Latest reviews from Victoria
| 72 /100 Vintage Spirits (Rialto Hotel) (Beer Store) 653 PANDORA AVENUE “Small store with several import gems. Worth a visit.“ |
| 78 /100 Superflux (Cabana) (Bar) 804 BROUGHTON ST. “Swung by on a Saturday night, surprisingly not that busy. Quality beer, no flights, heavy on hazies and sours but a nicely crafted lager in there, too. Good stop.“ |
| 72 /100 560 JOHNSON ST “Beer was fine if generally unremarkable one way or the other. Huge outdoor space, nice crowd on a Saturday night. Perfectly fine stop.“ |
| 58 /100 Liquor Express (Beer Store) 759 YATES STREET “Big ol' meh.“ |
| 80 /100 Caddy Bay Liquor Store (Beer Store) 3837 CADBORO BAY RD “Beautiful location. Huge wall of refrigerated single beers. Great location near the beach and beside a grocery store and cafes and smugglers cove pub. Maybe 200 different varieties. Super clean. Friendly staff. 4.0“ |
| 48 /100 BC Liquor Store - Hillside (Beer Store) 1644 HILLSIDE AVE “This place stinks for beer. It’s like a scaled down version of BevMo. Everything is in 6packs. Tons of macro. Almost everything is warm. 90%+ of the store is liquor and wine. 2.8“ |
| 82 /100 Penny Farthing Liquor Store/Spirit Merchants (Beer Store) 2187 OAK BAY AVENUE “Changed name to cork and barrel liquor merchants. Nice store. Beautiful location. About 200 single can varieties. Maybe 1000+ cans in total. Lots of barrel aged, local, and Belgians. Great store! 4.1“ |
| 76 /100 2740 BRIDGE STREET “industrial area in Victoria. Parking isn’t bad. 11 beers on tap. They only serve flights. Only a 8x1ft table to stand at while drinking your flight, which maybe 4 people can stand at. Love it! Super friendly: as all Canadians seem to be. Beers are OK. Customers coming in and out, buying kegs, growlers, cans etc. $6US for 4 tasters. Perfect place for tickers. 3.8“ |
| 76 /100 Liquor Express (Beer Store) 759 YATES STREET “Great prices. About 2 fridges of singles. Nice small selection of local beers including barrel aged beers. Many fridges of macros and 6pack locals. It’s Ok. Would be great elsewhere. So many great breweries nearby as an alternative. 3.8“ |
| 76 /100 Swans Wine and Beer Shoppe (Beer Store) 514 PANDORA AVENUE “What a pleasant surprise. Right beside Swan’s Brewpub in Victoria. Huge selection. 2-3 fridges of single cans, and 5 of 6packs and bottles. There is shelf separating customers from the beers, so you have to ask for the beers, but you can clearly see the prices. Great location in downtown beautiful Victoria.“ |
| 76 /100 Vintage Spirits (Rialto Hotel) (Beer Store) 653 PANDORA AVENUE “2 refrigerators of local cans, 1 of special large bottles, and maybe 8 fridges of macro and local 6 packs. Prices are quite a bit higher than liquor express down the street. Nice location in downtown Victoria. 3.8“ |
| 80 /100 450 SWIFT ST “Interesting place. A little off the beaten path, but huge and popular. Extensive tap list: Maybe 50 beers. I got a flight of 6. I’m not sure how much it will be. I’m hoping less than $20 US. Canada is cheap right now, because of exchange rate. They only have 3 house beers, so the flight is filled with local breweries: awesome! The pumping dance music really creates a great vibe.“ |
| 74 /100 2960 BRIDGE ST “Nice taproom near downtown Victoria. Huge fouders and barrels in the taproom. Parking and finding precise location is tricky, but not too bad. Brewery owned food truck permanently there. Beers were hard to drink. Something is off: higher acidity and dryness made it a bit harder to drink. Great place to tick. Flight of 4 for around $7US.“ |
| 72 /100 2330 GOVERNMENT STREET “About 12 beers on tap including 2 guest beers. Quality is average. Parking isn’t too bad if you search 1 block. In an industrial area. Friendly staff. $6US for 4 tasters. Wonderful!“ |
