A quaint and quiet place to enjoy and excellent meal. The Scallops and Pork belly are incredible as well as the duck. Very reasonable prices for the food quality and taste. read more

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Good food. Relaxed atmosphere with good service. Menu could rotate more to seasonal foods. Enjoyable and would come back

I love this restaurant. I've been going here for years with friends and family. When my best friend asked me where I wanted to go for my 60th birthday, I decided that instead of going downtown to some large and busy nightclub I would like to go to my favorite neighborhood restaurant and have an intimate dinner with my best girls at Vis-A-Vis. She booked the table a few weeks in advance and, after receiving regular text reminders, was called the day of, today Sunday, December 29, and told that they had double booked us and canceled our reservation!! My best friend scrambled around town hours before we were all to get together for my birthday to find an alternate solution and luckily begged another restaurant to move some tables around and accommodate us. I am super disappointed with Vis-A-Vis and feel that my patronage for the past 10 years has meant nothing. read more

I was invited to a continuing education event and was grateful to be given the opportunity to sample a 3 course meal. Our group had a beautiful brightly lit private dining room in the back. The ceiling heaters kept me warm and toasty from the cold drizzly weather. Salad had a good mix of greens and shredded carrot. The dressing was slightly tangy and very delicious Main course was a chicken dish, which was quite alright. I especially liked the potatoes that complemented the chicken with its perfectly tender texture. Chocolate mousse was for dessert. The coconut whipped cream was a welcome addition to the mousse and paired well. The portion of the mousse could be smaller, though, as I and many others did not finish it. The service and ambience definitely deserve a 5 stars! The menu is extensive and I hope to come back to try something else. read more

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A delightful little spot with a pleasant atmosphere and nice outdoor patio with heaters and blankets. Service was amazing. The staff is friendly and helpful. The food looks great but does lack a little bit of flavor for the level of presentation. The drinks are unique and meticulously manufactured and the wine list is reasonably priced and the selection is solid. All in all, a place worth stopping in if you are nearby. read more

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Vis a vis is on Oak bay avenue and shares a kitchen with the Penny Farthing next door. It's very small and quite loud inside, but cute and they've got the French theme going. I was seated and waited for the rest of my group to arrive. After 10 minutes I asked for a cappuccino. I had mentioned on the reservation it was a birthday celebration, but no one noted it. I was told however there was a reservation set for our table in two hours. We had some of the new menu items - the octopus salad (meh) and a scallop soufflé (excellent). The French onion soup was only mediocre and the winter salad good. My mussels were good but expensive at $33. An average lunch. read more

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Simple French style restaurant attached to an English style bar. Very pleasant place with easy, friendly service. We arrived early and grabbed a cocktail at the bar, great quality drink. Then sat down at the table and treated ourselves to a really good bottle of wine. Appetizers were ok and then we ordered the lamb and the pork mains. We settled into our wine and were enjoying the surroundings. We didn't really notice that the mains were taking a long time to come until the server came over and apologized. 10 mins later he apologized again and i thought, yeah, this is taking a long time. When they came the server warned me not to touch my plate as it was red hot. Not what you want to hear in a restaurant of this quality, and sure enough my main must have been sitting under a lamp or in an oven as the sauce was solidified and the meat way over done. A poor end to a very enjoyable night and great drinks. We came back the following night (The options are very light in Oak Bay) but we restricted ourselves to some drinks and retreated to the hotel for food. three stars for great service and drinks, none for our food experience read more

Nice atmosphere and good service but food was just Ok. My wife liked her shellfish bisque and I got the steak frites but although the fries were tasty the steak lacked seasoning and wasn't very good. Salad and wine selection were very nice. . read more

Off the beaten tourist path in Oak Bay and it's worth the Uber, which they have got started after some fighting with the other cabs and the government. Anyhow, Great little place and an attached to an Irish Pub next door, so you don't have to leave. Great food, the duck is must and we didn't have anything that was sub par. They also had a good wine selection with knowledgeable staff to help you pick. Definitely worth checking out! read more

