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Ferris' Grill
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants Canadian (New) Seafood, Canadian (New) [Edit]
536 Yates StVictoria, BC V8W 1K8
(250) 360-1824
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sun 10 am - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
52 reviews for Ferris' Grill
Review Highlights
"The individual oysters are delicious too."
(in 25 reviews)
"Best Halibut Burger in the city."
(in 6 reviews)
"definitely try for the back patio if it's open and weather..."
(in 4 reviews)
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52 reviews in English
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Review from J T.
New Westminster, BC
11/23/2011
This is my favorite restaurant in Victoria and a definite stop whenever I m in town. Everything on the menu is great but I love the Pacific Rim noodles and the Seafood Ceasar drink that comes with a raw oyster n cocktail shrimp.
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Review from Brett L.
9/19/2011
The downstairs (grill) portion of this restaurant is unassuming and consists of a limited number of small tables and wooden booths running the narrow length of a dimly-lit little bar. More seating is apparently available outside in the rear of the restaurant. There are some makings for a nice little pub/bistro here, including a menu that has a decent mix of new and old world offerings that take advantage of local ingredients, namely oysters from B.C. and Washington waters.
However, despite some potential, there were issues with the food and "ambience" that detracted from the experience, placing them no higher than two stars for us. There were three of us on this evening in Victoria. We ordered the pulled pork poutine for starters before moving onto a lamb burger, oyster burger, and Oysters Rockefeller with caesar salad, respectively. The poutine came with fresh-cut fries, a serving of pulled pork, and gravy generously poured on top. This decadent and filling appetizer wasn't bad, but the gravy was rich and seriously oversalted. When you order something like this, you expect it to be filling, but the saltiness was just too much and had me filling up on glasses of water. The big problems with the burgers were their dryness. There was really no mayo or sauce to speak of on either to help "grease the skids." This would have helped both moisture and flavor. I hate the feeling of thick chunks of dry bread in my mouth--another reason why our water glasses needed frequent refilling. I was looking forward to the Oysters Rockefeller--this dish was frequently found on early 20th century fine dining menus, but seems hard to find these days. With the surging popularity of bacon, I wouldn't be surprised if the Rockefeller treatment (oysters baked with bacon, cheese, and spinach) makes a comeback. I received four medium to large sized oysters, each in their own little baking dishes (basically small rectangular sauce dishes). While the oysters were nice and juicy, the spinach was sparse and bits of bacon a little dry and salty. The biggest problem was the overpowering white cheese. I'm not sure of the type, but it was like a ricotta that was too rich, pasty, and salty. I think a plain old melting cheese broiled golden brown would have been a much better choice here. My caesar wasn't much better on the subtlety front--shaved parmesan excess. I felt as if I had more slices of cheese than pieces of romaine. By the end of all this, my taste buds were on salt overload and I was full of all the water I could drink to compensate, making me fuller than I wanted to be.
The last straw was something that I don't think I've ever had to comment on before, and that's the comfort of the seating. Throughout my meal, I was constantly squirming around and trying to change positions within our booth. While I'm not a fan of those hard wooden tall-backed booths anyway, I don't typically have to sit sideways or squirm around this much. Then we figured out the problem. The width of the bench itself was no larger than what you'd find on a high school bleacher, which means you have absolutely no thigh support. After a long day of walking the streets of Victoria, you're going to feel that lack of support and additional weight on your feet (unless you're fairly petite or a child). I was squirming so much to get comfortable that by the halfway point of our meal, I was actually looking forward to being able to stand up and leave. That was a first!
The service was fine. The prices were slightly above what I might like to pay. However, the real downers were the consistently salty and heavy-handed food as well as the surprisingly uncomfortable bench seating. Maybe a different combination of entrees will give you a different experience. If you're still curious about their oysters, my advice would be to try the upstairs oyster bar because as long as they're fresh, it's hard to imagine a place screwing up raw oysters (oh, and ask for a real chair). -
Review from Lesa D.
9/5/2011
Ferris' is A-OK. If I lived here, I'd probably be a fan - it's got great "hang-out" appeal - especially the patio, which they made really cozy by lighting up some heaters in the evening. Ferris' feels like an old, well-loved, pub.
