weeds. We knew we would not be rushed but the wait was unacceptable. read more

Stopped for a late lunch before taking Harbour Air float planes back to Vancouver for Taylor Swift weekend. Loved the scallop appetizer and the beet salad. Nice spot good vibes tasty food read more

The Modern Cafe - Scallops and roasted beet salad - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

Great dinner, Grace was awesome and Conner was great. Try the Sable fish and the Nanaimo bar martini and cheesecake! read more

The Modern Cafe - Sable fish - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

Nice restaurant! The service was good, and the ambiance was pleasant. They have some tasty food offerings for vegetarians.

Home run.. i visited while on vacation and passing through to Victoria. I would recommend the mussels.

The fish stew was delicious! We had sweet potato fries and a salmon bowl also. Salmon was a little overcooked but the rest was tasty. All of it could have been served hotter. Cool vibe and great service. read more

Good food. Excellent service. Ate indoors. The warm lighting and textured brick walls with art is cozy and inviting. No sports playing on a TV, a bonus!Definitely would go back with friends and family. read more

The Modern Cafe - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

My partner and I got stuck in Nanaimo for half a day because of two ferries being at capacity. So what are two visitors to Nanaimo meant to do with extra time up their sleeve? Try all of the renditions of a Nanaimo Bar of course. We found a list and map online and Modern Cafe was our first stop as we needed a drink to reconvene with. We sat outside and enjoyed watching passerby. The restaurant itself is easy on the eyes, a building built in 1910, it features a neon sign. The restaurant has been in business since in the 1940's. Enjoying two Nanaimo Bartini's were a great way to kill some time. Especially with a wonderful host, Katrina! Thank you for making our visit so pleasant! read more

The Modern Cafe - Nanaimo Bartini - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

I tried their full breakfast with honey garlic sausage and they did this dish quite well. It doesn't look like much because of how simple the dish looks, but everything was cooked nicely and the portion was just right. The one thing they could have made better was instead of adding one piece of sad spinach leaf on the plate for garnish is perhaps add a bit more salad if they wanted some more green on there. The waffles were also nicely done as well. read more

The Modern Cafe - a plate of food with toast, eggs, potatoes, and sauce - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

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My boyfriend and I visited this restaurant for brunch during our mini getaway in Nanaimo and we were pleasantly surprised by how delicious their (brunch) food was! I ordered the Crabby Benedict and the hollandaise sauce was hands down, one of the best ones I've ever tried - it was creamy and flavourful, with a slight tanginess that made it taste fresh, yet light at the same time. I couldn't really taste the crab but it was alright since I was fixated on the sauce anyways. The potatoes were slightly burnt but the sauce that came with it masked that burned taste. I'd rate this dish a 9/10. We also shared the Seafood Chowder, and although we were big fans of the baguette, the soup itself was average. It had a lot of seafood bits but it tasted kind of powdery?? I'd give this a 6/10. Overall, I'd come here again next time in Nanaimo. Our server was also very friendly so I'd give the overall experience a 8/10 read more

The Modern Cafe - Crabby Benedict - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

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Food was delightful and the service was fabulous, my cup was always full. I would highly recommend!

Surprisingly good lunch. Presentation is very good for a cafe style bar. Base food quality is apparent. Excellent service. Kudos to the staff their service oriented approach shows well. Thanks for a good brunch. read more

Very "meh" experience coming here. We were seated at the very back of the restaurant away from everyone else, which was nice. Our server was very nice and attentive. The interior and exterior of the place is rather cool. Very spacious with lots of room between tables. We ordered the charcuterie and a poutine. The poutine was good but nothing special, and the charcuterie was a bit disappointing. There were not enough crackers for everything and the meat was sparse. There were a lot more pickled vegetables than anything else and I feel like it was unbalanced. I also got the raspberry lemonade and that was quite nice and refreshing. read more

The Modern Cafe - Charcuterie - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

Tasty food. Great vibe. The patio is quaint but you'll want an inside table. Bit breezy ... craft beers too

The food and service were absolutely amazing! I had the steak which was tender, the vegetables were perfectly cooked and the Nanaimo bar cheesecake exceeded my expectations. The general manager, Connor, even made me a Nanaimo Bar martini and Grace who served us was very friendly and welcoming. I would definitely come back! read more

