It's all about the Chinese menu, which is not available in English. They do really, really good, spicy dishes, including liangfen (which they were sold out of when I went), numerous cold dishes, and a good variety of spicy, fried dishes. I haven't translated the full menu yet, but am intending to. I was told the chef was from Tianjin, and it shows in how some of the dishes that are derived from dishes from Sichuan and elsewhere in China vary, such as a tendency towards more bean paste flavours, and less bright, clear, savoury spice; more muddy and salty, and not in a bad way at all. They are hesitant to make some of the Chinese dishes for non-Chinese customers, because they have had bad experiences with Canadian customers ordering things and then not liking them. Know what you're ordering, or at least be willing to accept and try to enjoy anything you get, without complaint. Of course, if you know how you want something made, tell them. Their chef is appropriately skilled to deal with such requests. Many thanks to the person at T.T. Mix Karaoke who referred me to Old Vic for better Chinese food than is to be found elsewhere in Victoria. I don't see the point in eating anywhere other than Old Vic, The Forum, Xiang Rui, and maybe Young Young. read more

The Old Vic Fish & Chips - Their take on laziji / 辣子鸡. - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

See all

I went to Victoria Island yesterday and stopped by at this restaurant as it was close to the Parking we were in. The restaurant is located near the Bay Centre and is a few minutes walk from the Parliament Buildings in Victoria. I was actually intrigued at why there was a Chinese menu with fish and chips at the front. We asked the waiter what their specialty was and she said fish and chips. So we all got the combo for 4 and combo for 2. This had both Halibut, Cod, Chips and Battered Shrimps. In addition, they provided coleslaw with those combos. When I first glanced at the food when it arrived I thought that it would be tasty. However, upon eating it the chips were too crispy and the halibut came out too dry. The coleslaw also seemed like it tasted more of a cold salad as it didn't have any flavour nor any moist that could have made it better. I was overlooking at the other group that was eating in the corner and long and behold they were having hot pot! If I ever come back here I would love to try their hot pot but I wouldn't suggest coming here for their Fish and Chips. They do however give you 10% off if you check in on yelp. But I experienced better. read more

The Old Vic Fish & Chips - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

I'm sure Victoria has all sorts of culinary choices for a land-loving Yankee in search of good eats, but by a strange coincidence, I've set anchor at the Old Vic yet a second time. My first visit was a decade ago, a recollection I didn't have until I set foot again in this 80-year-old establishment. I have little memory of that visit because I remember being preoccupied with getting back to the Grayline tour bus. This time, Jamie W. and I had a hankering for some fish and chips since we just got off the BC Ferry and felt rather briny. The high-back wooden booths and seafaring decor came back to me in an instant, and the menu had that familiar simplicity to it. Of course, we both ordered the C$10.50 One-Piece Cod and Chips, which is their signature dish (see photo). The breading was a bit overdone, but it hit the spot. We also shared a C$5.95 bowl of the Seafood Chowder, which had clams and bits of halibut in a thick, milky broth (see photo). Where we weathered stormy seas was our order of the Poutine for C$6.50 (see photo). I'm still not sure what motivated me to order it except I was curious what poutine was since it's on almost every fast-food menu in Vancouver. Sure enough, it's a platter of fries covered in brown gravy and melted cheese. It was not the most optimal time to order it since we already had our chips, so we were on the verge of a French fry coma. By the way, I didn't like it much. Just very bland Canuck food. FOOD - 3 stars...ye olde fish and chips but skip the poutine AMBIANCE - 3 stars...ye olde fish and chips shoppe SERVICE - 2.5 stars...ye olde...oh, you get the picture TOTAL - 3 stars...a bit of jolly ole in Victoria, 'mate read more

See all

My second visit here resulted in this excellent halibut and chips. Halibut can often come out too dry, I find, but here it was perfectly moist, flaky, flavourful and super hot. It's, naturally, a tad more expensive than the cod I ordered the first time I came (somewhat smaller as well, but still decently sized), but the quality isn't any less impressive and justifies the higher price point. The batter was just as good as last time as well, served crispy but not too thick, starchy or oily. As with the previous visit, the chips were excellent - very hot inside and sufficiently crispy outside, while the coleslaw was simply made but just right in terms of the crunchy texture and the flavour of the dressing. Overall, this was a very enjoyable return visit and will not be my last! read more

