- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Bard and Banker
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Live
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
54 reviews for Bard and Banker
Review Highlights
-
"...got the Indian stew and my husband got the 3 "sea" sliders." In 3 reviews -
"Located in an old bank gives this a great vibe." In 3 reviews -
"Like it's cousins, the Penny Farthing and the Irish Times..." In 3 reviews
Loading...
54 reviews in English
-
Review from Lesa D.
4/17/2012
There were three of us, a 19 y/o, and two mid-50's. Our late afternoon visit was only because it was pouring, we were seeking refuge, and it was right there. We were hungry and would have chosen something else, if not for the rain. In the end, it was a good choice. We split a small app between the three of us - the seafood sliders. They were fine - the sweet potato fries were great! The bar feel very regal, it's large, and at 3:00 pm was empty, but felt formal. Ha! Wait until after dark with people and a band!
Because they had live music, we decided to go back the next night (the food wasn't that great to go a second time while on vacation, but we really wanted the music). And the second time around the food was even better - and yes, we ordered more sweet potato fries.
But the memorable part of the night, was the young bar atmosphere. It was our 19 year old's first time in a bar and legally ordering a drink. The waiter/bartender was a drop-dead gorgeous Aussie, with great flirt appeal (more her age than mine). That was fun for her. And the place was packed. We were by far the oldest - most of the clientele seemed to be in their 20's and 30's. The band was loud, but entertaining, a very social atmosphere - it seemed like most people there were locals (could have been the time of year). And when we left, there was a party atmosphere on the sidewalk, with a long line of people waiting to get in (and waiting for us to leave). Great fun was had by all - and it's nice to know that I can still enjoy the bar scene of my 20's. -
Review from Peter T.
5/22/2012
I haven't lived in Victoria since this location was the year 'round Xmas store. However, my niece's boyfriend assured this place was good and we ended up here around 10:30 on a Friday night. The doorman told us to hurry inside since they were expecting a group of 80 (that never materialized). The interior is really nicely done with lots of frosted glass and brass everywhere. We sat in some booths near the bar right below the stairs - and by the way ladies, I'm not sure if this is by design or a happy accident - be careful while walking up those stairs in your skirts. I, of course, am a gentleman and always looked away to preserve your modesty but there are those amongst the male of the species that may take advantage of such of an opportunity.
Anyway - it's a 3 star establishment in my book. A mixed bag selection of beers with a lot of focus on Island microbrews who produce beers that are sympathetic to the British Isles pub theme and a few that originate from there. I was the designated driver so I limited myself to one beer (don't want to fall on the wrong side of the recent draconian updates to B.C. law) and I had an Innis and Gunn that was really nice. That was a good choice because I can only really handle one barrel aged beer and find they tend to lose their lustre if you have too much. We had some food - curry mussels - and they were really nice. The only problem was that we received a few tiny pieces of bread to sop up all the liquor in the bottom but we asked for more and it was fine.
Thumbs down for being a Scottish themed pub style place but not having any cask beers. I also wasn't a huge fan of the amateur country rock band that blasted out a few badly mixed sets of cover tunes, but the rest of the crowd liked it so there you go. -
Review from Kyle M.
Vancouver, BC
4/12/2012
Men in Kilts. Scotch. Beer. Chowder.
The Penny Farthing. Irish Times. And now, the Bard & Banker.
***Author's note - I haven't lived in Victoria for a few years now and apparently this place has gone down hill. Truth be told, the last couple times I was there I was unimpressed myself. Super noisy bands (playing really ...um... "island" music) and the staff were vapid. C'est la vie.
The Victoria Pub Company is well renowned for some of the best pubs in town - the Penny Farthing and Irish Times are packed on any given day, and known all over town for some of the best pub food there is. With each pub that opens the decor is far above and beyond that of the pub prior - when Irish Times opened is was by far the nicest pub in town. The Bard and Banker has again raised that bar.
Roughly eleven million dollars was spent on renovating one of Victoria's most recognizable and beautiful heritage buildings on Government Street - the former christmas store.
There is marble everywhere - beautiful brass, molding, leather. The detailing is fantastic and the bar pulls are the nicest i've ever seen anywhere.
