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Nautical Nellies Restaurant & Oyster Bar
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
32 reviews for Nautical Nellies Restaurant & Oyster Bar
Review Highlights
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"...the sweet of her Long Island iced tea (which she pronounced..." In 2 reviews -
"My "Tasting Tower" was a tower of taste sensations -- from..." In 4 reviews
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"...that came with the crab cake plate was very flavorful and..." In 3 reviews
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32 reviews in English
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Review from Vancity V.
Vancouver, BC
3/26/2012 1 photo
I had the scrumtrulescent crab cakes and my daughter had fantastic halibut fish n chips with homemade broccoli coleslaw.
They totally knocked the crab cakes out of the park....so drooly!! -
Review from Sean C.
3/27/2012
This 4-Star restaurant has to be downgraded to 3, not for a minor guffaw but for what I feel is a major offense.
First the good: Buck-a-shuck oysters before 6 p.m.; they're sweet and seductive little suckers. All seafood is locally caught and so fresh it makes my homeland Santa Monica, California seafood taste skanky in comparison. My Halibut Filet was muscular but succulent. But the real discovery of the night is SABLEFISH which is a totally silky fish that slides down the throat like butter.
Now the mood-killer. For a family of five, the cheque came out to $286. That didn't feel right. When we scrutinized the receipt we realized that we were charged for a bottle of wine we never ordered. We had two beers and house water among us. The price of this ostensible wine: $46. If the bottle had only been twenty we might have paid for it accidentally without noticing. Actually glad it was a high number that we were able to detect. Now all Canadians are super-nice, but our blondie tall-and-ponytailed waitress in retrospect was the one waitress as shallow as a typical L.A. girl. (OK, suspect: Did she think we were tourists with cash, and perhaps with the thought of revising the cheque and pocket the proceeds after we left. Nah, that's paranoid, Sean.) On top of it, blondie waitress disappeared after the cheque delivery and we had to walk through the restaurant to track her down -- she was at the bar slacking on the job and gallavanting around with the bartender, not doing her job at a busy restaurant.
Does management understand what a vacation spoiler this incident is? And that it was made worse that she was careless and disregardful about her own job?
Great food. Offensive service. -
Review from Clare L.
7/25/2011
I came here with a group of 14 and it was recommended by concierge. After speaking to some retail sales people and local residents, we were told that it was the a total tourist trap, and very much overpriced for what it was. Due to the size of our party, we decided not to change the place.
I personally did not have dinner there, but I decided to try a few oyster on the half shell and dessert and it was pretty fantastic. I tried 3 oysters, and they were fresh, not too briny, and perfect with a squeeze of lemon. Dessert was a blueberry and Lindt white chocolate streusel wrapped up in phyllo pastry warmed up with a caramel and chocolate sauce drizzle. It was decadent and rich.
So you must be wondering why did I only give a 2 star score? Simply put, the entire table found the server completely off-putting.
He was obnoxious, and although he said some of the right words, he just didn't deliver. Particularly irritating was how he enjoyed using a 2 finger point towards our dishes, but he got close enough that he practically touched our food as we ate it. Another example: a friend that didn't quite make up her mind before ordering, he came back and said since you took too long to order, your food will come out after everyone else.
The food was really pricey, the fish used in the sushi was definitely not fresh (the smell was off) and according to a friend tasted bad too.
The atmosphere and the decor seemed dated (and we're not talking about the new vintage look thing) and unfortunately for the restaurant, the personality of the server overpowered the entire experience. -
Review from K W.
Victoria, BC
Updated - 8/11/2011
I hadn't been to Nautical Nellies in over a year, so I took my mom for some surf and turf. The first thing I noticed was that sushi is all over the menu and the oysters banished to the far-off top left corner of the menu (this place has a decent oyster menu - why hide it?). I can't imagine starting with California rolls and then tucking into a steak with crab legs, but maybe that's just me.