See all

Best fish and chips....ever! Yes, ever! We found Vic's by recommendation of the hotel manager where we were staying. Not far off the bus route and much closer to our hotel than the oft-touted Barb's in the Wharf area, we were wiling to take a chance on a reco from a local. We arrived at 3pm and the place was a bit dank and completely empty, so we weren't encouraged about our decision. After taking our seats and committing to drop a steep $36 on two, two-piece orders of halibut, my wife and I crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. A few minutes after, the cook came out and explained that the halibut was so fresh "it was literally falling apart." He just wanted to assure us that we'd get the amount of fish ordered but it may come in smaller fillets. Hey, as long as it tastes good, right? we joked with the cook. "Oh, you'll love it" was his reply. Talk about confidence! Boy did he know what he was talking about - we were in heaven. Okay, we ARE talking about fish and chips, not a Cassoulet, but the fish was perfectly cooked, with a great tasting batter that had enough flavor to enhance, but not overpower the halibut, and was fried to a golden brown. The hand cut fries were a nice touch too, and not soggy at all. Even the cole slaw was decent - not that you should ever consider cole slaw part of the fish and chips rating equation. Give Vic's a try, if it's anywhere near as good as the food we had, you'll be glad you did! read more

The Old Vic Fish & Chips - 2-piece halibut and chips - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Read the reviews and, since it was so close to the hotel, we gave it a try. We got the Family Platter for Two which includes one piece of cod, one piece of halibut, four prawns and a mound of fries. If you're looking for healthy, this isn't it but if you're looking for great English fish and chips this is great. read more

Worst fish and chips, ever. Asoan food is good but their overall service is really bad. Basically a tourulust trap.

Delicious cod and fries, I loved it! Slaw had a bit too much mayonnaise but other than that everything was amazing!!

My friend and I went in for lunch, and had an excellent meal of fish and chips! The food was hot, fresh, and very tasty, and the service was great! Highly recommended. read more

The Old Vic Fish & Chips - Old Vic Fish & Chips, September 26, 2009 - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We went tonight and were really impressed! They worked around our needs (we had our toddler with us and they made us some steamed veggies special so she would get a really balanced meal) and they made sure everything was pescatarian. The server was patient and attentive, the food came quickly and was tasty, and they seemed to be on top of the extra cleaning needed right now. Can recommend! read more

Best place for fish & chips when in Victoria. We always come here when in town. Its become our family tradition. Love it! read more

The Old Vic Fish & Chips - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We found this place online and it was worth the search online and in town! Great service, great fish and chips! You'd never guess it from the sign outside- Chinese food place!! read more

The Old Vic Fish & Chips - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Wasn't expecting too much when I first walked in to this place. Having grown up in the UK myself I usually have pretty high standards when it comes to chippies. I was impressed by Vic's cod, very flavourful and with a light batter that still crunched. I've also pretty much given up on finding a place in Canada that can make proper chips but Vic's has done a good job that I wouldn't mind returning here or asking for a second helping. Will definitely return here on my next visit to Victoria. read more

The Old Vic Fish & Chips - All prepped and ready to eat. - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

I really enjoyed the food. I ordered the fish and chips (of course with cod). The chips were freshly cut and NOT from frozen. They were not as soggy as they should have been but that is cause they just came from the fryer. I agree that the seating is a bit hard but I did not find it uncomfortable to sit on at all. The staff were really friendly. Learned that they took over the place 2 years ago and the shop is 84 years old now. I wish them all the best and will definitely come back when in Victoria next. read more

This place was fantastic. Being a born and raised Victoria resident I am disappointed that I have not tried this place sooner! We started with the seafood potstickers which were fantastic. When the waitress came by to check on how they were she informed us that she handmade them herself! Very impressive. For my main I had the one piece halibut and chips, as well as a cup of seafood chowder. Everything was delicious. The fries were crispy, the batter on the fish was perfection, not too greasy and not so thick that you hardly got any fish. Our server was friendly, polite, and extremely attentive. All in all a fabulous experience. We will definitely be back! read more

Terrible service. The poor girl serving has no idea what she's doing. They took 15 minutes to bring us out our water. Our food took forever to come. I also checked in and got a 10% coupon off my meal. They had no idea what it was... I got the sweet and sour pork. It was actually really good and the vegetables were extremely fresh and crunchy. The suave wasn't overly sweet and just made my mouth water. Whereas my food was good, I would not come back due to the extremely terrible serv read more