Don't judge a book by its cover. I first thought this was a bar based on its appearance and flashy lights, but it's actually quite a nice restaurant! Their lamb shank was the best I've had in a very long time. The meat was tender and literally fell off the bone. I love meat that's so soft, I don't even need a knife to cut it! 10/10 would eat again the next time I'm back in Nanaimo. read more

The Modern Cafe - Lamb Shank - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

My friend and I came here for breakfast right at opening and were able to get seated right away. We both ordered a tea (earl grey and orange pekoe) as well as 'The Old Soul,' 'Avocado Toast,' and 'Hash Bowl with a Modern Flair.' They have milk for cream options and also almond milk if you ask for it. Overall the ambiance of the restaurant was beautiful. They were decorated for the holidays and everything looked great. I found the majority of the food to be okay, yummy, but it didn't stand out very much (not sure if it's cause I've been having incredible food on the island?). The avocado toast was very simple, and some of the potatoes in the Hash Bowl were too burnt. The Old Soul was very delicious though, and I'd definitely order it at my next visit. Customer service was good, our waitress Abbie was very engaging and she gave us good recommendations. I'd definitely go back again, but would want to try a few other items as some of the chosen dishes weren't phenomenal. 3.5/5 stars. Can't do halves so I'm rounding down. read more

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Nice patio space and roomy booth inside. The welcome was warm and we were able to get drink fairly quickly but then started the wait. It was on a weekday, around 1pm and the restaurant was not crowded. It took them more than 30 minutes to bring the food (a salad and a burger, nothing crazy!) and not even an excuse. We asked for the check immediately and we had time to eat our entire meal and wait again to get the check. If you are stopping while visiting the island or doing some business in the area, don't be in a rush. Service is SLOW, VERY SLOW. Food is okay, aligned with the price. read more

Do not stop at The Modern. Pass Go and save yourself the money and disappointment. With the new owner and the new chef and the new menu comes an average burger joint that can't serve good quality food. The old Modern was incredible, this one is not. Not even close, and unless we want a burger we won't be going back. Poor quality ingredients along with a lack of culinary experience and knowledge only add up to dishes that are not only tasteless but inedible. Oh my good... none of us could believe it. This is bad, so bad and sad. I guess people just accept mediocrity, as is the standard fare that the new owners dish out. In the meantime I'll try and find out where the previous owners and chef went to and if they plan on opening another restaurant. If anyone knows please message me. read more

Amazing food, atmosphere & service! The seafood stew was delicious especially with a nice red wine. We splurged on the cookie & gelato desert (forget the exact name) with a sumac maple whip (had to try this!) and it did not disappoint! Being from the states we had to get something with maple and wow! read more

The Modern Cafe - Seafood stew and a delicious desert cookie with gelato. - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

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The new Modern Cafe has a limited and pricey menu. My first meal under new management was the tasty Orion Burger with fries. The patty consisting of venison, duck, and bison was delicious but as I pointed out to management the bun was far to big for the size of the patty, a larger patty or smaller bun would be perfet. No drip coffee at the time but the Americano was hot and tasty. My only gripes are the new tip pool system that I feel strongly it should be changed back to individual servers. Having to share tips with people who did nothing to deserve it makes no sense to me. As the customer I should be allowed to tip who I want however much I want, also being old school I'm used to tippping the bartender as was customary for me under the old management. Secondly the tips are not only shared but taxed now as they are added to pay cheques which means they are getting even less after having to share the tip. Lastly I would like to thank Emma for her personable and quality service. read more

The ambiance was great and certainly not what I might have expected from the neon sign outside. Inside was a warm space with exposed brick and fantastic jazz music. I had a Nanaimo BarTini that very much had the essence of the dessert bar it is named for, as well as the Meat Lover Frittata. My partner had the Chicken and Waffles. Both meals tasted great. read more

Great place. Excellent food. Highly recommended . Would come back again. Tastefully prepared