Mom opted for the steak special served on a crispy crab cake and wine reduction. I had a taste and it was tasty.
I had a 7oz steak with lobster tail. It came with carrots and asparagus and mashed potatoes. I'm guessing the potatoes had some buttermilk in it because it tasted somewhat tart. The steak was prepared as I expected with a dollop of herbed butter; the cut was tender and beefy. The lobster was delicious. Bravo.
I had the berry cheesecake served with whipped cream for dessert. Sweet calories. Heavenly.
The food was good, as usual. I'm dinging them a star for the confused menu (it left me confused anyway) and for the slow service tonight (they didn't appear _that_ busy).1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/19/2008
I have eaten here many times and I've never had to send anything back. Keep in mind that this is… Read more »
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Review from Glenn C.
6/25/2011
Asked the Marriott Concierge for a Seafood recommendation and he sent us here. It was a little expensive but we enjoyed the food very much. I had the seafood with a pastry top in a bowl. There was a ton of seafood in it: lobster, scallops, salmon, halibut, shrimp. The sauce was probably from their lobster bisque. It was very good. My wife had the Salmon in a pastry and it was a very large piece of Salmon. My daughter had the halibut it was very fluffy and perfectly cooked. My son had the beef and mushroom pie. I tasted them all and they were very nice.
The wait was a little long to get our food and we were surprised that they didn't provide any bread. -
Review from Vb L.
4/10/2011
Hubby and I planned for weeks to surprise Mum for her 70th birthday. The rest of the family was gathering to celebrate, but Mum had no idea that we'd be able to come to town from California and that's the way we wanted it.
Mum loves lobster and Sis did lots of research before coming upon Nautical Nellies. She reserved a table for 13 people and the game was on.
We barely made the three o'clock ferry from Vancouver, but fate was smiling on us and we made it to the island in time to gear up for the surprise. Went to Sister's house to change clothes and get ready for dinner, and we all headed to the restaurant to get into place before Mum could arrive. Parking was a challenge so we piled out of the car at the entrance and Hubby went looking for a space. We were only out of the car for a moment when Brother spied Mum's car coming down the street. Yikes! I ran inside and prayed she wouldn't see Hubby walking from whatever parking space he would find. Luckily for us, Mum had to circle for parking too which gave us a little time to hide.
The table that was set for us had one side that was a bench so Mum couldn't count chairs which added to the surprise. It was perfect! Hubby came in and we hid at the other side of the restaurant, watching for the family through the shaded glass. Mum, who rides a personal scooter, was let in through the back of the house where the ramp access was located. The family settled her at the table and we came around behind her where she couldn't see us. She was crying because she had seen someone on the street who walked like Hubby and because we hadn't called she had resigned herself to the fact that we weren't coming. When we came around the corner she started crying harder, this time out of joy. It was really a big surprise!
Now, to the review. I don't want to go too deeply into details (especially after the long lead-in), but let's just say that dinner wasn't as fast or as warm as it could have been, but the waitress and Manager (Jessie), went beyond anything we could have expected to make things right for us. They were terrific! They turned what was a really bad situation into something much more palatable. I cannot say enough nice things about how hard they worked to make sure our evening wasn't ruined.
We couldn't hold against them the events of the night and we'll be back, looking forward to the exceptional service we received at Nautical Nellies.Listed in: All Hail Victoria!
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Review from Gary E.
We couldn't decide what to have for dinner so we busted out a Victoria visitors free map guide for dining options. We ended up here at Nautical Nellies, which was just a short walk away from our hotel.
They had a huge banner out front that informed passers by of their presence in today's social networking galaxy "f" and "t" along with check in at foursquare? I'm not sure if it exists, but how I wished they had the most awesome one of them all the "y" for Yelp!...
When we checked in we were told that there's about an hour wait. I said no problem as we weren't starved and really had nothing else going on.
This place must be pretty popular as I constantly watched folks wander in then wander right out. It's probably wise to call in for reservations in advance if you wish to dine without the wait.