The menu is great - they're all about seafood and oysters, but have a great burger selection, too. We decided to order a bunch of appetizers for dinner. The best of the lot was the baked oysters - fabulous! The gyoza dumplings were great, too. What was lacking was the sweet potato fries - they were okay, but not the best (or even 2nd or 3rd best I've ever had).
Our neighbors seated at the table next to us, also ordered them. And when the waiter asked about them, she told him they were only okay. He was REALLY surprised, and a bit defensive ("in 20 years, we've never had a complaint"). We'll they were right.
Finally, my oyster shooter was a big disappointment - the emphasis is on shooter, not oyster. It was the smallest oyster I've ever seen. More like a shot of vodka with a teeny tiny oyster piece at the bottom. Not only have I had better, but this one was the worst I can ever remember being served.
Ferris' fine, and a fun place with a bunch of friends, but not worth the hype (or five stars). -
Review from Matthew L.
Edmonton, AB
Updated - 9/5/2011
While the food is always delicious, service is too slow and inconsistent. Today, my wife and our friend were both craving a veggie burger and I suggested Ferris', as I tend to prefer their other food options to Blue Fox or Red Robin (our other options).
Not once were we asked how our food was. Nor were our water glasses refilled. Nor was my wife and our friend asked if they would like additional soft drinks. When I go out to a sit-down place, I expect service, but I have a feeling that management doesn't always know how to run this joint.
I should note that my wife still loved her nut-and-seed filled veggie burger.
The space is inviting, but awkward. It's easy for a server to forget about you when you're behind a tall wooden bench.
I'm not sure if I'd ever take a business client here again for lunch.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/25/2010
Knowing my own penchant for oysters and fearing that I could not control myself (and that I would… Read more »
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Review from Anders N.
Victoria, BC
7/6/2011
If you have a chance - GO THERE!
My girlfriend and I went there last night, expecting good food after having read yelp-reviews. We were both surprised, because the food was not good, it was really amazing! Yesterday we tried a few baked oysters, the piglet sandwich (with pulled pork) and a bouillabaisse - all very delicious. Also, the prices are really good compared to the level of cooking! We are actually going back tonight :) -
Review from Purdy J.
7/13/2011 1 photo
After all the great reviews and hype I was disappointed with my experience. It about mid-day so it was not very busy. The service was friendly but there were many things that turned me off:
1) Cleanliness: I'm usually okay with the occasional dirty item but we both had some dirty cutlery and "floaties" in our water. When the waiter brought us new cutlery, just as he was putting them on the table, he noticed they were too dirty and turned around to get another clean set.
2) Spinach Salad: I regret not taking a photo but it was the saddest, limpest looking spinach salad I ever got. I was astonished that they would even serve any green in that state I should have returned it.
Otherwise, their oyster platter was delicious. It came out piping hot and all the different sauces were fun to taste. -
Review from Sunny R.
7/20/2011
We went for dinner, its basically a lunch menu, little to no offerings for dinner with fish or seafood other than oysters. The oysters are quite pricey for little ones.
The place is quite narrow and oddly laid out. Service was quite slow, but for an afternoon lunch this would have been 4 stars. -
Review from Doug H.
9/15/2011
FIrst, you should know that there are 2 separate dining areas at this restaurant; upstairs is more upscale and dinner only while downstairs is more casual and offers the same menu all day. That said, thank God someone at our hotel recommended this spot for seafood. We'd read on this site that Pescatores was a great seafood restaurant but when we stopped to look at the menu it was pedestrian at best and boring at worst. Their Oyster Bar is great but the offerings at the main restaurant were not localiy inspired at all. So we searched for another option for seafood in the downtown area and ended up at Ferris' Grill. The upstairs is warm and inviting and the food was awesome. Our server was great; friendly, helpful and went out of her way to assist us with a couple of unusual requests and several questions. The end result was a meal that rivals the top 2 or 3 in the past 8 days between here and Seattle.
If you want locally sourced, fresh, imaginative and delicious seafood, climb the stairs to Ferris' Grill. -
Review from Kahanalei M.
5/27/2011 1 photo
We tried the Pan Seared Salmon Fillet and it tasted great! The salmon was marinated in a five spice, maple, ginger and soy marinade and it came with stir fried veggies, basmati rice and some strips of crisp wonton on top. I thought they served you your money's worth as the portions were big. We also ordered the Japanese Breaded Oysters and they were delicious! The oysters and salmon were both fresh and prepared very well.