This restaurant has a decent interior design and outdoor seating. The ambiance was good. We got a table right away. We sat close to the front of the restaurant. The customer service was okay. Our server was busy taking care of different tables. She took our orders and delivered the food to us but she missed one set of cutlery for our table. We had four people but we only got three sets of cutlery. We ordered a dish of salmon trio (that came with some baguette), Mac & cheese with grilled chicken (full size and half size), and seafood chowder (full size and half size). All of them tasted fine but they did not give me a "wow" impression. The presentation of the dishes was a little bit than how I did it at home. Their prices were reasonable or average. It was not a high end restaurant. We just happened to walk into this restaurant for dinner as many restaurants have been closed on Saturday evening. There were not many choices. We would not come back next time. Sorry! read more

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Drinks and food are great! Have done birthdays and Xmas parties here and they have never disappointed anyone! Servers are always friendly and if you let them the bartender will surprise you with an intuitive beverage choice! Excellent! read more

We happened upon this restaurant and made a quick decision to have lunch. Every bite was delicious. The mushroom toast was simple and perfect. The chowder was satisfying and warming on a rainy day. The service was fast, friendly, and professional. I'm definitely going to work on my own mushroom toast at home now! read more

It's just not what the menu says at all. Had meal redone, still could not eat it. Waited a hour, wasn't busy.. left with no food. read more

The Modern Cafe - French toast apparently - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

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Absolutely amazing!! The staff was super friendly and very attentive to customers. Staff was busy but always had a pleasant smile on their faces. The food was seriously so good. Chicken and waffles for brunch was honestly one of the best breakfasts I've had in my life and trust me, I love to eat. It was juicy and tender with an amazingly tasty crust on it and the waffles were like eating candy for breakfast! Who doesnt like that?! The atmosphere and ambiance was second to none. Beautiful brick work with modern lighting and nice tables. I could go on and on about how great this place was. If you're in Nanaimo and you don't go here while you have the chance, you're missing out. Can't wait to go back! read more

The Modern Cafe - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

This place has changed hands and is now serving , according to the waiter , foraged food from the land. Wild boar was on the menu I saw. Was there just around supper on a Tuesday and I was the only one. I did not stay. read more

Overpriced. Very limited menu. But even more disappointing is how the owner of this restaurant treats his staff. We are at the beginning stages of social distancing and businesses are closing. However, this business has not paid one of their younger employees for work already done. Payday was last friday. It is now Wednesday night and the owner has refused to pay the dishwasher because the owner has no money. In a time when we are all worried about paying our bill's, they have refused to pay an employee. Very disgusting. I will never give this restaurant my money IF they reopen after social distancing and self-isolation is over. read more

Solid cocktails. They do them right. The warm spinach salad is not to be missed. Fresh, flavorful, and unique. The loaded poutine was blah. No sundries tomatoes like the menu said and too much sour cream. Decent just not noteworthy. I'd try something else next time. Staff was super friendly, helpful, and not intrusive. Free wifi too. Would definitely eat here again. read more

The Modern Cafe - Warm spinach salad. - Bars Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

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We recently had two meals at the Modern Cafe. At dinner on a Sunday evening, service was a bit slow. They thoughtfully sat us by the window, so we could people watch while we waited and sipped (weak) mojitos. I had the urban greens salad with carambola, roasted whole almonds, pickled peach and good vinaigrette. It was creative and delicious. I also had a citrus halibut with sweetish curry cream and coconut basmati rice. The halibut was a bit overcooked. My daughter had lemon pepper salmon with a salad. The salmon was overcooked. At lunch a few days later, I had a fried halibut naan wrap and more of their delicious salad. (The halibut was a bit overdone but acceptable.) My daughter had a huge bowl of tomato soup, which was tasty but too much of a good thing. The ice tea they served tasted like Lipton Brisk in a can or bottle, but I found that's the kind of tea most restaurants in BC served during our stay there. The service at lunch was slow as well. read more

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Went to this restaurant Aug 1/21. The food was very good but the server was not very attentive and it seemed like she forgot to place our order it seemed cause as soon as I complained the food arrived within minutes. They seemed very slow. Too bad the food was good. read more

Been there three times. Been disappointed each time. Nice enough servers but the food wasn't great, especially when you factor in what you are paying and what that would get you elsewhere. read more