Finally we got our table. Our server introduced herself and took our drinks order. I saw that the Cosmopolitan was on special. Not knowing anything about cocktail culture I went on to place my order. My wife laughed as our server asked "Are you sure, would you rather prefer a Mantini instead? Now I got what the big joke was about. It's all in good spirits - I settled for a Long Island Iced Tea instead...
We started out with their premium half a dozen Kusshi oysters on a half shell which our server recommended followed by:
Spicy Tuna Roll (Butter & sake glazed scallion, wassabi, tobiko, California lime sauce topped with secret hot sauce & tobiko).
New York Strip Loin 8 oz.
Sablefish (BC) rich & buttery with large white flakes
Cheese Pizza (Kids Menu)
I slurped up the Kusshi as if it were the end of the world. They were the bomb delicious! We loved it. However, our bay area spoiled sushi tongues didn't agree with their version of spicy tuna roll. We felt it was lacking in depth and flavor. The girls' cheese pizza was generous in portion and not to mention pretty good! My wife's NY steak wasn't up to par in preference but she adored the beets - I agreed. On the other hand, my sablefish was fantastic and we just couldn't get enough...
This restaurant offered Island & Premium oysters and boasted up to ten varieties. A buck a shuck special is available daily from 3 - 6:30 pm on selected varieties. They have a phat selection of drinks from cocktails to fine wines. Nice full bar!
All around service was excellent and we had a four star of a great time. Will drop by again next time in town...
http://media2.px.yelpc...
http://media4.px.yelpc... -
Review from Maddie S.
11/15/2011
Great food! I'm a vegan and I figured I wouldn't be eating much at a seafood restaurant, but they turned out to have absolutely amazing miso soup and veggie sushi rolls! The food is highly priced however and I haven't tried any of the fish (though my parents both seemed to love their dishes). Overall if you're willing to drop some big bucks for seafood, check out Nautical Nellies! Their sushi is pretty reasonably priced too if you're looking for good sushi!
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Review from Cody E.
9/22/2010
This bad review is 100% based on the horrible service I received.
I went to Victoria for a trip this last weekend and thought I would try this place. It seemed reasonably priced, and they had a variety of offerings. It was a Seafood/Oyster Bar/ Sushi place. I always find the combination of Sushi and anything not Japanese somewhat suspect, but I did not know of a better option at the time.
I had one of their modern/fusion rolls which tasted as you would expect, and their "Shuck for a Buck" oysters, which were good. I forgot what the rest of my table had.
The service at this place was terrible . I literally sat for and watched every table around me order and be served before my waiter talked to me. I am not exaggerating. When I came in, there was two tables seated in the area I was in; when I was finally asked if I had ordered, I had already watched a waitress sit people behind me, to the side of me, and one more table in front of me and take their orders. Finally, a server from a different section of the restaurant approached me and asked if i had ordered. I told him, "no," and he took our order. He said "I will find out what happened." From the look on his face, I could tell he knew something was going on. Moment's later looked to my side and saw the waitress, who was serving everyone else around me, staring at me through a fish tank.
The rest of the meal went fine.
I don't know if it was that I was too Asian, to American, or too poor, but this was the weirdest experiences I have had dining. -
Review from Catherine F.
Guelph, ON
4/8/2009 3 photos
I recently had the chance to reconnect with a dear friend from veterinary school, who just got back from serving a year in the army's veterinary corps overseas; we had some serious catching up to do, so I thought a long weekend in Victoria, away from spouses and pets and daily distractions, was in order. Tea at the Empress Hotel, a walk in the Butchart Gardens, the fresh ocean air... and dinner at Nautical Nellie's. My favorite restaurant in Victoria. Sigh. I do so wish I were able to make it there more often. Then again, I am trying to lose weight...