We arrived at the downstairs Grill restaurant right before the dinner rush on a Sunday evening, sometime before 6:30pm; around 7pm, there were groups of people in line waiting for tables, and some were told it would be up to a 30min. wait, so we were glad we got there early. The service we received from this place was excellent - the waiters and servers that we had encountered were friendly, attentive and nice to deal with. If you are going to visit Victoria and are looking for a place to have some good food, be sure to check this place out! -
Review from Jens J.
11/9/2010
We made a spur-of-the-moment trip to Victoria this past weekend via the Victoria Clipper. It was an excellent time, enhanced by the pleasant surprise (in November, that is) of no rain and actually plenty of sunshine.
We walked up here from the Empress mid-day Saturday for lunch.
Oh wow, but what a great start to our vacation. We snagged a table next to a brick wall in the long narrow restaurant by the kitchen. Well actually, I think almost, if not all, the restaurants we ate at in Victoria had brick walls. No wait for table, we were seated immediately.
Since neither of us had ever had oyster soup, both JP and I jumped at the opportunity to try this starter dish. It was fantastic - thick, tomato-ey and spicy hot (but not too hot) with, of course, bits of oyster. Absolutely delicious. If you think you are not an oyster fan (like a lot of people seem to be) this may be the dish to change your mind!
JP had a halibut sandwich with greens as a side. They didn't have an oil and vinegar dressing. per se, but did serve oil and vinegar in separate shake bottles for your use. Note to my fellow Americans, Ferris does not have ranch dressing, but you can do without and still thrive. JP declared this the best halibut sandwich he had ever had.
I ordered the Lamb Burger with add-ons of curried chutney and sautéed mushrooms. I hit the jackpot! The lamb meat itself was stellar (with a pronounced and pleasant lamb flavor) and so was the oh-so-delicious chutney.
With my burger, I ordered the fries. These are some of the best fries I have ever had, from their shape to the crispiness to the saltiness. I noticed in the kitchen that they were tossing the fries in a colander-like device before adding to the plates. Definitely a winner technique.
You bet we will be back! -
Review from Kai Y.
12/6/2010
This place speaks my kind of language. I am a huge seafood fan. When I was in Victoria, I looked up seafood restaurants in the area, Ferris' Grrill was one of top ones showing up as the result.
I went to their downstairs Grill restaurant. I ordered the mixture of clams and mussels as the appetizer and the Bouillabaisse as the entry. I was completely satisfied with the freshness of the seafood and the fantastic flavor of the food. I wish I had more room to taste other things on the menu.
I liked their wine selection. I tried a local British Columbian Chardonnay, it was actually quite good.
The service was very friendly and the ambience was quite simple but warm. I kind of knew I was in the right place when I saw half of the diners there were locals.
It was so good that I was almost tempted to go back the second time during my short stay in Victoria. Yes, I am a seafood addict. Until next time I am in town, I will definitely go back! -
Review from Rachel W.
Burnaby, BC
9/5/2011
Sept. 2011
Cliff Notes Version of this review: It's good bang for your buck, good flavors, make a RESERVATION - usually busy, there is a downstairs version (The Grill) and and upstairs version (The Oyster Bar) of the restaurant. Might go back next time in town, but it's only on my list of "top places between number's 5-10" that I rate it.
The long version of the story:
We were referred to this restaurant by a local who frequents the place and is an oyster fanatic...he also watches his budget, so we figured, why not? Had to book ahead of time, reservations go fast and as we saw while there, seats for walk-ins fill up even faster.
Being this busy on the Saturday night we went, our 6pm reservation meant we did not get anything to eat until 7:10pm - not even some mini appy to keep us from starving.
While the waiters were polite, they were a bit loud in discussing their personal lives a bit too much. I didn't really want to hear about someone having to "clean up a mess in the bathroom" right before I was going to eat. Or the fact that one of them was taking a poll to see if others had met a person without eyelashes - he thought it was creepy - really? But, I am getting off track.
Since this restaurant is right off the water, they have access to some great product. Being that they promoted themselves on doing oysters several different ways, we thought we'd give it a try.
