Sat outside for a late-ish dinner on Saturday night. The patio is covered by grape vines and is a great setting for Al fresco dining. Had the risotto, chicken & prosciutto spaghetti Alfredo and the king cod special. All 3 items were very good and enjoyable. The service was great and very friendly. Overall we had an enjoyable meal before boarding our ferry back to Vancouver! read more

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The server was very friendly and the restaurant cute. Warm olives were basic - no olive oil, lemon rind, herbs or anything to make them flavourful. No bread served. The chicken Parmesan was a small breast, not pounded as you might expect. The risotto was mushy and barely warm. There was no salt at the table (pepper offered). Very nice glass of wine, but the meal was disappointing, and I would not recommend. I came from out of town based on the good reviews - something has gone downhill. read more

The Nest - Pinot Gris. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

A real gem in every way! Made from scratch delicious food made by chef/owner was incredible. They serve large portions, quick and efficient service and Cozy ambience. We will be back! read more

Definitely a disappointing experience. We have eaten here a number of times and the meals are always delicious. Tonight was definitely the exception. It was my birthday dinner and I must say I would have been happier eating at the white spot. We started with the mushroom tart, last time we ordered it it was seasoned perfectly and melted in your mouth. This time the tart was over cooked and the mushrooms were under seasoned For my main I ordered the ribeye with gnocchi and risotto. The steak was over cooked but yet the outside didn't have a nice sear but rather was grey with a few grill marks and the gnocchi was burnt. All of which was under seasoned. My wife ordered the Jenny Mac which is her favourite dish and it was also under seasoned. I mentioned that the meal was mediocre and that the gnocchi was burnt. It was explained that the gnocchi was "seared" not burnt and they offered to replace my meal. I worked in the kitchen for many years and can say that that was more than a sear... I politely declined a replacement meal since they were batting 0 for 3. No discount off the meal, waited forever for the bill, and when we asked if it was a new chef they said it was the owner who has been cooking there forever. I, personally, will not be quick to return. read more

great food ! a really nice intimate dinner environment . the chef creates great combinations at very reasonable price points. love this place have been many times and will continue to go have not been disappointed . read more

I love the fresh, local seafood and other ingredients they serve at the Nest. If you can, you have to go during spot prawn season!! There are so many good options that when I find myself in town I often go two days in a row so I get a chance to try more menu items. The homemade pasta is another favorite. And the mushroom tart. I love to top it off with a homemade cookie ice cream sandwich. I have always received warm and professional service too. I highly recommend the Nest. read more

They have a lovely intimate patio to enjoy on a warm summers night. We thoroughly enjoyed our meals. Quiet intimate and romantic read more

The Nest - the hunter chicken very nice dish with seared gnocchi and vegetables. - Canadian (New) Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

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Food was fantastic! Recommend the Calamari apps! Quiet and off the beaten path! Great service! Megan was wonderful!

Lovely restaurant in downtown Nanaimo. Good service, good food and nice ambiance. We were there with my wife's mother when we were there for a visit and won't hesitate to return. read more

Cool location overlooking downtown Nanaimo. The food is good and well priced. Great spot to go for a dinner date.

We've only been to the Nest once a few years ago. We remember we enjoyed the experience and the food and would recommend and return but haven't eaten out nearly as much since COVID. I think the Nest might be one of the or maybe the best restaurant in Nanaimo, at least, that we've tried. We're about an hours drive away. We hope to return one day soon. Reservations are recommended. read more

Amazing little find. They often have a feature tart with mushrooms and brie with greens that is the stuff dreams are made of.

Went to The Nest for a dinner during parents' 50th Anniversary celebration last year. We were staying at a resort in Parksville, but heard a lot of good things about this place. We weren't disappointed. A big thing for us is having a child who is anaphylactic to all peanuts, treenuts, and seafood. It is really difficult finding a place that is able to safely work around that. Having owned a restaurant myself, I find it isn't uncommon for places to struggle with this, but there are a lot of places that take the care, pay the extra attention, and they get our business all the time. We called the Nest to confirm that they were able to handle a large group, and the allergy concerns. They were glad to help us, and saved us a large table. We got there, and the crew was fantastic. Can't say enough about the wait staff. I think it is a family-run establishment, and they are great. Immediately they mentioned the allergy - making us feel secure and at home. The server and hostess both discussed the allergy and meal options with us, and they also had a manager come speak with us. We felt thoroughly taken care of. As a former restaurant owner, I find that places willing to care about things like food safety, and the ingredients in all their dishes are also the ones that care about the food they make. When you know they care about what goes in, what comes out of the kitchen is likely great as well. Such is the case at The Nest. Not only is the food great - everything was enjoyed by the whole party - but the service was fantastic, the setting was cool, and we were happy. As a concerned parent, a foodie, a frequent traveller, and a former restaurant owner, I can't recommend this place enough. Definitely worth a visit. We will be back whenever we're in the area. Thanks to the Nest Team for a thoroughly enjoyable evening, a great meal, and real concern about food quality and safety! I'm only sorry that it took me so long to write the review! read more