This restaurant we found through a map that our hotel gave us of Victoria. According to their waitress, they have been in business for over 82 years! Our group, party of four, enjoyed our cod fish and chips. They were relatively large pieces of cod as well. The chips were nice too. This restaurant is probably worth stopping by and having a drink and a fish and chip meal. The staff was really polite, and attentive. It was fun experiencing something new. read more

It was kind of a letdown really. With the old school decor, one would expect traditional style fish and chips i.e. good, but no. There was a lot of talk, not a lot of delivery. Fish was good but not great. Chips which we 'upgraded' to poutine was basically frozen fries with packet gravy and cheddar cheese. That's not poutine, seriously. Clam chowder was more like a thin soup with not a lot of flavour. We ate it anyway, we were too hungry to walk out. read more

We were referred by the visitor center for fish and chips. Fish and chips were ok.... Too oily for my liking. My husband had the spicy prawn wrap which was nice... But be warned that it has shrimp and not prawns. Place is little on the expensive side. read more

Perfectly cooked fish, moist & flaky, fresh coleslaw & classic fries. Definitely coming back read more

The Old Vic Fish & Chips - Mmmm...extra tartar sauce - Seafood Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

Lots of mixed reviews on here, but we gave it a shot anyways. Fish was tasty, quite greasy but crisp batter. Batter was a bit thick. The fish had been nicely seasoned though and was very moist. The thing I really liked was the chips - you can tell they are freshly cut and have a nice texture and flavour. And the food all came out hot and fresh. A visit here probably won't be a life-changing dining experience, but if you are looking for a quick bite in downtown Victoria, it isn't your worst option. The decor is a bit unusual also, so you can also enjoy the dated interior of the dining room when you visit. read more

Old Vic's is an 80+ year old restaurant with a high-ceiling turquoise-painted dining area. Decor is many years out of date, which adds to the charm. The dining booths are nearly upright with straight backs and flat bottoms that aren't very comfy. A decent selection of current newspapers are available to peruse. Server was friendly and prompt. Old Vic's brags about being voted the best fish & chips. Indeed, the fish is very good. The chips (fries) are average, and the rest of the food is meh: very white-bread buns, plastic cheese, food-coloring condiments, etc. read more

Ate there the other night, or should I say started to -- cut into my Cod .... raw, melt in your mouth like sushi, raw .... both my Husband and I -- still had to pay for our French fries and Soda.... We will never go back!! read more

I must admit, I haven't eaten here since last winter. "I was disappointed" - that's my general recollection and, with me, that always centres around the food. I can take crappy atmosphere and even less than stellar service (none of which I recall) however, when the food is not up to par.... That's all I can remember other than I had ordered Fish & Chips. In all fairness, now that I have migrated here from Ottawa/Outaouais I will try it again - just perhaps not in the"off" season which, for some establishments in this burgh, means they really should be in Mexico or Hawaii or wherever the locals escape to here. read more

Fish was okay, fries were run-of-the-mill, chowder was terrible (runny, generally gross), but the service and people working there were top-notch! There are so many better places in town that do a better job that are not very far away I don't know why you'd ever go here except to talk to the friendly staff. I even feel bad writing this because they were so friendly! Good staff, bad food. read more

Was a little hesitant to go here because of other reviews but it was close and we were able to get a seat right away. Service was excellent and the Wonton was ok as were the halibut fish and chips. Dumplings we're very good. I'd rate it a 3 except the service was exceptional. read more

The Food was very good We went there today with my auntie we were both born in England but both live here Victoria The place was very clean The food was very good The Staff were very good nice and polite we will both definitely go there again Dean read more

Looked forward to going here to have traditional fish and chips at the oldest F&C shop in Victoria. Thinking didn't have to fly to London, I could just go to Canada. Don't bother, chips were hard, not crispy & crunchy, not worth eating. Fish was ok but the batter more closely resembled the kind on Chinese takeout prawns, so extra greasy. Nothing about it resembled "traditional" F&C. So SAD! read more

made it in the door literally minutes before they closed . Our group ordered cod fish and chips halibut fish and chips steamed cod and chips steak and kidney pie . we all enjoyed our meals and happily walked out into the rain feeling full and happy read more

Awesome fish and chips although a bit greasy (even for fried food). Service was average.