Pan Fried Oysters - Plump and succulent B.C. oysters skillet fried with butter, garlic and lemon with herbed garlic toast - Small(usually 3) $8.00 Large(usually 6)$14.00
What GREAT flavor! Oysters were a large size, bread was soaking up the remaining butter & herbs, all soft and gooey. I would totally recommend this dish.
Oyster Platter - All eight different oysters, or all the same with a Caesar salad and garlic toast - $25.00.
Keep in mind this dish a what I view as a Novelty Platter - gives you a taste of all they have to offer. The Caesar salad is ok, large size, nothing to write home about. The bread is hot and fresh, served with a head of roasted garlic (nice change from an old stand by) But the amount of salad and bread, I couldn't help but wonder why they would want you to fill up on that and not the oysters?
While the one oyster that comes in each small dish is a large size and can be cut in half to split between tow people - here's what I thought:
The Oyster Platter includes the following combinations:
The Downtown - Baked with fresh sage, mushrooms, leeks garlic and butter - AWESOME, will have it again!
The Santa Fe - Baked with a smoked chili and bourbon bbq sauce - SKIP IT - tasted like a package of ketchup was dumped on top.
The Sonora - Baked with chipotle chili & lime butter - NOT BAD
The Orient Express - Baked with a Szechuan black bean, garlic and ginger sauce - BEANS & Ginger give it good flavor.
The Texas - Baked with fresh lime, tequila and Tabasco - FEEL THE BURN - so hot the flavors wrecked my taste buds for 15mins - would not get this one again.
The Thai BBQ - Baked in a mild Thai ginger sauce - MILD? Where did the flavor all go? Skip it!
The Webster's - Baked in a creamy pesto sauce - AWESOME flavor throughout, do it again!
The Rockefeller - Baked with spinach, bacon and Pernod. This one is not served with hollandais - OH YEAH! The smoked bacon and bit of bread crumbs give it some crunch and good mix of flavors.
I was told by my dinner companion that the martini "007" was good and strong.
Customers next to us urged us to get the Brownie for dessert. It really looked amazing and they apparently come in every few weeks here for a meal and split the brownie. We were too full and my mouth was still burning from The Texas Oyster so we had to pass.
Would I go back? Probably...but like I said at the start, it's not in my Top Five to visit...and I would try something other than the oysters next time. -
Review from Glenn C.
6/26/2011
Went here with the recommendation from Yelp and it definitely was right. My son got the oysters caliente. It was a creamy chilli pepper sauce with green onions, tomatoes and oysters (of course) over pasta. It was awesome. I had the Seafood Bouillebaise which consisted of a nice spicy tomatoe sauce with lots of seafood (salmon, oyster, clams, crab and shrimp). Price was very reasonable! Both dishes were under $20. The service was very good and our waiter was very friendly. We ate in the Grill.
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Review from John E.
8/1/2011
Decent food but REALLY SLOW. Also seafood portions did seem a bit small. Took us over an hour to get food from when we sat down. We even amended our orders when the waitress told us the first thing we chose might take a while.
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Review from Stephanie M.
Vancouver, BC
8/17/2010
After a very long trip to Victoria, we were relieved to finally reach this restaurant as our lunch destination. It was one of the brunch/lunch places recommended to us by our host. There was some confusion at first as there is a restaurant on the ground level which has a back patio and which serves more traditional lunch/dinner fare, and an upstairs portion next door which serves the brunch menu we were craving. We mistakenly sat down in the first location before we realized this.
We were very hungry by this point and while struggling with the difficult decision (many things on the menu looked wonderful) we eyed our neighbours' meals, which indicated that we would get large portions of tasty-looking food.
My friend's meal was an extremely generous portion of brie-stuffed French toast accompanied by warm pecans and apricots (and maple syrup of course). I had a frittata with caramelized onion, rosemary, potatoes and gorgonzola cheese. Very rich but balanced by the mixed greens served on the side, which came very nicely presented and with a light citrus dressing. Our server was friendly and attentive - had she not been, it would have been very annoying, as there was only one other table dining in the restaurant at that time.
The atmosphere overall was relaxed with some "interesting" local artwork on the walls. Not my taste exactly but served as a good conversation piece. I would definitely come back to try some of the other brunch options, as several things on the menu looked worth a try.Listed in: Best New American, Best Brunch, Best of Victoria
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Review from Dean S.