I've eaten at this small French-inspired bistro twice. Love the ambiance and the service is excellent. The first time, my friends and I were rescued from a cold wintry day and had an outstanding lunch with French onion soup and Parmesan frites. Last night, we had dinner there and it was very good. But the salad had too much rosemary in it (such a strong herb) and the delicate sablefish was lost in the crust and sauce. I will always go there for lunch! read more

Vis a Vis is Penny Farthing's (whom I'm a huge fan of) sister restaurant. We went for dinner and it was one of the best meals my husband and I have had in ages. We just loved everything about this place. The food was unbelievably good and it's got the ultimate candlelit cozy French bistro vibe. The gnocchi with braised beef was sensational. Our server Chris deserves a shout out. As well as single handedly looking after the entire restaurant, he acted as busboy, bartender, barista, served the outdoor patio, emptied the dishwasher and disinfected tables. All the while never losing his cool and doing it all flawlessly and with a smile. Management should triple his salary or Gordon Ramsey will snap him up. read more

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Vis a Vis is located in the Oak Bay Beach neighbourhood in Victoria. We decided to try this restaurant out for dinner. It's a casual French bistro with classic dishes such as French Onion Soup, steak tartare, mussels and steak frites. We ordered a couple of drinks to start. They had watermelon cocktails which sounded yummy but there was a lack of watermelon flavour. For the food, we ordered French Onion Soup, Escargot and shared the steak frites. All of the food was delicious. My friend even said that it was the best French Onion Soup she had ever had! Would definitely recommend a visit here if you're in the area. read more

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This was a chance upon on a rainy Thursday. We love french food and so we figured to give it a try. The place was packed, which is always a good sign. Love the French ambiance and the menu had great french cuisine. The vibe was an up-scale pub but not over the top. The service was great. We had french onion soup and a chicken sandwich. They were both very good. This restaurant is a part of the Victoria Pub company and it shows as they always do a great job. Will definitely return when we are back in Oak Bay. read more

We had a lovely experience at Vis-à-Vis. The feeling of the restaurant was welcoming and traditional without being pretentious in any way. The service was attentive while giving us plenty of time to talk and make decisions about the wine list and menu. The food was outstanding with the scallop soufflé being a standout. Chef Kevin came out from the kitchen to check on our table and was charming. Highly recommend. read more

I'm happy I made the 9 before 9, otherwise I couldn't justify paying full price for my meal. The French toast was bland, strawberries didn't add any acidic/tart flavour, whipped cream had orange which I could not taste. Overall nothing special. My partner ordered the Salmon Benedict which was a lot smaller than anticipated. Also while we were having a deep conversation a server (not ours) stood at the end of the table, and then interrupted to ask about the food. I found this very rude. We were interrupted every 5 mins. I did however really enjoy the decor, the outdoor patio is very cute. read more

Vis-à-Vis - Sourdough French Toast. - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We are tourists in the area and this was our favorite restaurant in Victoria so far. Very comfy and romantic atmosphere. The bartender, Adam, was wonderful, very friendly, and gave us great suggestions for things to do in the area. Our food was excellent!!! Just what we wanted. We ordered oysters, French onion soup, the beef entree, and the chicken. So delicious and perfect! I would definitely recommend read more

A sailor who used to live in Oak Bay told us his favorite restaurant was this place and we should visit. Do we did and we loved it. We had wonderful specialty cocktails, a bottle of wine, mussels with parmesan truffle frites, beef bourguignon, and enjoyed it all plus dessert & coffee. Friendly staff, Govinda our server and bar tender was personable and attentive. Beautiful decor and highly recommend it to all. read more