I thought that the fish and chips was very good. I had the halibut and it was very crispy and juicy. The fries too were tasty. We went at a time when it wasn't very busy and the waitress had time to talk to us. She was a bit eccentric, but I think that is how they are suppose to be there. If not, she was loony. They give you a guest book to look at and sign while you wait for your food, which was neat. The price was a bit high, but not terrible. Over all a good experience and good fish and chips. read more

Stay away. It is obviously nothing but a tourist trap, but I was willing to put up with that. However, the halibut and chips were terrible. The fish was dry and the batter was oily. The cole slaw was too sweet. And it's not really that clean. Ewww. And to boot, it is terribly expensive. read more

Visited with a group of 6 during a recent day trip to Victoria. Everyone enjoyed their food, which ranged from cheeseburgers to fish & chips & meat pies. It was great to sit inside and warm up while in Victoria on a blustery day. read more

Food was tasty, but service was slow. We visited in the off-season, but there was only one waitress serving all of the tables in the place. Business was brisk, and she probably could have benefited from having one other person waiting tables. The Cod fish and chips were breaded in a nice, thick batter with a lot of flavor, and perfectly fried, and the fish was moist. The fries had good flavor, with some skin still on. One drawback was that it was a bit on the pricey side. Another drawback was that they didn't have highchairs -- just booster chairs, which didn't work very well on the bench seats of the booth (too far away from the tables). All in all, it was a good place to stop and get lunch. read more

I believe their cuisine made me violently ill. The billboard says they've been in business for 82 years, however certainly not run by the same family. You can tell by the style in which the food it's served that it's yet another Chinese/british chippy shop, which in some cases is a marriage made in heaven. Not in this case. Fillets were small, fries were lukewarm and coleslaw was only barely redeemed with the addition of malt vinegar. The plain halibut fillet was so dry I had to take a sip of my drink with every bite. Our waitress was batso crazy at first, but when it came time to leave she was waaay calmer. Don't bother with this place. Ever. read more

Really good fish n'chips! Not sure what some people are talking about. Cooked perfectly. Clam chowder was really good as well. The restaurant also serves Chinese food as well, but I haven't tried it yet! Good stuff, definitely worth checking out. read more

Went in for fresh, authentic British fish and chips and upon entering, found an empty, dimly lit, poorly decorated Chinese / British hybrid restaurant. The lone server seemed confused; having to walk back and forth to the cooler several times to confirm which drinks were in and out of stock (several were out of stock) and then only bringing out 2 drinks of the 7 ordered before moving on to another table. I had to ask for the remainder of the drinks to be brought to the table. The server had to reconfirm each order several times and even after doing so, missed one of the orders completely and had to go back and put the order in while everyone else ate. Asking for a couple extra tartar sauces seemed to be a monumental task as well - requiring two trips to the kitchen to discuss with the cook at length. While the single server struggled to serve us and a couple other small tables, dirty dishes were left on other tables around us from customers that had departed when or before we got there. The bathrooms were grungy and run-down, which is never a good sign in a restaurant. While the food was decent, the unwelcoming, thrown-together decor combined with being surrounded by dirty dishes and grungy bathrooms and the clumsy, absent-minded service made for a less than enjoyable lunch. read more

Best fish and chips in Victoria, cheap items and good services. I would like to visit again

I don't know why people are saying it's the best in Victoria. Maybe because it says that on the door? From when...1991? Or maybe it's the best as it's the only fish and chips they have ever tried other then highlander frozen fish sticks. Sorry but this place is not even in the top 10 of the best fish and chips in town. I really hate leaving negative reviews but I'd hate to see people miss out on some of the amazing places we have in town. read more

The only reason this place deserves any stars is because of the awesome hostess. I walked in and immediately the overwhelming smell of mould filled my nose. In fact, it caused me to have a huge coughing fit the whole time I was there. I ordered the food to-go (a children's meal of cod and chips, an regular 1 piece cod and chips and a salmon and chips). When my husband and I opened the food the portions were all different (and not in the way you'd except). The children's meal had more fries than either of the adult meals. NOTHING had salt on it. The fries were gross and the cod and salmon were flavourless. The prices are fair if comparing other fish and chip's restaurants, but for the quality, it should have been free. I will never go back here and suggest you don't either. read more