Seated promptly in a corner window seat, I felt elegant and refined and infinitely enviable, like the fabulously sophisticated (yet tastefully restrained) heiress I always dreamed of being. A cocktail? Yes, please. For the benefit of my friend, who had never seen the production associated with absinthe, I started there -- this was where I first tasted the "Green Fairy", after all. (A bit more spectacular in the sultry warm dimness cultivated at Nautical Nellie's during the later evening, but still, did not disappoint.) And the second cocktail was a splendid spicy prawn Caesar, with big, succulent, sweet prawns... yum. Perhaps not the most fabulous cocktails, but perfectly acceptable.
There are too many choices. Everything on the menu is spectacular. So I went for a selection of small dishes, to better explore the myriad taste pleasures to be had.
The lees of a deliriously bright spring day were rocking themselves a lullaby in the molten reflections of the harbor. As the day wound down, I savored the world's sweetest, cleanest oysters, of a couple dozen pedigrees -- my favorite being the kumamoto, with a delicate, tender, buttery sweetness devoid of any briny fishiness, singing a song of "fresh, fresh, fresh!" across my delighted palate... with a twist of lemon and fresh-grated horseradish. Subtle flavors of summer fruit with only the merest hint of the sea, like a mermaid's kiss... I've never had oysters this good anywhere else.
My "Tasting Tower" was a tower of taste sensations -- from the delectable lobster salad, the spicy-sweet stickiness of the prawns, to perfectly grilled scallops that melted like butter. My friend graciously shared her clams, presented surprisingly in a sweet-spicy coconut milk and lemongrass broth. Her steak was flawless, as well. I left, absolutely content in body and soul, and enjoyed a leisurely stroll along the waterfront, back to the hotel.
We returned the next evening, after a damp, gray day in the Butchart Gardens; the gardens were still sleeping, full of promise not yet bloomed. We were welcomed warmly, like regulars, and seated right away overlooking the harbor, with bare masts and dispirited seagulls rolling slightly in the rain. The brilliant glass lamps and glowing aquaria painted an appealing canvas of light across the many artworks, all depicting richly-colored foodstuffs; I needed a martini (Bombay sapphire, dirty, extra olive). And it was perfect, so of course I needed another. My friend, whom I had introduced to the delights of gin the night before, enjoyed sips of my libations to cut the sweet of her Long Island iced tea (which she pronounced entirely satisfactory).
We came to a consensus quickly, and opted to share the seafood platter for two, with the lobster (Atlantic, alas, but we hadn't had lobster since we went to school together in the Caribbean). It arrived in rapid order. It was astonishing; a sumptuous and decadent feast of truly hedonistic proportions. Grilled halibut so tender it fell apart on the fork. Richly flavorful local salmon (if just a touch dry). Buttery scallops so good they made me cry. Gorgeous skewers of sweet grilled shrimp. The very finest mussels I have ever, ever eaten -- not even the slightest hint of fishiness. Only luscious and delicate meatiness, like the very best escargot. Likewise the clams -- oh, the clams!
And then, the pièce de résistance... the lobster. My gods. The sweet, rich tenderness of it, the exquisite texture, the warm butter bath...! So painfully good I dreamed of the next bite before the previous one was even swallowed. I applied my dissection skills to their utmost and emptied every single appendage, leaving empty chitinous exoskeleton in a mound of butter-glazed carnage... the wake of an orgy of gluttony. Entirely unregretted gluttony.
So, in summary, superlative service, astonishing offerings, and perfectly tolerable cocktails... STILL my favorite place in Victoria. I love you, Nautical Nellie's. -
Review from Jfo L.
9/19/2010 1 photo
This place was delicious!
We went here on our overnight trip to Victoria and definitely enjoyed our stay. After seeing several people order fish and chips in Victoria, we had to try.
My boyfriend got the $1 oyster shots and loved them! As for the fish and chips....AMAZING! I haven't tried many fish and chips at high end places but for the price and quality, I definitely haven't had better. They were so good that we got an order to go and bring home to Seattle.