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On a recent trip to Victoria, we decided to try a new restaurant and booked at the Vis-à-vis in the Oak Bay neighbourhood. Being French, I was looking forward to find a real french "Bouchon" Bistro in Victoria. The good - venue is absolutely representative of a Bouchon bistro in the heart of Lyon, France. The bad - the service and the food. First of all the food, from the appetizers to the main dish were simply unacceptable. My wife ordered a watery Shellfish Bisque and I ordered a soggy Scallop Tartar served on a bed of imitation see weed. For the main dish, we both ordered the Duck à l'orange priced at $36. The duck breasts were presented in two chunks of meat surrounded by 4 half fingerling potatoes submerged in a veal reduction that actually was somewhat tasty. Unfortunately, the meat was so tough that we could barely cut it with a steak knife. We told the waiter that we eat duck breast regularly and this duck breast was just too tough. He asked if we wanted to return it to the kitchen to which we replied "yes". He managed a "sorry" and removed our plates. It took him what felt like 5 minutes to return to our table and asked us what we wanted to do - order another duck or order something else. We said we would like to order something else. My wife then ordered Seafood Bouillabaisse ($34) consisting of 3 shrimps, 3 mussels and a whole potato floating in a clear bouillon with a few bits of tomato. I ordered the Beef Tartar (an appetizer) that I will waste no time criticizing. To add insult to injury, the waiter offered us ONE glass of wine to share to compensate for the very tough duck. Disappointing to say the least. Definition: A bouchon is a type of restaurant found in Lyon, France, that serves traditional Lyonnaise cuisine, such as sausages, coq-au-vin, "salade lyonnaise" duck pâté or roast pork (Wikipedia). read more

Had a lovely lunch in this cozy French bistro that has indoor and outdoor seating on the pretty Main Street in Oak Bay. I always order Salade Nicoise whenever it's on the menu, and this was one of the best ever. The tuna was served in a small jar poached in olive oil, served on a plate with butter lettuce, roasted tomatoes and fingerling potatoes, olives, a beautiful halved boiled egg, fried capers, and pickled string beans. Husband had a delicious Moroccan spiced lamb burger with fries. Service was friendly and efficient. The feature that really sold me was actual terry towels in the bathroom rather than paper towels! Classy! read more

Vis-à-Vis - Salade Nicoise - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Maybe we were expecting too much from a french bistro- food was unremarkable -Shame -We ordered typical french bistro food - fry's were soggy, maybe to long in the warming tray -Bisque was watery and without flavor -Service was fine review is for food only . read more

Sexy cozy atmosphere Amazing menu that I will dream about Epic service with a smile (thank you Gareth!!!) Need I say more?! Reservations highly recommended, and the flourless cake with marshmallow is off the chain! read more

Vis-à-Vis - Chocolate flourless cake with whipped marshmallow and cherries.... so good! - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We've had the privilege to dine at Vis-a-Vis over the past few years years and have introduced many to what once was a great experience. Unfortunately, their continued staff issues, lack of staff training and customer service will prevent us from going again anytime soon. They have lost a number of their management team and it is reflective in their new staff training and quality of service. Very unfortunate as this was a truly great restaurant. The ownership team needs to step up! read more

A great place to visit with family and friends and intimate enough for special occasions. Outdoor seating makes it a fun place to hang with friends and sip your favourite beverage! Staff always super friendly and accommodating! read more

It's always fun to revisit a town that you've not been back for many years. Victoria is one of them. Staying in the neighborhood of Oak Bay, are streets lined with storefronts and restaurants-a great place to see what's changed in this town. Vis-à-Vis is a great restaurant to put on your list. Four outdoor tables is enough to entice you to dine. Lunch was the option today. My friend started with the French onion soup, we both chose the Pacific shrimp and avocado salad and of course, an order of the Parmesan frites. Service was friendly and prompt, nice selections on the menu from charcuterie, appetizers, and main entrees. Linen napkins and beautiful presentations for the food. Looking for a wee bit of French? Bookmark this place! read more

Vis-à-Vis - Lunch menu with lots of options. - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

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Excellent! Best service, food and ambiance. One of my local favourites! I recommend the avocado shrimp salad.