The Bard and Banker is easily the most beautiful dining establishment I've ever seen.
I've probably been ten times in the last month alone - i just can't get enough. The ambiance is great, it's gorgeous, the wait staff is friendly and the pricing isn't bad (considering the surroundings, anyway).
The food. I'm a bit of a chowder aficionado, and suffice it to say their clam chowder is some of the best i've had anywhere - even superior to the crab & Guiness bisque at Irish Times. A) it's full of bacon. B) it's full of cream. C) it has the fresh kick of green onion and D) it comes with home made bread. what more could you ask for?
The other menu items are also pretty great, although i would like to see less deviation from the theme of the restaurant itself. There are a wide selection of fresh oysters, sandwiches, salads and pizza, but my favorites are the UK faves like shiraz braised lamb shank shepherd's pie & fish & chips with minted peas.
I've gotta give this place a 4.5 out of 5 - i mean if i've been back as many times as i have, it's got to be good.
1022 Government Street, Victoria, BC -
Review from Stephen Z.
Langley, BC
5/21/2012
Stopped in for lunch with my wife this weekend. The both of us weren't really that hungry so we split the 3 Sea Sliders. I was really impressed with how much flavor was packed into these small seafood burgers. My better half really enjoyed the french fries that came along with it.
I also really enjoyed the flight of Irish beers. It went well with the food and atmosphere. -
Review from Linda V.
1/18/2012
This place is great. I went on a Monday for lunch, and they had that 2 for 1 Potato Chip breaded Fish and Chips special. It's regularly like $19 but on Mondays, you get 2 for 1. It was so good--I was so full by the end. I really love this place. I found that there weren't too many places to eat in Victoria without overpaying for mediocre food, but this was a great deal and great quality. I'm sure their beer battered fish is even better, but maybe we'll try that next time (preferably when I'm not broke).
Anyway, I love the inside too. The fish is served with unique paper, and the service is friendly. It's a really grand looking place with neat lights everywhere...I just can't even begin to explain how cool it is. -
Review from R R.
3/23/2012 5 photos
The beer battered fish and chips were amazing! The fish was mouth-watering! On Monday for lunch they have a two-for-one special on fish and chips (though it is for potato crusted not beer battered).
It is interesting that a Scottish pub has NO Scottish beer. They did have several Irish beers and a great collection of local beers. Inside the ambience is amazing.
Free wifi with code, just ask. -
Review from Mario P.
12/4/2011
On the tourist track, right off Government St. Very nice place, in good shape. Great service. Good food and a decent beer selection. The only negative is the prices. Pretty proud of their food and beverages.
Definitely worth checking out if you are on a tourist trek, but if you want to go where the locals go, try Garrick's Head or Podium. -
Review from Ann L.
1/17/2012
Was in here on a crowded night, but it still felt cozy and intimate at the table I was given in a nook by a fireplace. Beer selection was great, server was friendly, and food was delicious! If you want fish and chips, get the beer battered kind, not the potato chip kind.
-
Review from K C.
1/7/2012
Went around 8pm on a Tuesday and we were seated right away. Great ambiance, friendly service ("cheers!") and a mean shepherd's pie... what's not to like? Also a nice selection of local beers, which I wasn't necessarily expecting. For those who are debating between the two, I liked Bard and Banker more than Irish Times (the sister restaurant down the street) though I visit them at different times of day.
-
Review from Nina H.
5/11/2011
Gorgeous decor and really awesome ambiance in downtown Victoria. My friend and I were visiting for the day and had a great time.
We ordered the oysters, salmon chowder, wings, fried pork slider things... forgot the name and a couple of Canadian ales and other drinks.
Everything was really delicious and filling! The service was amazing and all the servers were so hot. My guy friend kept staring.
I still don't really know the difference between an Irish pub and a Scottish one... maybe the Scottish ones just have more Scotches? -
Review from Karlie M.