The only problem? We ordered some other spicy, chicken pasta dish that was not good. I'm big on eating spice but this was overboard! and overall... I didn't like the dish at all..my bf thought it was ok I guess..haha
So with 3 orders of food and some oyster shots, it only cost $50 or so dollars. Oh! And the service was great. Our waiter was friendly, down to earth and funny =)
I definitely recommend going a quick stop here. The place looks pretty nice inside but you won't get overwhelmed with having to dress up. Definitely a place to try out! -
Review from Tony S.
5/1/2010
First preface: I love my visit to Victoria.....a masterful and beautiful city with no equal!!
Second preface: I love oysters.
Our hotel concierge, upon my request, offered several suggestions for quality oyster-dining including happy hour favorites in our area. Thank you, dear!! We have tried several while here: The Oyster, Doubles, to name two. Not bad/not great - but good quality and pricing. Nellie's didn't fit the bill, however.
Nellie's offers HH from 3 to 6 each day; we arrived at 3:45 pm........what? Empty? No diners or pearl divers? What's this? We stopped in our tracks. Hmmm. We decided not to stay and ventured onward. We sauntered down to Darcy's and, instead, had our fill there. -
Review from Laurie S.
6/27/2011
My husband and I have eaten here the last 2 times we have been in Victoria. Recently we stopped in for lunch and both got their lunch special. Chilean lobster on a hoagie roll. Wow was this delicious! It came with fries and was an excellent deal at $14.99. The lobster was so fresh. My husband had the prawn cocktail for appetizer. Very yummy. A little expensive at $14.99 for 6 prawns, but they were decent size brawns. I had a bowl of the best seafood chowder. It was chock full of veggies, seafood, potatos. Definitely suggest this as a stop to eat. The servers are friendly. The decor is great.
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Review from Richard R.
New Westminster, BC
8/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good was actually pretty good but we got shafted by the service. It took over an hour between appetizers and the main course. They did offer a round of drinks but way after we had been waiting.
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Review from Nancy R.
Vancouver, BC
10/3/2010
We arrived in Victoria late - 8PM - on a Wednesday evening and found every restaurant closed except Nautical Nellies!
I opted for the Fish & Chips, and I wasn't disappointed. The Halibut was fresh and the batter was crisp. The service was quick and friendly and efficient.
My only complaint was that more quality restaurants open after 8PM during our time in Victoria! -
Review from Colin G.
Vancouver, BC
12/4/2009
The sanblefish was fantastic, seafood tower was okay. Out of 12 oysters, 2 were fishy and tasted like "dirty socks" according to my gf. Server was meh, hostess was nice.
Speaking to another comment re: kid friendly, the table across from us were playing some loud obnoxious game with their 8 year old. Went on for 10 minutes and ruined our meal as well as others who left scowling in the families direction. Definitely an identity crisis going on at this place. -
Review from Katie F.
4/26/2010
Note to self - Don't order steak at a seafood restaurant!
Even with that, I'm not sure it would have been much better. The resto knew we would be a large group for dinner but clearly had trouble handling things, even with us pre-ordering. Service and food was incredibly slow, taking over an hour after our booked time for the appys to arrive.
The appys were pretty good - liked my coconut shrimp (tiny shrimp though) and hubby's orange and arugula salad was tasty.
We both had the steak and scallops - average steak and scallops were a bit bland. The cut was quite tough. The chocolate espresso cake was average but mostly like a flourless cake with little espresso taste.
A-OK but definitely not recommended for large groups. Service definitely needs some work. -
Review from Jay A.
11/25/2009
We just got off our seaplane and this restaurant is what greeted us as we walked up the ramp...
Oysters were "the business"... LOL Never really liked raw or even undercooked oysters- but I think this place converted me... I split a dozen with two other people - and they allowed us to choose a combination of 4 different regional Oysters. All of them were delicious and you could really taste the difference between each of them. I'm definitely going back here next time I go to Victoria... -
Review from Jaime C.