Had an excellent NYE dinner, we were part of the first seating and sat at the dessert/prep bar where we got the chance to talk to the people working, including the chef. We loved the terrine, the velouté, and I don't think I've had better broccolini! Great place to end our year! read more

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A truly excellent little restaurant, with a lovely menu, impressive food and superb service. We were celebrating our 25th anniversary, and chose this restaruant for its excellent reputation and intimate atmosphere. I'm sure it's usually an excellent choice for people seeking quiet introspective conversation with ... maybe lovers, or very good friends. Unfortunately, we were seated next-table to a person with a bull-horn voice and high disregard for many people... including Donald Trump ...people who post too much on Facebook ... the suitor who once set fire to her kitchen ... TWICE!!! IN ONE EVENING!!! .. and on ... and on. I would highly recommend this restaurant.. and I will try it again myself. Hopefully with more considerate neighbours. read more

Vis-à-Vis - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We stopped in for a quick lunch on our way to the airport. Really wished we'd gone here for dinner. What a beautiful space. Loved the decor and the vibe in the space. The food was excellent! Croque Madame took me back to Paris! This please is a MUST! read more

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This place is fantastic, excellent service, food, comfortable ... breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks are really extraordinary!! The inside and outside are cozy! My favourite place in Oak Bay ! read more

The two of us arrived at Vis-à-Vis on a Sunday evening, excited for our first experience. The front patio area of the bistro was very inviting and romantic with a nice table set up and blankets draped over the chairs. We opened the door and that is when it all changed. We were approached (not greeted) by the hostess/server. She came off very abrasive with an austere expression as she asked us if we had a reservation. As we hadn't reserved, we were given the option of the bar seating and that was perfectly okay with us because we preferred to have a more intimate, casual dining experience on this visit. As this was our first experience with this location, we decided to try the wine flights and some hor-d'oeuvres to get a feel for what the establishment offers. The wine flights are the standard three 2 ounce pours of wine selections but the presentation was stingy and unremarkable. The glasses were placed on top of laminated cards that describe the wines and our server did not take the time to elaborate on the wine selections. It would have been nice to have the selections served on wine flight boards and I think this establishment would benefit by 'splurging' on the purchase of some. The hors-d'oeuvres were very ordinary in presentation and flavour. There was nothing remarkable about the presentation or the flavours and the bread that accompanied it was quite dry. However, the presentation for the entrees we saw coming out of the kitchen did appear attractive and piqued our interest in perhaps having a second visit to try other menu items, but unfortunately, the terrible service overrode our curiosity with the menu and it is doubtful that we will ever return. There are several other wine bars that have much more more substance that we would prefer to visit again. Neither of us saw any of the staff express any warmth to any of the patrons. We were not asked how everything was tasting, and when we were finished and had to ask for the bill, the cluttered mess of plates and wine glasses were left in front of us on the narrow bar counter we were seated at. No one bothered to clear anything even after handing us the bill nor did anyone return to process payment. We had to get up and put our coats on and then ask them to let us leave. The bistro is beautiful and it has so much potential but we found the cold, nonchalant, and thankless service spoiled the experience for us. It felt hollow in character. As disappointing as the experience was, it highlighted and reinforced our appreciation in other local wine bars; in particular, a charming little spot on Beacon Ave in Sidney, BC. read more

Loved the vibe when we entered this quaint French restaurant in Oak Bay. Cosy & intimate but, after we ordered we waited 50 minutes for our main course. No bread to hold us over and at some point between our waitress taking our order and our food finally arriving our server was no where to be found. The new server was very pleasant and apologetic for the long delay in receiving our meals. I realize that many food establishments are short staffed and this might be the case here. Waiting almost an hour for your dinner is too long. The food was tasty but my Lamb Shank portion was very small. Finished my meal and I was still hungry. read more