1/24/2011
The Bard and Banker is a great, big pub in a beautiful old bank building
right in downtown Victoria. The building has been standing on Government Street since 1862. It was the Bank of British Columbia all the way until 1988. The Bard and Banker has been open since 2008, and was named after one of the bank's most famous former employees, Robert Service, who went on to be a famous poet and writer. The pub is also featured on the
Ghostly Walks tour, because it is said that Mr. Service haunts the
building.
The pub is great to look at on the inside, all dark wood and gleaming
gold fixtures, spread out over two floors. According to their website,
there is 12000 sq. ft. of space, so as you can imagine there are lots of
tables and booths. Even with so much space, both times we went there,
there were only a few available tables. This pub has a great atmosphere
and a great drinks menu (we didn't order any food, but it also looked
good). My favourite part of the drinks menu was the "From the Island"
section, which offers beers from within a 2 mile radius of the pub. I
love to see local beers on any menu, and the Bard and Banker had 10 to
choose from, as well as Canadian and import beers, and a nice wine
selection.
The service was nothing spectacular, but it wasn't bad, either, and the
place was absolutely packed both times we were there. There is live
music on every night, and the best part is that there is no cover.
Another really nice touch were all of the old photos of the bank
covering the walls. -
Review from Sheila D.
12/2/2011
This is an absolutely beautiful place, yet casual and welcoming... sat at the bar in the evening, with a glass of scotch and a good friend. We didn't have any food but will on our next visit. Walking distance from our hotel, and so lovely strolling back, with umbrellas in the rain.
-
Review from Stephanie W.
8/6/2011
Stopped in here while spending the day in Victoria - had a couple of beers and some sweet potato fries. Great atmosphere and service - one of the best parts of my day!
-
Review from Jenna Q.
10/9/2010
Came to Victoria as a tourist. But didn't want to do tourist--y things. After attempting to be the ultimate tourist by going to the Tea Room at the Empress (only to be aghast at the 2 1/2 hour wait), we decided to be the complete opposite. So walking up Government, we knew we had to stop in this local pub.
As another iteration, I must say the inside of this place is beautiful. Lots of dark wood and old fashioned lighting, with an interesting 2-floor layout. TVs all over the place playing "SportsCentre", with a nice set of beers on tap at the bar.
It wasn't too crowded, so we sat at the very first round cocktail table in the front. Immediately, our server came by. We weren't sure what to order, so we asked for her suggestion, which was a local brew, one of the lighter beers (I can't remember the name). Never had Canadian beer in my life, but this was actually very good.
If you want to avoid feeling all touristy and want to attempt to see what the locals are up to here, I'd highly suggest stopping by this place. Even though Victoria is a tourist destination, this place can gives that easy, local feel. -
Review from Jason L.
Having stopped by a couple times for lunch now, I can safely say that Bard and Banker is where you stop by for a "gentleman's lunch".
PROS:
+ Setting: not sure about the history of this building, but the space is nicely appointed and conducive for small group gatherings; there are flat screens in case you need to catch the game during lunch ;]
+ Food: dressed up bar food, but nonetheless filling, some favorites are the sweet potato fries, pork sliders, seaweed-infused edamame
+ Beer: good beer selection on tap making for *more* interesting lunchtime conversation
+ Service: the waitresses have all been exceptional here
CONS:
+ This isn't the place to come if you didn't intend on getting a hearty, filling, often greasy lunch. Not a place for salads either it seems like.
Come here for a lunch with the guys. And ladies, your man will appreciate you bringing him here once in awhile! -
Review from Brianna E.
10/14/2011
Stopped by for a quick dinner. Good to know that Victoria requires TWO forms of ID to get in....glad we had them!
Ordered the pork sliders (omg. BLT.) with three different kinds of pork and a salad (BC likes to keep their dressing in small amounts). Hubby got the fish and chips (of course!). Really good food- though half the time we were staring at the inside of this place. Very cool atmosphere. -
Review from Don B.
9/18/2010 5 photos
I gotta say, I'm very surprised that this place only has 3 stars. But then again, I'm a tourist, so maybe it really is only a 3 star pub compared to others in Victoria. But as a tourist from the OC, I really enjoyed Bard and Banker.