9/4/2010 1 Check-in Here
In the cosmopolitan environment that the Victoria Island transpires the moment you arrive, a certain and unavoidable spot to visit and enjoy is Nautical Nellies. The mix the ambiance and the outstanding service is only surpassed by the delightfulness of their cooking. I ordered a succulent Edamame beans appetizer that was presented marinated in lime juice, cilantro and an spicy condiment that made me lick my fingers. I accompanied it with a Miso soup that would receive recognition and acceptance in any Japanese Restaurante and I closed the night with a delicious Jambalaya that contained a mix of spices and flavors that took me back to New Orleans to the most authentic definition of substances that just reached home in every corner of my palate.
Whatever your plans in the island, please include Nellies, your alter ego will thank you for a long time. -
Review from Rick W.
5/28/2011
My seafood linguine was stocked with seafood but had little to offer in the way of flavor. (I took the remainder home, added parsley and a squeeze of lemon and it was much better.) Gregory's sushi roll was pretty good. The service was disinterested. Not a total disaster but an experience not worth repeating.
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Review from Jazz C.
5/5/2009
I may add more remarks later but suffice to say, we liked this place quite a bit.
Great service, lovely oysters, decent beer selection. I had the tasting tower, which was delicious and filling, although it needs to come with a small bowl of rice if it's to be a dinner, rather than an appetizer.
We had tea at the Empress earlier, so I wasn't very hungry. Now I wish I'd had a full meal with dessert. Oh well, I'll just have to come back. And that I will do, next time I'm in Victoria! -
Review from Zagreus A.
7/9/2010
Great surprise... Was expecting a touristy average meal but got a nearly perfect nearly fine-dining experience at a reasonable price.
Really good bisque, everything on the tower was subtle and well developed, fish was perfect, sushi pretty decent. -
Review from Srta l.
11/17/2010
We celebrated my b'day dinner here. Because we had an early dinner, we got fresh oysters for $1/each, great variety of oyster too. Also got the seafood risotto, and house special pot pie(beef and mushroom), for dessert was date pudding. They have a great selection of wine as well.
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Review from David L.
9/4/2010
Thanks to Yelp for this find. Walked in off the street and we were seated immediately. We sat outside and had a view of the inner harbour. The mussel & clams appetizer was very fresh and the only drawback was not enough bread to soak up the broth. We both had fish, salmon & ling cod. Nice portions with fresh sides, all perfectly cooked. This is a good place for seafood as you might find and the prices are fair.
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Review from Betty R.
10/31/2010
This place was highly recommended by our hotel concierge. It's apparently a local favorite. There's a little bit of everything available. Some sushi, some Indian, some other Asian. The place is kind of Asian fusion. Thank goodness the oysters were in the raw! The steamed mussels were great. Local brewed beer was great. Calamari was great. Just the entrees... I'm just not a Fusion kind of gal. Very very friendly staff. Service is a bit slow. Would have liked to try the Buck a Shuck, but didn't get a chance to go back.
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Review from Smart Shopper G.
8/15/2009
Let me just start by saying that whatever marketing plan they devised to bring in customers--it's a LIE. We asked our hotel concierge for a restaurant that was kid-friendly with good seafood. We were told to go to Nautical Nellie's because it supposedly had both--as they had been told. LIE LIE LIE. This place was overpriced, the seafood was just mediocre and being good for kids, PHLEEZE! Who are you kidding? We should have figured that out when there wasn't even a ramp to get your stroller up to the entrance. We had to carry our stroller up the stairs.
This restaurant was designed to cater to the upscale, young urban crowd. Unfortunately, their location by the waterfront does not draw this crowd, so instead they try to market themselves as kid-friendly for the tourists who don't know any better (i.e., us morons).