Good food at a very reasonable price. I started with the soup and then had the butler steak with potatoes and vegetables for lunch. The tomato cream soup was hearty and seasoned just right. The steak was small but what do you expect for C$18? It was delicious and the sides were a fitting addition to the meal. Good service as well. read more

Came here for my ladies birthday and i think it got me bonus points. Delicious food, well plated, perfectly seasoned and great service (our water glasses never ran out once). We will return again! read more

Stopped by for a quick lunch. Ordered their "daily express lunch" which was a Tempura Prawn Sandwich on a pretzel bun with fries/soup/salad. The prawns were well battered, served on a bed of greens, tomato, and a sauce that I couldn't quite make out. However with the salty bun, and the salty batter it was a little overpowering. I ordered the fries. They were nothing special, but nothing wrong either. All in all, was a good meal. In and out in 20 minutes. Would visit again. read more

The Nest - Canadian (New) Near Me - Nanaimo, British Columbia

I have visited The Nest in Nanaimo 5 times. My first time was at their original location and it was quite cosy and enjoyable. The next four times have been really negative experiences. I kept going back in hopes of another positive experience. I won't go back after today. It was my son's graduation and he wanted to give it another try for his celebratory lunch. We should have stuck with the original plan and gone to the Bold Knight or Astera's instead. The chicken Lettuce wraps had less than one tenderloin on the plate...lots of lettuce and garnish though. The potato soup was tasteless. The tuna on my salad nicois was way over cooked & the hand made pasta on my son's meal was mushy. The fries served with my husbands burger were tiny broken pieces...which he washed down with a single serving of flat Pepsi. He was told right away that they did not do free refills but he could order another if he wanted one. I mentioned to the waitress on the way out that the pop was flat and maybe they would like to fix it. I didn't complain about the food. The owner came over to ask what my problem was and I attempted an explanation of the pop situation and that they might want to consider complimentary seconds on a glass of pop when a customer is purchasing a lunch that is costing just shy of $100! She got quite upset at the suggestion, explained that a restaurant of The Nest's 'caliber' would never give 'free refills' ..only a place like Mc Donalds does that. While escorting me to the door, she continued to raise her voice as I left. People in the parking lot could hear her yelling at me as she slammed the door behind me. All in all...my suggestion is to choose another restaurant. I will not try for a 6th time. read more

A lovely intimate dinner with friendly service during our one night stay in Nanaimo. The Caesar salad with pea shoots and arugula, lightly dressed, is a welcome departure from the norm. Lamb sirloin ( sous vide for 20 hours we learned) was excellent, as was the duck leg confit served with a side of tomato bacon jam. The sommelier offered great tasting notes for all the local Pinot Noirs to guide our selection. Grand finale: chocolate peanut butter pie on a cloud of fresh whipped cream. read more

Wife went with colleagues. Brought me home the doggie bag! Wow!! Was that good eating .., wife is going to take there next date nite.. can't wait read more

First time visitor. We reallly enjoyed our lunch experience. Great food. Great ambiance.

We went to The Nest for my wife's birthday in late November. Not knowing that they had moved from their previous location, and us being new to Nanaimo, I misunderstood my wife when she told me where she wanted to go for her birthday dinner and booked the wrong restaurant! (OOPS!). Upon realizing my mistake the DAY OF her birthday, I called the nest (at 5:30 p.m.) to see if they could help. And did they ever help. The amazing hostess who picked up the phone chuckled and said she'd get us the best table she could for 7:30 (yah, only two hours later). We arrived, she greeted us by name, gave no hint of my mistake, and sat is in this amazing corner table with a fantastic view. Our terrific waiter (young guy, long hair) came by moments later and we ordered a couple of drinks and appies, then dinner: Drinks: They have, quite honestly, the best Pimm's cup I have ever had, and my wife and I tried a couple other cocktails that were terrific. Appies: Dungeness Crab Dip (wow), Smoked Paprika Prawns (double wow). The couple near us who we spoke to a couple of times were sharing the Duck Poutine which also looked fantastic! Mains: My wife had Hand Made Fettucini, which had an amazing smokey flavour - very unique but delicious. I had a Raman Bowl. How random is that from a WestCoast inspired restaurant? But quite delicious! Dessert: Warm Chocolate Ganache Cake was incredible. The prizes are VERY reasonable. It does look like it gets quite busy so make a reservation (apparently even two hours before:) Thank you to The Nest and your amazing staff! read more