First off, the place a is beautiful. Right away, both my wife's and my reaction when we entered was, "I think I'm really gonna like this place". And the musician was actually very good, it definitely helped make the experience that much better.
We started off with some local craft beers. We had never had any Canadian microbrews, so we were excited to try some. I'm kinda sad that we didn't right down the names of the beers, cuz they were really good. I got a nice smooth Pale Ale, while my wife got an Amber with some chocolate notes. The chocolate notes definitely came out, as the flavor was very reminiscent of Young's Double Chocolate Stout.
As for the food, we decided to go with the fish and chips and oysters and chips. I must say, it was some of the best fish and chips I've ever had. Maybe the locals and tourists from the UK may not be as impressed, but from a SoCal native, it was delicious!!! And surprisingly, I actually really enjoyed the coleslaw. I usually hate coleslaw and never touch it. But I gave it a shot this time around, and I'm glad I did.
Sadly, I'll likely never visit Victoria again. I came here on an Alaskan cruise. But if I ever do, I'd love to visit here again. -
Review from Eric G.
1/16/2011
Looked great, but that doesn't make the food taste better, the water refill itself, or the beer any cheaper.
I must not be used to Canadian prices, as dinner for two (we shared a tasty soup and an order of fairly good fish & chips) with one drink set us back over CAD $40.
Seriously, though. In what reality is $6.69 for a pint of HEINEKIN a "special"? Good lord. -
Review from Louisa D.
1/27/2012
My boyfriend and I were wandering around for a drink before dinner to kill time. Had a great pub feel/look. We went upstairs to grab a beer, lots of choices. We both tried something new and liked it. We sat at the bar discussing where we wanted to go for dinner and our bartender chimed in and told us what was tourist spot, where to avoid, and what was really good. His recommendation was great, we loved the restaurant ( an Italian place a few blocks down). My boyfriend and I ended up going back to the bar after dinner and the place was crowded and seemed like a good place to be that night! The same bartender was there and asked us how dinner was. We ended up chatting with some locals about soccer and they even invited us to a game the next day. Also, our bartender made my boyfriend an I a drink--that we still remember--it was called 'the shaft"; be sure to ask for it! It was so good! Great time overall, we will go back the next time we are on Victoria Island
-
Review from Chanele B.
8/19/2011
This place has some of the best ambiance around. I love the decor and the feel of the building. I also love the beer selection. One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to try different local brews, and they have an excellent selection of BC beers, including several from Vancouver Island. The food isn't bad either. On our last visit, we shared some chicken wings, and they were some of the best I've had. The service is usually pretty good, and it's just a comfortable place to relax.
-
Review from Patrick R.
Victoria, BC
6/14/2009
The Bard and Banker is a wonderful pub on Government St. It is one of the most notable restaurants along the government corridor as it is located in a beautiful old heritage building on the west side of the street.
Inside, the owners have made an effort to match the decor with the impressive exterior. I am always blown away by the detail and design. B&B may not be the best pub in Victoria but it is far and away the nicest. (take some times to enjoy some of the quirks added to the place, such as the name plates given to some of the tables and alcoves. The "Manager's office" is my favorite.)
The service at Bard and Banker has always been very pleasant for me. Every server that I have had has not only been quick and attentive, but cheery, talkative and willing to joke around a little. I'm also quite taken with the dress code for servers. All servers wear kilts, regardless of their gender. It's a nice touch which complements the decor.
The drink selection is always a big plus for me. B&B has one of the largest draught selections I have ever seen (if not -the- largest) in addition to that, the scotch list is likely the most expansive you will ever find outside of the British isles. It also gets bonus points for sorting the scotches by region and for including some nice high end scotches (30yr Macallan for only $50.00 a glass)
The main area where B&B loses points is the food. Not to say the food is bad, I always enjoy whatever I order. They keep their menu rotating to keep things interesting. But for the prices of the food, you expect something of the calibre put out by Canoe (or Spinnakers on a good night) but it is just not up to that standard. Last time in, I had the Sea Sliders which is a set of three mini-burgers with salmon, halibut and a crab cake in each one respectively. While the fish in each burger was nicely cooked, the trimmings of the burgers were minimal or non-existent in the case of the crab cake, the buns were pedestrian at best and, even for mini-burgers, they were just too small (they looked like the garnish to my fries, which dominated the plate). It was delicious, but I would have enjoyed it more with a little more attention to detail.