The decor is dark, cramped, and not at all a place appropriate for children. Clearly they had not put any thought into what a family-friendly place actually entails. We ordered the children's chicken meal for our toddler and it came on a HOT plate. Did I say hot? I meant, HOT. It was a hazard for any child to touch. I mean, really, people. Think.
The irony is that that perhaps the best tasting, well cooked food that any of us received was actually the chicken on that child's plate. Our seafood tasting tower came stacked on this foot and 1/2 tall wooden tower that was tippy. Again, perfect for the couple on a romantic date but an absolute joke when there are kids at the table. On top of that, the seafood was underseasoned and the supposed Asian-flavored seared tuna was overcooked and fishy tasting. Call me a snob but I know my Asian fusion having lived in Hawaii, San Francisco and Los Angeles. This was not Asian fusion done well. We ended up stopping off at 7-11 to get a snack because we actually left hungry after our meal because the portion sizes were so small. We would have ordered more food but our appetizers and salad alone had already blown our dinner budget for the night.
I know we're not the only people who were fooled by false advertising. There were tables all around us with children, none of whom looked comfortable. When I brought up the issue of the non-child-friendliness of the place, both the manager and the server gave the attitude of, "Like I care." What this tells me is that is a toxic place to work where everyone, including the management has mentally checked out.
By the way, the bottle of wine at our neighboring table had turned to vinegar and their food was equally mediocre, as they shared with us.
If you have kids, go to The Old Spaghetti Factory instead. We did that the next night and actually had a fulfilling, enjoyable, affordable meal...and we didn't need to stop at 7-11 afterwards. -
Review from Cookee M.
6/1/2010
Best crab cakes I've ever tasted! Light and crispy on the outside-tasty on the inside. The chutney that came with the crab cake plate was very flavorful and delicious. Also, the 'lobster cappuccino' -which is lobster bisque in tiny coffee cups with foam on top-is amazing. It comes with the tasting tower. The food presentation is very creative and the atmosphere is simple and elegant. We were able to get table overlooking the ocean. Definitely a must-go when in victoria and highly recommended.
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Review from BB H.
Burnaby, BC
3/31/2010
Decent seafood. Oysters were freshso that wins points. Bit pricey but nice atmosphere siting out on the patio far enough away from the main tourist drag yet close enough to walk from the whole Empress/harbor area.
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Review from Anne S.
3/22/2010
Went to Nautical Nellies Saturday night without a reservation, so decided to eat in the bar. Fantastic! Watched the friendly bartender shuck our oysters right in front of us. Freshly grated horseradish added to the presentation. The mussels in green curry sauce had just the right amount of heat but not enough to overpower the other delicate flavors. The crispy calamari my husband ordered was the best he'd ever eaten. The additional mirin sauce was a new and delicious way to have calamari. We will definitely go back. I wouldn't take kids for dinner on a weekend, especially if they can't be kept under contol. I love kids, but they don't have to go EVERY WHERE.
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Review from Guy G.
Edmonton, AB
6/6/2009
Quite an overrated restaurant. Noisy, dark and hot. The service was adequate, our waitress tried to be funky and fun, but was inattentive and annoying. The wine list was small, pedestrian and expensive. The appetizer, crab cakes, had much too much cheese, and way too little crab. The coating on the outside of the cakes tasted out of the box. I am a little spoiled as I have had crab cakes in Baltimore... the home of the crab cake, so I expected more. The main course, some trio of things hid its lack of flavor with an overabundance of salt and garlic. I couldn't finish it, as it was very salty. The waitress saw that I hadn't even eaten half of my meal, but never asked if I had enjoyed it. So... I told her I didn't really find it edible. She said... "oh, sorry" and walked off. Prices are in keeping with the area, so the food is moderately pricey.
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Review from Craig R.
Victoria, BC
5/24/2010
Swanky and pricey. But great food and good sized portions for the hungry folks.
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Review from Steve R.
8/20/2008
Service was excellent, food was fairly good, atmosphere was "run of the mill".