6/24/2011
The food was excellent - we sat upstairs during the Sunday night tapas dinner. However, we ordered pasta off of the kids menu that arrived LONG after all of the adults had finished eating, more than 45 minutes after it was ordered. After speaking with the owner the words "I'm sorry" never crossed his lips. When I questioned why boiling pasta took so long, he asked that I never step foot in his restaurant again. That won't be a problem.
The tapas were the highlight of our time in Victoria but we won't be back. -
Review from Mark H.
Victoria, BC
2/22/2011
Ferris'....hmmm. All I can say is when a waiter says to you after waiting an hour and a half for your food that you should expect to wait cause its busy and Ferris' always has bad service then I will not be coming back.
No tip for you. -
Review from Reena M.
10/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
This brunch was amazing! And filling. i got the Foux de Fa Fa. This was a brie-stuffed French toast with a walnuts and an apricot-vanilla bean compote. It was sooooo good. I was pretty satisfied with this. However, I also wanted some kind of warm milky beverage on the side. Not coffee. We had some on the ferry to Victoria. They don't do hot chocolates or steamed milk of any sort. So I had to settle for a glass of cold milk.
The ambience of this restaurant was super cool--like an attic of a brick house turned into a restaurant. The art work on their wall, esp. the stuff reminiscent of HBC was a bit questionable though.
I wanted to go back here on Sunday for brunch again but, the only do Saturday brunches! -
Review from Steve L.
Victoria, BC
I've never had an oyster in my life before, and heard that Ferris' Grill was a great place to lose my bivalve mollusk virginity.
A group of six of us and one 18 month year old had no problem getting a table, but only because we had the foresight to get a reservation as the place quickly filled up.
The oysters were fantastic, especially the ones that adorned the Seafood Caesar cocktails I had before our meal. I ordered the jambalaya and was pleasantly surprised with the large amount of seafood that it actually contained. My girlfriend ordered the Cajun prawns which more was like a sweet potato cajun prawn poutine, without the melted cheese curd. Whatever it was, it was delicious.
Our server was attentive, friendly, and had no problems dealing with our group. However, as a few of my friends commented her outfit probably wasn't the most appropriate, and that's even comparing it to the skimpy Earls standard. Our bill arrived and she had separated it by couple, but was quick to let us know that she had entered everything by memory so there might have been some errors and provided us with a pen to help us sort things out. I didn't have an issue with this as everything seemed to be in order, however a few of my friends took it as some personal affront and couldn't believe a server would be so bold as to have us manually correct our own bill.
Overall, I didn't have any major issues with Ferris'. The food was good, the service, in my mind, was excellent, and I'm happy to have lost my oyster virginity at their establishment. -
Review from Team F.
10/8/2010
We wandered in on a Monday night, drawn by the consistently high Yelp reviews. They were able to quickly seat us but, being a Monday, they appeared understaffed. There was one girl working the seated area and she was 1) overwhelmed and 2) not very competent. A lethal mix that resulted in slow service, infrequent check-ins, and an incorrectly placed order for my wife.
All that being said, they fixed the order, prices were reasonable, and the food was good. I had a pound of mixed mussels and clams in a Malaysian curry and my wife had a great chicken pasta dish.
If I were going to do it again, I'd skip the clams (go with straight mussels), and get an order of fries. They were featured prominently on the menu but we didn't get around to ordering them. -
Review from Gabriel A.
8/24/2009
I love Ferris', and I've never even noticed. It took a while. Three visits. for me to say "You know what? This place is ALWAYS good."
They're subtle. they don't drown you in fat or syrup or whatever-- the food is just hearty and solid and good.
the service has been great, and there's pictures of pugs everywhere.
Yesterday I had a vegetarian sandwich on rye bread-- I don't remember what it was called-- but it had artichokes and all kinds of other goodies.
Fantastic.
Also, my girlfriend says that the coffee there is exceptional. -
Review from Andrew A.
6/26/2011
Great value, friendly staff, delicious food across the board. The seafood is delicious.
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Review from Graham I.
Victoria, BC
4/17/2009
I love the Oyster Bar. It ruins everywhere else for me because it is so good. So much more than just oysters and seafood.
Food is not flashy but there is lots of creativity. Always made with fresh ingredients - and the value is superb. Best Halibut Burger in the city. Best fries in the city. Best Iced Tea in Canada. Best Chicken Soup in the hemisphere. Some of best pasta dishes in town (pulled pork caliente et al) .