The B&B also features live music nightly. The pub has given the performing area a nice out of the way set up on the second level which allows for a good view of the performers without making it seem like they are in the way. While I can't speak to their volume all the time, the times I have been in, the level was low enough to easily allow for conversation, which is a big bonus for me.
All in all. I would give a big recommendation to the Bard and Banker. It is by and large my favourite conventional pub in Victoria coming second (or fourth rather) only to the three brewpubs of the harbour. -
Review from Dustin D.
Victoria, BC
7/23/2010
My cousin came in from out of town and wanted to do an afternoon pub stop for some beer and late lunch, so downtown we wandered and stopped in on the first major pub on our path.
The Bard and Banker had some highs and lows for us on our maiden visit.
The highs: The decor is great, the service was above average, the mood is welcoming and enjoyable. The Philips beer that they apparently have exclusive rights to is just fantastic, I really wish that this could be purchased for take home or bought in a store. The beer has hot stones dropped into it while brewing which caramelizes some of the sugars and give it some sweet, creamy and caramely notes, one of (if not THE) best draft beers I've ever had. My cousin had ordered something different, tried mine and announced she had a serious case of beer envy.
The lows: Really there was just one low, the food (sadly that's kind of key when evaluating a pub/restaurant). The menu felt like try-hard pub food. Sort of glamorized pub fare that wasn't honest and wasn't that well prepared. I actually had trouble finding anything that I really wanted. My guest had some seared tuna on... I don't even remember what it was supposed to be, but it looked like grey lumpy mud and was about as flavourful, she was very unimpressed by the look and taste and I didn't even want to try it based off the sight of it. I had what amounted to a beef dip with mozza minus the au jus. It was ok, nothing great, but not bad. Not something I'd return for.
If this review was solely for the food, it would only be 2 stars, however given that it's a pub and that it's a good place to go grab a beer (and the fact that they and only they, have this delicious philips brew), raises it up to a 3. I'd definitely recommend dropping in for a pint and some snacks, but at this time I really can't recommend the main courses based off what we encountered. -
Review from Sarah D.
7/7/2011
I am so impressed. I don't mean to ding the whole country of Canada, but I have never had a good meal in all my travels there. Things changed at the Bard and Banker. They make amazing mashed potatoes and a gorgeous salad with blue cheese, greens and a cinnamon crisp. I am already craving it. My friend had the bangers and mash and was in love. The building is also really gorgeous - an old turn of the last century bank building with all the chandeliers and Victorian charm. Great place all around!
-
Review from Antonia W.
Toronto, ON
4/2/2010
I'd been to Irish Times several times, but never made the hop over to Bard & Banker til the past weekend with some friends. The place gets busy FAST so luckily we met up at 7 and got a table right away. We sat upstairs and had a corner to ourselves so it felt pretty comfy. We were there for drinks and they have a pretty good selection of beers and, unlike Irish Times, they have cocktails and martinis for people like me! My friend ordered a dessert... something like a white choco brownie with peanut butter ice cream. It was REALLY good.
Another reason to come to Bard & Banker, to continue Chris D's list:
4. People-watching..... according to my single friends :D -
Review from Marlena M.
Vancouver, BC
4/25/2011
After taking in the Royal BC Museum (good!) and the attached IMAX (an IMAX!) we headed out for some super bar food at The Bard and Banker. The waitress was even so kind as to substitute one of their pulled pork sliders in my sea sliders along with the fresh grilled fish and fried oyster slider. My word. Dylans lamb burger was phenomenal as well. The band was just warming up while we were there, but they seemed like they would have been pretty good. Just for TMI, now the boyfriend wants me to get a kilt. Damn you hot pub waitresses giving my boyfriend ideas! Recommend.
-
Review from Just Y.
8/24/2010
(3.5 stars) Unlike their "Irish" neighbors across the street, I at least somewhat get the kilt thing at this "Scottish" establishment.