| 86 /100 350 BAY STREET “Wow this place is great. I really like the quality of the beers. Each beer has passion put into it, including decocted Hefeweizens, and hazy Pilsners. Just excellent. I walked in, and the brewery smells excellent, like a day of home brewing at home. Staff is super nice. Love it! $7US for 4 tasters.“ |
| 72 /100 560 JOHNSON ST “9 beers on tap. Flight of 4 for $9, because of good US$ exchange rate. Very cool location in an old quad shopping area in downtown Victoria. Beer quality is mediocre, but seems to be typical for Victoria.“ |
| 78 /100 506 PANDORA AVENUE “27 house beers on tap and 8 guest Belgian beers. High ceilings. Lots of wood. Brick walls. Beautiful staff. Great central city location. Food is great. Overall awesome, except beers are mediocre.“ |
| 72 /100 506 HERALD ST “10 beers on tap. Flight of 4 for $9US. Beers mediocre, but light and easy to drink. Cool Area of Victoria. Love it.“ |
| 72 /100 2010 GOVERNMENT ST “12 beers on tap including one NA beer and 4 kettle sours. Flight of 4 for $7: cheap! Beer quality is below average. Great location!“ |
| 84 /100 Cook St Liquor (Beer Store) 304 COOK ST “Best beer store in Victoria. Great selection of locals and imports, especially some of the more difficult to get and limited qty imports“ |
| 74 /100 Vessel Liquor (Beer Store) 1609 FORT STREET “Great store with large BC selection and small but well picked selection of imports.“ |
| 100 /100 2740 BRIDGE STREET “Easily the best Brewery in Victoria Canada. Their Appleton British Ale and Dark Matter and two of Canada beat Core Beers.“ |
| 74 /100 Superflux (Cabana) (Bar) 804 BROUGHTON ST. “2023-02-24. Busy and loud on a Friday. There was a short queue to get in but the friendly host/manager briefly set us up at a table outside and pulled the portable fire table over beside us, but we didn't have to wait long to get a seat at the bar. Friendly bartender as well. Overall impression is a lounge vibe. Busy and LOUD on a Friday night. It is even more hipstery than I expected from online but I actually liked the decor in a lot of ways that I would have appreciated more at a non-bar seat. Decent short tap list of their beers so your enjoyment likely hinges a lot on how you like the beers. 12 oz pours or larger only. It’s a nice spot that as a "crusty old man" who doesn't get out much these days, I wish we had visited earlier in the day.
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| 74 /100 2330 GOVERNMENT STREET “2023-02-24. Small taproom tasting area downstairs. I meant to venture up to what looked like more seating upstairs but didn't remember until it was too late. Decent tap selection with 14+ taps in a range of styles. Beers overall were decent for the most part with one or two showing a bit more or less promise. Mabel ordered a pickle and it was served in a tasting glass which tickled my funny bone. Decor is a bit more plain than some other places but the beers while not always impressive are still amongst the better brewery options in town. Worth a visit.“ |
| 78 /100 836 VIEWFIELD RD “2023-02-24. Surprisingly busy at 4PM on a Friday. Friendly servers. Nice bar, Lots of stuff hanging from the ceiling including giant hop cone. Shitty metal high top chairs that seem to be so many places now. A bit loud - we appreciated it being a bit quieter being seated in the "party room", which is a little nook with a table for two and rotating coloured lights. Nice spot. Food is courtesy of Dumpling Drop. We weren't super hungry so we just shared an order of the deep fried dumplings special filled with pork and lemon grass IIRC. They were pretty tasty. We tried 8 of the 10-12 tap offerings and with one or two exceptions they were decent to good. Nice spot. A bit farther out from downtown. Ratings pre-2020 are for the old location.