They always get trashed for the service but they are helpful and genuine. Some stuff takes a while a to cook - so if someone orders a burger in your party be prepared for them to cook the thick fresh burger from scratch until its done - so it takes a bit of time. Its not MacDonald's.
Good Beer on tap (Okanagan Springs Pale Ale), a small but thoughtful wine list. Rice fritters in brown bag with icing sugar for desert.
Perfect -
Review from Kris S.
11/30/2009
My wife and I tried Ferris' Grill while visiting Victoria from the States last week. After a ferry ride from Tsawwassen and checking into our hotel, we were ready to relax in a dark bar/restaurant with good food. As usual, Yelp did not steer us wrong.
Upon arrival, we were given our choice of tables toward the front of the restaurant, as it was a bit before the dinner rush. After selecting a table, a candle was brought to the table for mood lighting. Most of the tables that we could see are half-booths that are somewhat close together, but still comfortable. The restaurant was filling up by the time we finished, but we never felt cramped.
The menu is full of lots of stuff that you'd expect to find in a bar/grill type place, with an emphasis on oysters, as this is an oyster bar as well. My wife and I considered ordering some oysters, but decided against it, due in part to the higher-than-usual prices for oysters and due in part to wanting something else. The menu also listed their beer selections, and my wife and I each decided to try a local brew from Phillips Brewing Company. Both beers were great.
My wife and I decided to split a couple of orders. One was the cheeseburger, which was a good, solid burger. The burgers come with a choice of sides, including regular "Chicago style" fries, sweet potato fries, and a mix of both types of fries. We ordered the mix. When it arrived, there was a HUGE mound of fries on the plate, much more than you'd expect from a typical side. Both types of fries were perfectly done and very tasty. They also had various mayo dips you could order with the fries, but we didn't order any.
The other dish we ordered was an item on the daily specials menu that caught my eye. Being a visitor to Canada and having read about poutine, I decided we had to try the shredded pork poutine special. When it arrived, it was a huge plate of their excellent fries covered in fresh cheese curds, a generous portion of shredded pork, and a very tasty gravy. We both felt spoiled after our first poutine experience, as I can't imagine any being better than this.
We will definitely return to Ferris' Grill on future visits to Victoria. It's a very comfortable place with great food, drinks, and service. -
Review from David G.
8/31/2009
Ok, this is my first restaurant review ever...glad it's on Yelp and glad that it is Ferris...what an awesome experience!
Decor: First of all, I love the fact that this place loves dogs! They have photos of pugs in costumes all over the place because of some Pet Costume Contest that goes on there once a year....it's fun just to look at the walls here!
Menu: They have such an eclectic menu- from all types of preparations of oysters (of course) to sandwiches, burgers, salads, main entrees, etc....quite an all-encompassing and eclectic menu to suit all types of eaters.
What my party ate:
Maylasian Vegetable StirFry
Sweet Potato and Regular Fries (mixed) with Sauce Sampler
Baked Oysters (Sher Kahn and Rockefeller)
Spinach and Goat Cheese Salad
Beer, Bloody Mary, and Mixed Drinks
The drinks...perfect. Though, you can't mess up beer, can you? The bloody mary was nice and spicy, just the way I like it.
The food: Awesome! The sauce sampler for the fries was devine...the surprising winner of the 3 sauces was a sweet ginger creme sauce that was addictive. I didn't have the stir fry, but my mom and sister said it was one of the best ones they had.
The Sher Kahn oyster was simply scrumptuous...a curry banana concoction of the baked oyster. (I don't like oysters too much, but was feeling adventurous so this sweet curry flavor masked the "fishiness" of the oyster... the Rockefeller (spinach, bacon, pernod) was good, too...but the natural oyster flavor was left very much in tact...not my ideal taste.
The salad had a fruit chutney, almonds, goat cheese and a vinegrette that was simply the BEST spinach salad I ever had....totally took me by surprise.
And to top it all off...all the staff was super nice- from the host, to the bartender to the waitress.
I see now why all "the locals" prefer this place to all the other Oyster bars in the area...it's more reasonably priced and actually better food!
Next time I go to Victoria....I'm coming here again for sure! -
Review from Adelina W.