Oh, no! What has happened since January 2018? We visited this weekend to find the staff non-attentive and the little touches were missing. Our meals were tasty, though. The menus were tattered, the staff forgot our requests and we sat at an awkwardly placed table looking at "Reserved" signs all over the restaurant for 2 hours. And what's up with the paper on the windows and all that miscellaneous crap by the bar. I'm bummed, as this was one of Nanaimo's better restaurants, but now we'll go somewhere else. read more

This is our go to spot in downtown Nanaimo. Always delicious. Creative menu. Great service. Awesome ownership from what I can tell. So glad this restaurant exists in our part of the world! read more

Visited Sat Nov 7, 2015 for dinner party of 2. Pros Wow was really surprised with the quality of the food! One of the best views in Nanaimo! Ordered mushroom brie tart, potato salman, sicilian pizza and ganache cake. Cons We were seated near the bar, it was a bit cold with the windows open so we closed them. This place is BUSY, which isn't good if you want a quiet dining experience. Parking had about 10 spots and it was full. They had their kitchen door open right near the front door, which makes it look kind of ghetto. I'm sure many guests would open that door thinking its the entrance. Protips - Make a reservation. Save this place for an anniversary or special occasion your wife/gf/partner/hubby will remember this place. Damage - $70 tip included. read more

Solid bistro and the lamb is amazing. We also had garlic clams with frites that were fantastic

We went to The Nest as had been recommended to us by many people and it did not disappoint . Our waitress was so very friendly and thoughtful as well as helpful in choices. The shrimp appetizer was to die for , my Jenny's Mac and cheese was so good and very filling and my husbands steak he said was tender and cooked to perfection. The dessert was awesome looked almost too pretty to eat. We will be back soon thank you for a lovely evening read more

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Dinner was great. The waiter was fantastic and the risotto was amazing. Duck breast was medium rare with a crispy skin which was well navigated. Post close we were the last two in the restaurant and never felt rushed. read more

This place is a local treasure. The squid appetizer was superb. The lamb sirloin was perfectly cooked and delicious. One of the owners was tending bar. Charming lady. The service overall was great. read more

Went to The Nest January 28 2020 for a birthday with our family of 4 adults. Atmosphere was alright.. door was open so it was pretty chilly at 6°c outside, and there were strings of lights but none were turned on. Music was so low you couldn't hear it over the lady talking at the table beside us. Our server informed us of the specials after we had decided on our order, which was a bit late. We ordered drinks, my parents Caesars' were good but my "scenic road mama berry" cider (the smallest glass of cider I've ever been served none the less - and I've had many) had that distinct old 'gone sour' wine taste to it. Just from the smell my table agreed the scent was vinegar like. Later when we received the bill we realized we were charged even though I did not drink it. I inquired and it's "just their policy." -Guess the customer isn't always right? Or just required to drink bad cider? Oh well.- The food was good, served warm (not hot, but delicious) and they accommodated food allergies. Do wish the rest of the visit was more impressive, as we would have came back for the food. 2.5-3/5, for the food alone. read more

Exceptionally friendly & attentive staff, perhaps the best ever.. Food was 10 out of 10, highly recommend the herb chicken & chocolate peanut butter dessert!! read more

The service was amazing. The herbed chicken was out of this world! Very cozy place. Can't wait to check out the patio next time!

One of the best appetizers and Cocktails I've had in a LONG time. The Brie and mushroom app was out of this world, even my kids were asking for more. The service was spectacular, water filled on a regular basis and kids taken care of in an upscale farm to table place. I would highly recommend the Nest. A hidden treasure in Nanaimo!! read more

Good service and food was tasty. Staff friendly and knowledgeable. Great view of Mount Benson.