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| 82 /100 Refuge Tap Room (Bar) 832 FORT ST “2023-02-23. Smaller than I expected from looking it up online. Five or six tables and bar seating. 35+ BC craft taps with some interesting options. No flights. More so than other places we have visited this trip I think - but we didn't make it to Drake this trip. Overall impression is that it feels more laid back than some of the places we have been in Victoria. Small enough that you can hear other people’s conversations a bit today, which is a nice change from some of the bigger noisier spots on this trip. Server is friendly. Patio in warmer weather? Recommended.“ |
| 72 /100 Spinnakers Spirit Merchants (James Bay) (Beer Store) 425 SIMCOE STREET “2023-02-23. Good selection of Vancouver Island Brewers and some from the mainland like Four Winds - several fridges worth. There are some solid options but didn’t there didn't seem to be much in the way of rarer items. Mabel picked up a few cans the day before without me and unfortunately made some choices that were different from what I would have picked up lol. It is right beside a grocery store so it was a good combo visit a short walk from our hotel.“ |
| 58 /100 BC Liquor Store - James Bay (Beer Store) 101 - 225 MENZIES ST “2023-02-23. They have a small but okay selection. It is a short walk to many of the hotels along the harbourfront, so worth popping in to to check if they have anything you are looking for but with Spinnakers around the corner that is likely the better bet.“ |
| 64 /100 506 HERALD ST “2023-02-22. The space is less fancy than the impression I had from the website. Sort of industrial basic decor - which is actually relatively common at breweries, but less so in downtown ones? That sounds harsher than I mean it to be - I like the space. Seating upstairs and downstairs. Friendly server. It was very busy for a Weds night, but we found a quieter table around the corner. Apparently there was an event to celebrate the fact that some lucky grad student got their PhD in chemistry . Focaccia pizza is not very pizza-y but also it tastes amazing so I am not going to quibble! The beers were less impressive unfortunately - we tried a flight of four, two were very nice and two were pretty rough. We were tired so opted to head back to the hotel so I can't say if they would have redeemed themselves with the remaining beers. Worth a visit but there are other places I might go first if you have limited time in Victoria.“ |
| 48 /100 350 BAY STREET “Nice server, a few tables outside. Inside absolute stunk of yeast infection and hops. Beers are not so great. Location hard to find.“ |
| 70 /100 The Strath Ale, Wine and Spirit Merchants (Beer Store) 919 DOUGLAS STREET “Best selection of craft beer on Vancouver Island. Lots of really good USA and foreign bottles is what brought me here. Lots of singles. Friendly.“ |
| 72 /100 506 PANDORA AVENUE “Decent stop for a beer, mostly their own, but a couple of good guest beers. Very good service.“ |
| 76 /100 The Drake Eatery (Restaurant) 517 PANDORA STREET “Best beer bar selection in Victoria. Good atmosphere and location. Some of best taps around the province, including some US.“ |
| 44 /100 2010 GOVERNMENT ST “Came here and no taproom service because of event. But they didn't tell me on social media or at the entrances. Only after following walking 20 minutes around t where they directed me. Monday. No one told us bar pickup t go outside. No signs. No table having people kind enough. Then went inside and could not get served after several minutes with as loud a noise of people shouting over each other and without music.“ |
| 72 /100 Superflux (Cabana) (Bar) 804 BROUGHTON ST. “Several of the most popular Superflux offerings plus some guest taps. A number of cocktails. Possibly nicest location to have a beer in the city. Superflux cans to go from latest releases.“ |
| 72 /100 506 HERALD ST “Smallish space, very nice location to see the sun set. Some different beers. Very friendly. Hit and miss on the beer.“ |
| 70 /100 2960 BRIDGE ST “small space but always room. Making some different beers. I wouldn't spring for the bottles yet but a flight was nice to get into their beers.“ |