If the service was better and food served warm in a reasonable amount of time maybe I would have given 3 perhaps 4 stars but when you the service is a 1 and food a 3 or 4, you get a 2. This place good be great but needs to get its act together. read more

Great spot to stop and have some food if you are in the Oak Bay area. We stopped here while doing the "hop on hop off" bus tour which leaves from outside the Empress hotel in Victoria harbour. Even if Yelp hadn't of recommended Vis-a-Vis, we would probably have stopped here anyhow as it looks like one of the most inviting restaurants from the outside and it has outdoor seating (it was a beautiful sunny day when we visited). The inside of the restaurant also looked nice though. The food seemed to French themed (not American as Yelp wrongly mentioned) which was a good surprise :) We tried the crab bisque, charcuterie and cheese board, and burger. All of the food was great and the wines we tasted were also good. Dessert looked tempting, but we couldn't stay as we had to catch our bus...darn ;) read more

A great dinner in Victoria, B.C. can be had at the bistro Vis à Vis. Food and service was great. The Bouillabaisse, Beef Bourguignon, and Duck Confit were full of flavor and cooked to perfection. The atmosphere was unique and comfortable, with a great bar area. Location is in a great little part of Victoria. read more

Love the $9 breakfast before 9! Just miss some of the old breakfast menu items that were removed, but it's still a favourite breakfast spot!

I went for brunch at 10am on a Sunday. It was totally empty. I ordered the Dutch pancake which comes with 2 eggs, bacon, sausage, Apple sauce and syrup. I enjoyed it until something black and tangled poured out of the syrup- 2 dead ants! We told our server who denied there was anything wrong with their kitchen or the syrup container. We asked to speak to the manager and he said he hadn't seen my plate with the critters so I showed him a photo. They only took $7.50 off the bill, half the price of the pancake. It felt bad- I had eaten most of my meal with the tainted syrup. They need to have the health inspector take a look around. Customer service training is needed- both staff were in over their heads here. It would be nice to have a clean and reliable neighbourhood restaurant which Vis a Vis is sadly not. read more

Vis-à-Vis - Wine Bars Near Me - Victoria, British Columbia

We truly were impressed with Vis a Vis. Our meal and wine was excellent. This is a top level restaurant and will definitely visit again soon as possible. If I lived here this would be one of my regular dinner choices. The staff was very friendly and made us feel comfortable and special throughout our visit. read more

Vis-a-Vis was an awesome experience. Walking onto Resturant was greeted and walk to our table (reservations are a good idea) started with an great specialty drink then on to apps as the oysters and fish 3 ways were amazing .... love this place.... read more

The atmosphere at this place is wonderful, it's too bad the service doesn't match the food and atmosphere. Five customers in the restaurant, four staff working, all of us customers had dirty plates in front of us, we were never asked by anyone how our food was. we wanted to order more, but nobody ever came by to ask us anything. When a bartender came over from the bar next door, we grabbed him, he was the only one that gave us any service even though there was a lot of staff and hardly any customers. When we finally got someone's attention to get our bill (to go eat somewhere else, we were still hungry) then she got a bill, drew pretty hearts all over it and gave it to us and it was someone else's bill! I could go on and on ... very lame service. read more

The most memorable breakfast! Despite huge crowd at 9AM, the wait staff was cool & calm and seated us at the bar. The menu includes duck confit, which is a favorite of mine. The poached eggs, confit, and Hollandaise sauce were each A/A+ in execution. The soft poached eggs had warm & runny yokes; confit salty but not too fatty; and the lemony Hollandaise had the perfect balance that's so hard to find. Breakfast pastries weren't available yet, so I talked them into giving me a dinner dessert, lemon tart. It is an A++, especially if you are Asian & want desserts less sweet. The shortbread is less sweet than usual and presented as a square cup so the lemon curd can be a less starchy/jello-y. On top are slightly torched soft meringue droplets. The wait staff is friendly, super efficient, and thoughtfully helpful. I would come back to Vancouver and rush to Oak Bay just for meals & desserts here! read more