Right off, I love the look: wide open, bright and cheery. I'm not sure there is a bad seat in the house, but give me a few more visits to try them all and I'll update the review. Beer selection was nice and my hats off for keeping so many of the taps with local brews; too bad you seemed to only offer the "happy hour" price reductions on the import drafts. Food was good for pub grub, certainly can't complain at the prices they are offered.
Although overall OK and certainly friendly, we thought that service could use some improvements. Want to play a fun game? Just glance over at the server terminals on the way to your seat and memorize the suggested selling phrases - drink whenever you then hear one. Seriously though, they are a pub, and the primary point of a pub is to move product. The amount of time from ordering a pint to it being delivered is way too long - 8 minutes we timed at one point. The server should also be proactive and monitor the drink levels - only once did we not have to ask for another round. Food delivery was also a bit clunky. Why a solitary slice of bread came with the otherwise delicious Fresh Mussels I'll never know, but that it took 10 minutes to get more bread delivered during a 1/3 full lunch service is a mystery. Nothing was a show stopper, but certainly there was room for improvement. -
Review from Megan S.
11/22/2010
We went to the Bard and Banker hoping to get some good drinks in a cozy atmosphere, but were pretty disappointed. The place was empty so we asked if we could have a booth near the window. The hostess told us they were all reserved and proceeded to walk past dozens of open tables to seat us next to a large group of very loud and very drunk patrons. Now I like to drink, and sometimes get a little rowdy in bars, but I don't want to sit next to the only loud and drunk people when the bar is empty.
We decided to put the seating arrangements past us and order a round. I got an old fashioned, my husband a G&T and our parents got martinis. We were all very disappointed. They were teeny, mostly water and super over-priced. Futhermore it took forever to get them (surprising because the place was still empty).
Fourty-five minutes later we left after one round (opting to check out another bar instead) and noticed that all of the tables that we requested and were told were 'reserved' were still empty.
I would not recommend this place at all. While the building and décor are beautiful, the atmosphere, service and drinks simply suck. I hate to sound so crass, but that was my experience. -
Review from Astor A.
9/17/2011
Located in an old bank gives this a great vibe. The yam fries with the miso,fresh lemon and ginger, oh yum! The sauce in the steak and pie was so amazing. So why not 5 stars? It's in a tourist location but local business men do stop in also. I know not an answer for not 5 stars but I just can't give it 5 stars. It just misses that something maybe that is the tourist feel that misses the local pub feel.
-
Review from Rick W.
5/28/2011
Beautiful, Friendly and Great Beer. You need more in a review? Then just get down here, grab a beer and see for yourself.
-
Review from Peter S.
10/19/2009 1 photo
How can I not at least give them four hoppy stars!
They serve Caffrey's on tap.
The grub was as good as it gets for pub fare. And they happily changed the channel away from the NFL to the Canucks.
I know this is smack dab right in the middle of tourist hell in Victoria, but the Bard & Banker is worth a boo if you need to wet your whistle. -
Review from Linda R.
6/13/2010
Well it was an exciting day in Victoria!! As soon as we got to Government street we were greeted by a group of about 200 naked bike riders! Very amusing place, as one woman on the street commented,' glad it didn't rain on them'!
We continued down the street and we came to the Bard and Banker. It's an old bank that has been converted into a Scottish Pub. Really a beautiful place inside and out. Since the World Cup was going on we thought it might be the place to be and it was.
The food is more inventive than most pub fare. For instance I got seafood sliders. A trio of sliders the first was crab cake, the second a piece of broiled Alaskan cod and the third a fried oyster with perserved lemon sauce. They were served with yam fries and a lime ginger aioli...see what I mean about inventive! Also on the table were pulled pork balls. They were fried about the size of a hush puppy and served with chipolte mayonaise. The balls were not my fav, I would have rather had a pile of the pulled pork and the mayo on the side for dipping. Something about frying it all seemed to ruin it.
Careful of the drink menu! There are lots of local brews and wines and some of the prices are outrageous and not what you'd expect to pay in a pub.
Go and enjoy! -
Review from Joseph F.