| 66 /100 273 PROSPECT LAKE ROAD “Same spot as the former Tod Creek with the same setup. Okay indoor seating, some outdoor picnic tables for when the weather's nice. Ciders were average to good, I think they could all do with a little more carbonation though. Flights of 3 and 6 were available. They seem to have very limited hours over winter but maybe that will change for the summer. A pleasant stop if you happen to be in the area.“ |
| 86 /100 The Drake Eatery (Restaurant) 517 PANDORA STREET “A great pub in downtown Victoria, in an older building, classic British style, long bar, large seating area. The beer selection is well curated, with BC offerings as well as out of province. Samples are very well priced, no more than 3$ a glass. Food menu is very upscale, with interesting offerings. A must in Victoria.“ |
| 62 /100 350 BAY STREET “Lower deck. A really old school taproom located in an industrial sector, like a old house feel, with wooden walls, old schoolhouse. The flight is 4x for 9$. Beers were passable. Service was decent and efficient. Food menu was typical pub fare.“ |
| 78 /100 2960 BRIDGE ST “Best place in Victoria for a sour head like me. Located in an industrial sector, this cool little taproom delivers. Mainly sours and barrel aged with some ipa, imperial stout,.. Flights are 4 for 10$, a good deal. Limited snack and pizza menu. Plenty of parking on premise and free wifi.“ |
| 80 /100 836 VIEWFIELD RD “One of the best in Victoria... Big taproom, super modern, great murales with an aquatic theme, great sassy service. Dumplings Drop as a kitchen here, 5 dumplings for 8.50$. Flight of 4 is also 8.50$..“ |
| 58 /100 2-836 DEVONSHIRE ROAD “Located in an industrial sector, cool little taproom with 6 tables inside, big patio on the side, very friendly service, flights are 4 for 8$. Beers are ok to solid.“ |
| 66 /100 199 ISLAND HIGHWAY “A really nice taproom with old British vibe. Plenty of British paraphanelia. Place was busy at 1pm on a Tuesday, and service was slow and somewhat inattentive. Ordered a soup, which was decent, and a flight. Beers were ok to solid, although they switched a beer on me. Samples were less than 2$ each.“ |
| 74 /100 560 JOHNSON ST “Located in the downtown area, in a shopping complex, this place is modern, maritime feel. Big L shaped bar, plenty of seating place, friendly service, 4 X 4 for 12$. Big winterized patio. No food but beer to go. Worth a visit.“ |
| 68 /100 506 HERALD ST “Within a few blocks from Phillips and Swans, this is a brewpub located in an older building, 2 storeys, plenty of seating. Very good service and free wifi. Beers are solid if not remarkable. Flight of 4 for 11.50$. Limited menu of snacks and some focaccia from the Drake (their sister pub).“ |
| 66 /100 2010 GOVERNMENT ST “A really nice taproom in this old school legend of Victoria. Very good service, plenty of space with loads of Phillips paraphanelia, flights of 4 for 9$. Beers are unremarkable. Small menu of pizza, and pretzels. Plenty of street parking.“ |
| 64 /100 560 JOHNSON ST “Beautiful spot, in Market Square across from The Drake’s beer garden. They have a nice interior, but also an expansive patio for when the weather is good. They had 5 beers on tap when I visited, with flights of 4 or 5. I got a flight of 4 for $12 plus tax. The beers were pretty dull and lacking ambition: I thought 2 were competent and 2 were pointless. Very friendly and helpful service. Below average beer quality for Victoria, but a fun, convenient and aesthetically pleasing spot. Worth checking out for that; just don’t expect anything from the beer.“ |
| 68 /100 506 HERALD ST “Nice place near centre, and walking distance from countless other breweries, this is a cozy little tasting room with plenty of inside seating and a nice patio out front for the warmer months. They had 7 of their own beers on tap when I visited, 3 of them being collabs with other BC breweries. Flights of 4 available for a reasonable price. I wasn’t too enthused with any of the beers, but they were mostly all dialled in okay. Very friendly service. Currently not in me of the top spots in Victoria, but it might be worth checking them out to see how they progress.“ |
| 74 /100 560 JOHNSON ST “Another nice modern style brewpub in Victoria, right downtown in Old Market square. Definitely appealing to the younger crowd vs., say, the Drake. A nice selection of decent beers. Stopped here twice on our trip.“ |