Richmond, BC
6/19/2010
LOVE this place. I keep going back for more and more. Now that I no longer live here, whenever I'm in town, this is definitely a stop. My fav is probably their oyster burger. The halibut burger is good as well. This last time I had their smoked tuna sandwich and that was really good - like sashimi, the tuna nearly melts in your mouth. The individual oysters are delicious too. I always get the fries - usually the mixed version, but sometimes just the yam fries. They're SO delicious, especially with their chipotle mayo.
Service is friendly and unhurried. Love this place.
Note: it gets pretty busy during dinner hours - make sure you get there early or else there is usually a pretty long line. -
Review from Liz P.
6/20/2011
Food was awful, over cooked salmon, cold stir fry veggies and a rude, sarcastic manager.....so many wonderful places to eat in Victoria. SKIP THIS ONE
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Review from Beth C.
Victoria, BC
10/7/2008
I wonder whether Ferris' has lost customers who saw the name and thought "I don't like oysters" and kept going? Meh, it's the customer's loss...Ferris' is amazing, and one of the best restaurants in the city. Maybe THE best, in its price range. And so much more than oysters.
Ferris' now has a swanky little upstairs loungey bit with fancy martinis etc., but as I've only been up there once or twice, I'll stick to reviewing the restaurant (where I have eaten roughly a zillion times).
I love the atmosphere, all wood and brick and cool art and photos of pugs, and a really great ivy-covered back patio in the summer, with big jars of their in-house iced tea brewing in the sun.
Ferris' has a lot of food that caters to vegetarians, and even my vegan friends can find plenty to eat there. The menu has a lot of delicious, well-made, and often garlicky food. If you want a great value, get the chicken soup with dumplings - it's giant, cheap, and delicious. They have some really excellent burgers, too. Their halibut burger is pan-fried, not breaded, and done just right every time. Their lamb burger skimps a bit on the meat, but has a flavour that's out of this world. Even their salad - which has chickpeas and sunflower seeds, as well as sunflower sprouts, tomato, cucumber and greens - is delicious and satisfying (particularly with the lemon feta dressing).
With everything from burgers and sandwiches, to pastas and seafood and more, Ferris' is a lot more than just oysters, all of it excellent. They're also famous for their French Fries - both regular and yam.
I wish they had a more extensive/more frequent brunch menu - I believe they only do brunch on Sundays.
One point of note is they use a lot of peanut oil in their cooking, so it's a bad choice for those with peanut allergies. I've occasionally found the service there really slow, but most time it's great. -
Review from Chris A.
5/20/2009
We came into Ferris' very excited with high expectations based off the menu and the other reviews here. We left very disappointed.
Service was just awful. We were by no means in a rush, but the pacing was unacceptable. It was consistently 20-30 minutes in between stops from our server, we spent the majority of our time there without drinks or food in front of us including the first and last 30 minutes.
The oysters were fresh and tasty, but our two mains were pedestrian. The mint and yogurt marinated salmon over couscous was bland. The couscous was mush and tasted like it came out of a package. I'm not sure if this was the intention, but Ferris' has perfectly recreated a healthier Filet o Fish with their Halibut Burger. It has the exact same taste except it's not fried.
The last thing that really irked me is this place has a bar, but you can't use it while you're waiting for your table. Congregation is not allowed there, you're forced to wait in the small foyer at the front of the restaurant or outside. Daddy needs a drink when he's waiting for his table. -
Review from Eric R.
8/2/2009
It's been a couple months since I've been to Ferris', but this is a GREAT oyster bar. I can't remember even half the ways they cook their oysters, but everything is so fresh and delicious. I'd love to go back.
We sat in the outdoor area in the back of the restaurant, and even though our neighbors on both sides were obnoxious and loud (because they were beyond drunk), we still had a great time. The atmosphere is comfortable, the servers are friendly, they have an extensive cocktail and wine list, and again, the food is just spectacular.
A+ -
Review from Miss Mary R.
9/29/2011
I ate downstairs in the very intimate bar window....and it was lovely. I ordered the lamb burger with feta and a salad with Lemon Feta dressing. They were spectacular. The burger was juicy and sizzling, the salad greens, fresh and plentiful. The service was laid back, but sufficient. I was happy afterwords...
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Review from Peter M.