7/19/2009
We visited the B&B on a Saturday at around 4pm. Things were quiet and we were seated promptly. i was impresses with their whisk(e)y selection and had a Glenrothes. The local chocolate porter was enjoyed by my wife.
We started with happy hour oysters (.69 each), an order of the venison carpaccio (9.99) and split the pork belly and scallops dinner (19.99). The food was outstanding and the sercive was excellent!
From reading the other reviews on the B&B here on yelp, I now know there are other pubs in Victoria and next time Im up here I'll check them out, but its going to be tough to beat The Bard and Banker! -
Review from Erik R.
4/23/2010 1 photo
By dinner The Bard' was already a happening place. We waited maybe 10 minutes to be seated and found ourselves situated towards the rear of the restaurant (after a bit of searching). The Bard' is enormous inside, with seating all over the place (thanks mainly to the kitchen being no where in sight on the main level). Thankfully, many of the seating areas which occupy space under balconies protruding from the second level are walled in with glass allowing for marginal sound abatement and regular conversation.
For dinner I thought it might be fun to compare The Bard' to Shelter and ordered the Halibut Burger with yam fries. The Halibut Burger was good, and the yam fries were a bit wanting without any sort of dip to pair them with (as Shelter had done). The restaurant is still quite a bit of fun, the energy of everyone inside, it's sheer size, and capable if not exceedingly busy wait staff do a fair job of keeping up with all their tables. I'd recommend it. -
Review from Chris D.
North Vancouver, BC
2/2/2010
Not bad for pub food, but let's face it: that's not why you're here. There're three good reasons to stop by this pub:
1. Live music. If a place showcases local musicians, then to me that's the whole point of going there and all else is incidental. If the food's good, that's just a bonus;
2. The Whisky. Is there a better list of Scotch whisky in Victoria? If so, let me know;
3. The draft beer. -
Review from Sally S.
Vancouver, BC
7/12/2011
We had dinner here during our road trip up Vancouver Island.
I just HAD to order their oyster burger when I saw it on the menu because I rarely see it offer in Vancouver.
I expected the oyster to taste like...well...OYSTER, but it turned out to be THE WORST BURGER I'VE EVER EATEN. The oyster tasted like HORSE SH*T (same smell that attacks your nostrils you when one of the horse drawn carriage tours passes you). I kid you not! At first I thought maybe it was just me and my taste buds not being used to eating oysters, but my boyfriend confirmed it when he tried it.
Not being in the mood to complain because I was on vacation, I told the waitress my food was "fine"...I caught a look on her face like she knew the burger was bad. Did they purposely serve me bad oysters? I guess I'll never know...One thing I do know is I won't be recommending this place to anyone!
DO NOT RECOMMEND! -
Review from C C.
Nanaimo, BC
7/12/2011
The atmosphere of this pub is great, drinks are decent but WOW, what small portions for their food and the prices are steep. My husband ordered a reuben sandwich and it looked like you could finish the thing in one bite. Soup was in a tiny, tiny bowl....Definitely not worth the huge menu price. I ordered mussels and I was given about six in a bowl for the price of a pound in any other restaurrant. Shockingly small portions...We might drink there again but we will not be ordering food there again...
-
Review from Nick C.
5/16/2011
I have the 1904 beer. A little price, but worth it! I also had the cod chowder. Awesome!
-
Review from Adrian S.
Edmonton, AB
9/19/2010
Food was great, had a couple of appetizers as I was not overly hungry. I had the salt and pepper wings and the yam fries, both really good. The service was good but a little less than it should, took a while for us to get our bill and we got helped by three or four different people so it was kind of hard to tip. So I'm giving it a 4 overall.
-
Review from Thom R.
5/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great oysters and beer. Excellent ambiance.
-
Review from Janet F.
London, ON
5/31/2010
This place is GORGEOUS! And I know that's not necessarily what you want when you go to a pub, but it's a nice touch. Who could resist leather booths, high ceilings and great drinks. They have a huge selection of wines and cocktails, so it's not just all about the beer like at other pubs. I suggest the crooked nose (it's like a raspberry mojito) and the snakebite.