Vancouver, BC
5/17/2011
After a very disappointing lunch at the Fan Tan Cafe in Chinatown, we were hoping to find a restaurant that would make up for the bad experience a few hours earlier. And did it ever. This place is small, yet cozy and charming. Their seafood pastas are simply amazing. The portions are large and the service was excellent. And most importantly, the bill was rather pleasantly low for the amount and quality of food. Will be back here on the next stop to Victoria!
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Review from Stacey E.
8/20/2008
The atmosphere is a folksy pub scene with an extensive menu. You don't even have to like Oysters to dine here - I'm in that category and I always find plenty to eat. Dishes are mostly west coast inspired though for Yelp it probably falls under American New - there is no Canadian New category - burn!
Many Americans ask me about Canadian border security. I answer, we don't need guns. We just put our worst restaurants near the cruise ship ports and in hotels and allow natural selection to take place. If you make it to Ferris' you're in. Welcome to Victoria. -
Review from Christine H.
6/8/2009
Amazing, fresh oysters; phenomenally wonderful, charming and delightful service ... all in a beautiful exposed brick building conveniently located to the Empress!
I'm driving back from Lake Tahoe, California, just to go there again! -
Review from Jess E.
5/16/2009
Are you kidding? How Lucky can a person get? No sooner had we arrived in Victoria than we happened upon Ferris'. Starving, and wanting seafood, we took a chance. Best decision of the month.
Ferris' menu is extensive and unexpected. The surroundings are lovely for a quaint dinner; exposed brick and timbers, pub furniture and a heated outdoor back patio area. Full bar and respectable beer/wine list.
So, in the mood for Seafood... We started with the oysters. My partner, D. said "It's like taking a bite out of the ocean". Gorgeous! They come proper, with a complement of toppers. (the mignonette for me). Next were the mussels. Stellar! and finally the Pacific Rim noodle bowl. If you want flavor, this is the dish for you. I dreamt of it all night. As we sat there contemplating the carnage that just was, we contemplated a new message: "Something sweet, to tell your mind the meal is over" written upon the cooler door near our table. Uh oh. Dessert. It didn't take D. long to decide upon the warm brownie with fresh whipped cream. An amazing finish. Warm and nearly-gooey in the middle. The edges were not only chewy, but somehow the sugar had carmelized to form a light shell that held in the devil that lived inside this little brown house.
Check out their website/menu and go here. I noticed that people were wary of the service. Our waiter(s) were prompt, helpful, suggestive and wonderfully absent leaving us to enjoy what is arguably the best meal yet this year. -
Review from Abby T.
3/15/2011
For our first meal in Victoria, this was a great choice. The menu has a wide variety of choices and there is something for everyone. Service was good too. Instead of being left in the lobby to wait for a table, we were immediately taken to the bar and we were able to look over the menu while we waited. Food came in a timely manner and was delicious.
Atmosphere was the other very nice aspect to the restaurant, topping off a nice evening. -
Review from Gillian F.
North Vancouver, BC
11/4/2009
I never leave hungry after going to this place, if anything I always leave with leftovers!
I have tried quite a few different things on their menu and every time I have come here I have always left satisfied. This is a great restaurant for anyone who is vegetarian to go to because they offer quite a few yummy vegetarian options.
**Just a warning, if you ever order one of their burgers, don't expect to be able to eat anything more then the burger it is soo filling (i.e. my favorites, Veggie Nut Burger or Grilled Halibut Burger)
I will say their fries are out of this world regular and yam, and they make the best mixed green salad I have ever had. -
Review from Eric H.
12/3/2010
Pleasant atmosphere, tasty food, and attentive service from the barman (who is also the owner).
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Review from Kevin D.
6/30/2010
Another late night dinner venture. Stopped in on Sunday June 6th and could tell that the rain and tempt had limited the number of customers. After the staff informed me that they were closing early, I asked if I could only have one thing on the menu, what should I get? The recommendation of the Bouillabaisse with local seafood was spot on. If I ever get the chance to get back to Victoria, I know I have to experience more of Ferris' menu.
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Review from Alli G.
Edmonton, AB
1/3/2011
As a non-seafood fanatic I cannot review any of the seafood. However, it was the service I disliked. Might have been one bad apple, but for the price the service left a bad taste in my mouth. Meal was alright, and my ceasar was so-so. I think I might have just gone at a bad time.
